Bishop Auckland personal trainers hit the road

Mar 8 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal

A PAIR of entrepreneurial lads who were worried the recession may cost them their jobs have decided to turn their love of fitness into a business.

Oliver Alanis, 20, and Trevor Flowers, 26, from Bishop Auckland, decided it was time to take their future into their own hands and launch Sprint Personal Training, a mobile service that guarantees to have clients fighting fit like the positive pair.

Sprint Personal Training specialises in personal training, pilates, boxercise and circuit training. It also offers nutritional advice and diagnostic assessments of fitness levels.

Oliver said: “After facing possible redundancy last year we were both determined to take control by doing something we were both passionate about. We’ve always enjoyed sport and keeping fit so it seemed obvious to look into taking our instructor training and personal trainer qualifications. That way, after qualifying, we could start our own personal training business.

They set up the business with support from Be Enterprising, County Durham’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative .

“We spotted a gap in the market when we researched the local area to see what competition was out there. This is when we approached Be Enterprising for help and advice on getting our idea off the ground,” added Oliver.

The pair received advice on how to set up a business as well as a grant from Be Enterprising towards portable gym equipment.

Their Be Enterprising coach Tony Cummings said: “It’s great to see a pair of proactive young men with ambition and fighting spirit. “The lads had a clear idea about what they wanted to offer as part of their fitness service, so it was just a case of nudging them in the right direction and giving them advice on their business start up.”