AND a word of encouragement from last year’s Tees Valley winner ...
Apr 14 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette
FORMER fireman Matt Stirland will realise the fruits of his year as the Tees Valley’s face of entrepreneurship in July, when he officially launches his venture Streetlife.
Matt, pictured, ploughed around £25,000 of his own money into the business after dramatically revising his plans to create a national chain of kids’ health clubs on the advice of If We Can, You Can mentors. Instead, Streetlife, which has a number of strands operating under different banners, catapults fitness instead into the classroom. Matt has already begun work with Redcar & Cleveland education department and this summer business and enterprise students from Nunthorpe School will give the project a public platform.
The Streetlife concept rests on technology that monitors students’ heart rate and fitness levels, allowing them to draw up plans to live a healthier life. Matt’s aim is to see the service taken into workplaces, too.
“Winning If We Can, You Can gave me a good 12 to 24 months head start in business,” he says. “I’ve become someone who’s recognised in the business community - and that’s a huge help.”
