Fitness2Improve – You can do it! by Danni Evans

My 2011 by Danni Evans  – Fitness2Improve

I pen this as I sit in the car, kids shouting Christmas songs at the top of their voices, my brilliant, supportive hubby driving and I am shaking having just done my last 10k race of 2011, not run in my best time but considering I nearly didn’t do it due to coming down with a  grotty cold this week, I did it as I couldn’t let the team down…team f2i and that is exactly what 2011 has bought me – a TEAM of amazing instructors and supporters!

At the start of 2011 I was running a small Bootcamp in my little home town of Ellesmere, with ideas of branching out to a local bigger town, one of my Bootcampers, Tracy, had qualified as an instructor, she was passionate about Bootcamp and was going to teach for me – my first instructor! So, New Year came, we’d done very little shouting about it and got the same reward…very few people came!  This soon came to a halt but I’d learnt from it…you’ve got to promote BIG, so back to the drawing board I went, a little disheartened but with a keenness to keep going, as was Tracy

It all started to take off in March 2011, a few key people joined my home town Bootcamp who have now been instrumental in the expansion of my business…yes a business – NOT just a job!

Now, I am no business woman, but I’m getting there!  I hate asking for things, I am not good at accepting help but slowly and surely I have been doing this but giving too…I’ve been exchanging help for help which is proving brilliant….even if just a rant via email, it helps to get an outsiders opinion. This has been amazing in getting solutions and gives me the boost when I needed it.

SO…what happened?  It transpired that a PT client of mine, Kathryn, was an ETM instructor…Old School style – RSA and everything!!  I’d set up a few extra Bootcamp style classes which she attended one of, she was addicted, she loved it so much she wanted to do it herself but not for her for me – for fitness2improve. So, with the support of Tracy & Kathryn, Bootcamp Shrewsbury was born. I couldn’t do it by myself because of my ‘security’ job; that job we have that pays the bills in case nothing else does??  But, we put the plans in to place, spent countless hours chatting on facebook, getting out flyers and preparing for a free nutrition seminar – 40 people attended from Ellesmere and Shrewsbury and we had 16 signed up for May, our first Bootcamp! Chuffed J

Shortly after the initial decision was made to do Bootcamp Shrewsbury, we attended the International Fitness Showcase and I was inspired and motivated to do two things…firstly get Bootcamp Shrewsbury up and running and make it and the Ellesmere ones stronger.  The second thing was an idea for a spinning studio – traditionally found in big clubs but my vision was a box in my Barn.,..well, the box didn’t quite happen – just one for storage! But I have 9 shiny new Livestrong Matrix bikes sitting waiting to be launched in January when THESPINBOX goes live!!

This was done through support and encouragement from Bootcamp members, fellow instructors and one of my clients and now amazing friend Claire who has  lost 3st, 4 dress sizes and had the drive and energy to set up her own business within her husband’s Bike shop…she is now launching her Triathlon products in the new year! Her positivity drove me forward.  We were a perfect complement to each other….her business was bikes, mine is fitness and through each other we can promote – things happen for  a reason, she found me Nov 2010 now we are pushing each other’s businesses forward.

The only way THESPINBOX could happen was with more instructors so, Kathryn and Tracy got qualified to teach, Bootcamper and changed man, Matt, has gained qualification to instruct and with his passion of creating music and now cycling – he will be amazing!  Money has been borrowed and the pressure is on but I needed help, with so many ideas, thoughts, visions and still so many ideas of where I want it all to go – I want a real SPINBOX – an indoor space all set up with back to back spin sessions for all sorts of abilities, wants and needs. I turned to Rachel and her mentoring programme to channel my thoughts and make me focus…so far so good, actually it’s not good it’s brilliant; the best decision I’ve made.  I’ve invested in packages all with good information but I needed somebody to kick my backside…which she does regularly!

We’ve now got 9 Bootcamp sessions to choose from in my home town & I still run a couple of community classes, we have 2 Bootcamps  (6 sessions) in Shrewsbury, Bootcamp kids kicks off in my children’s school in January and THESPINBOX launches in January.  I still do a bit of PT and still have that other job BUT I don’t aim to be there much longer.

For 2012….I want an evening Bootcamp in Shrewsbury, I have products I want to create and workshops to deliver, I want to do more online business to support the ones who wish they could be at my sessions but just simply can’t – I’m not talking taking over the world here I just want to reach my community and offer them what others have gained so much from.  I’ve got a long way to go…but I have a team behind me now, I could NOT have done this alone.  fitness2improve ltd was born out of my passion for training people and instructing, my husband is part of this team too & he is instrumental to the running of the house and I could not be where I am now without him.  With 3 children a ‘security’ type job each and a puppy; we have to work together and anybody can do this – you just need the support…2012 is going to be AMAZING….BELIEVE!