I got into fitness about seven years ago and I can honestly say it’s completely changed my life. Exercising has given me a purpose and as well as feeling better about myself physically, the benefits to my mental wellbeing have been huge.
That’s why that when I was fortunate enough to be in a position to invest and start my own business, there was no other industry that even entered my mind.
Fast forward to December 2025 and I’m opening the doors of my first gym. Even better than that, it’s in Winton, a suburb of my hometown of Bournemouth, a place I’ve known and loved my entire life.
There was so much anticipation from me and my team in the build-up to opening. We enjoyed an incredible presale period, the four-week window between people being able to buy a membership with us and the big launch day itself. Knowing the area so well, me and my team knew we had a prime location and were creating a facility that the area wanted and needed. The team did a fantastic job of harnessing that excitement and passion from the public and turning them into paying members.
The opening day
The opening day itself was nothing short of incredible. From the moment we opened the doors, the energy, support and positivity from the local community was overwhelming.
Seeing so many people through the gym doors on day one, meeting new members and feeling the genuine excitement around what we’ve created made all the hard work worthwhile. Hitting record-breaking numbers on opening day was beyond anything we could have hoped for, and we’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bring Snap Fitness to Winton.
One of the biggest highlights was hearing the feedback directly from members and local residents. We’ve had so many people comment on the welcoming atmosphere, the quality of the equipment and how refreshing it is to have a gym that feels inclusive, friendly, and motivating. New members have told us they already feel part of a community, which is exactly what we set out to achieve. The support and encouragement we’ve received has been truly humbling and we can’t wait to build on this amazing start and grow alongside our Winton members. We have been listening to feedback and already have some exciting news coming soon to further improve the club and member experience!
What’s next?
For the foreseeable future, I’m going to be very hands-on with the business. As well as being the gym’s owner, I’m currently the Club Manager so I can be incredibly close to the business and hear exactly what our members feel about the gym.
Although I’ve been into fitness, I’m brand new to this industry and I’m excited to develop myself personally, learn something new every day and make this gym the best it can be.
Excitingly for us, January is on the horizon which is going to be our biggest month of the year. It’s certainly a bit of a baptism of fire having only been open for a couple of weeks but I’m so excited at the prospect of what’s coming soon and helping people live happier and healthier lives.
Having experienced what fitness can do for people first-hand, I can already tell this is going to be such a rewarding investment. There aren’t many industries you can be a part of where you can genuinely change lives and this is one of them.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this and getting a bit of an insight into what it means to me to open my first gym. I’m excited to share what I learn along the way and look forward to penning another diary in a few months’ time … once the excitement of January has subsided!
