How to set up a part time boot-camp business
by
How to set up a part time boot-camp business?
Are you someone who is fanatical about their fitness ? Do you fancy earning a few extra pounds by helping people lose theirs? Follow our simple guide to help you turn that idea into a lean, mean part-time boot camp!
Our growing obsession with physical fitness simply isn't going away, the fitness industry has held steady throughout the recession with 
consumers reluctant to sacrifice the gym memberships and nutritional supplements they have become accustomed to. In fact the UK's fitness industry is worth an estimated £3.86 billion (up 1.4% on last year) so needless to say there is plenty of money to be made for those daring enough to go after it! But more than that, running your own fitness boot camp can be an enjoyable and fulfilling prospect and a good way to keep up your own fitness!
What' s good about running a part-time fitness boot camp?
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They are gaining in popularity fast
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Running one can fit well into your existing work schedule- Most classes take place early morning or evening
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Outdoor boot camps don’t require a venue and therefore there won't be any additional facilities costs
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They can be run with minimal equipment
Here's the kind of things that you should consider before you begin…
Market Research
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Where do you plan to host your bootcamp? Is this area conducive to group fitness regimes?
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Convenience is key, is the location easily accessed by a large number of people?
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If you will be using a public space do you require a permit from the local council?
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Will you have a back-up location in the event of bad weather or will your attendees just have to tough it out?
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Who will your target market be - e.g. professionals/ students/ stay at home parents?
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Is there a significant proportion of your chosen demographic within the vicinity of your location?
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Will you start-up as a completely independent venture or will you go in as part of a franchise? What will be the benefits and limitations of this?
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Is there anyone else in the area offering the same kind of service? Who is their target market and how much do they charge?
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What can your classes offer that your competitors don’t?
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What types of activities are most popular in bootcamp-style sessions? Which of these could you feasibly emulate?
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What training do you currently have that may be of use to you and what additional training could you undertake to give your business credibility
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What books, magazines or societies could you subscribe to in order to ensure you stay up to date with trends and changes in the industry
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Are there any grants or start-up business schemes in your area that may be able to assist you?
Planning and Development
If your market research has delivered positive results, its time to start toning-up your boot-camp idea...
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Have you written up a business plan for your bootcamp? If not who could assist you with it?
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Will you have a dedicated space in your home from which to run the administrative side of the business? Will you need to make any renovations and how much will it cost?
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With a part-time business it is very important to set yourself a reasonable schedule of work with a realistic timeframe in which to get the business up and running - remember you can’t work every minute of the day.
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Taking into consideration your market research decide the days, start-time and duration of your sessions- early mornings are popular with professionals and stay at home parents tend to like mid-afternoon, so tailor this for your target market and your own availability
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Do you plan on offering an extended fitness programme over a set number of weeks or will attendees be able to join casually throughout?
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Where locally will you advertise your boot camp so that it can be easily accessed by your target market?
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Will you be using social media to help spread the word? Do you plan to have active Facebook/Twitter accounts?
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Are there any businesses in the area that would be interested in providing mutual recommendations e.g. health food shops?
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What equipment will you need to procure? e.g. exercise mats, skipping ropes, medicine balls etc. Will the use of these be included in the membership or will you charge a small fee?
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What will the main fitness objective of your boot camp be? Will you focus on stamina/ strength/agility/weight loss or a combination of these? Remember your objectives must have appeal to the demographic which you identified during your market research!
Continued on Page 2...
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Published on: 9th September 2013
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