Profile: Drew Rogers: Renew Fitness Retreat
 |
September 22, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
Drew Rogers is the founder of Renew Fitness Retreat, a female-only bootcamp and detox fitness retreat with courses in England and Wales.
Where did you find the inspiration for Renew Fitness Retreat?
I was working in a pretty stressful job in the city and after one too many tube strikes I decided I needed a change of scenery. One day I was looking through a glossy magazine and came across an article about a boot camp business based around hours of exercise each day. I thought that the industry could do with a new outlook and so set up a fitness retreat which balances fitness, nutrition, holistic therapies and relaxation.
What difficulties did you come across while trying to launch your own business?
More than I expected. Because finance was an issue I had to be creative in coming up with ideas to attract clients to our courses through marketing, PR and a host of other revenue streams. I pretty much did everything from the beginning, which was the best learning curve I could have put myself through but was incredibly time consuming. I realised the benefits of building a strong team around you which is now our best asset.
What kind of expectations did you have before setting your business? Did your business meet those expectations?
I intended to become a national competitor; I just didn’t think it would happen so quickly! There are lots of boot camps and retreats so there’s fierce competition to be at the top of the game. I think we’ve done pretty well to get to where we are now in a relatively short space of time.
I also thought I’d employ staff quicker than I actually did but the thought of regulations and staffing issues was initially too much to think about, especially in the economic crisis.
Did launching Renew Fitness Retreat change you in any way?
Definitely! I’ve got a lot more confidence in what I can achieve. I’m capable of working harder than I thought and I’m (slowly) starting to look back and think, ‘Wow, I created that.’
Did you learn something positive or unexpected about yourself?
I realised that I’m more ambitious than I thought I was but that it’s also good to maintain a work/life balance - I function better when I make time for the things that count in life such as family and friends. I’ve got lots of transferable skills that I can utilise in any situation and the journey I’ve had along the way has taught me a huge amount about my personality and what I want from future projects.
Do you consider your business your biggest achievement?
It’s definitely my biggest achievement so far although I hope there will be more to come! Simply because if you put everything you have into the business you’ll get something back.
What was the response to Renew Fitness Retreat like? What feedback have you had?
It’s been really good - friends, family and clients have been incredibly supportive and love the idea. It still gives me a great feeling when people call to say they feel great and had one of the best weekends ever.
What are your ambitions now?
I’m looking into various projects at the moment. I’ve got some ideas bubbling away (I’m constantly thinking about new ventures!) but there’s no real rush yet so I’ll take my time.
Have you got any tips for women who want to launch a new business?
I would say think carefully about the direction you want to take, research your business thoroughly, write a business plan and most of all ask yourself will you enjoy what you’re doing? What can start off as a great idea will take over your life so you have to have a real passion for the business.
For more information, visit www.renewfitnessretreat.co.uk
Drew is an inspiration and will succeed in whatever she puts her mind to!