When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life closes physical doors, then you open virtual ones.
Many small fitness centres in Guelph have done just that by switching their fitness classes online, getting inventive and focusing on elements that worked specifically for their business model.
Fitness Junction Health & Fitness Club, Fit Body Boot Camp, Lift Guelph and Loyobo FIT have all shifted to offering online classes at a time when gyms are required to shut down by the province as a safety precaution to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Loyobo FIT founder Courtney McCarthy said while battling the consequences of the pandemic has been difficult, it’s important to use this as an opportunity to be creative and think about what really works for a business. In her case, it’s retaining that sense of community.
Two weeks ago, Loyobo FIT, which has approximately 150 members, adopted a new business model where it offers scheduled live online classes and pre-recorded classes.
“With our live class format, were able to still provide that, meaning the instructor and participant can still see one another, we still talk to them, were still able to have conversations and have that interactive engaged element,” said McCarthy.
“It brings a sense of normalcy to a routine with participants logging in to classes at a set time to meet people in their class on live video just like they would if they were in the studio.”
In order to make to feel a sense of relatability for her members, McCarthy rearranged her fitness studio to look like a living room so people can relate to her when they are isolated in their homes.
Because people are restricted with space and equipment in their homes, McCarthy said the classes can get extremely creative and gave an example of a drumming class online that saw participants at home use spoons and pipes and rolled-up magazines.
“That became a whole new way we can laugh and be playful together.”
She said while large fitness brands are able to offer free of highly discounted prices, small businesses aren’t which is what pushed them to retain the element that works for her business which is the community element.
She said for those who have been financially impacted by the pandemic, Loyobo FIT will soon share fitness videos with a pay what you can option to help those going through difficult times.
Lift Guelph has also changed it’s business model by focusing on specific abilities.
“The videos we share with people are about skills, there’s a lot of push up challenges and there are a lot of other things going online right now,” said co-owner of Lift Guelph Ian Conlon, who is now trying to create revenue for his business by shifting his business model from in-person training to focused exercise programs such as Little Lift, an exercise program created specifically for children.
“You don’t need a lot of space or a lot of equipment. And the thing we like to do in our exercise practice connects people across ages and abilities.”
Over a month ago, Conlon began creating ‘Instasodes,’ mini fitness episodes available online for free. This was after he spent five months of learning the ins and outs of film making, marketing and business which coincidently supported his business when the COVID-19 crisis hit.
Conlon said he had talked about generating online revenue with co-owner and wife Lauryn Conlon for a long time but never had the time to do it.
“It’s been interesting. Its been hard because its the first time in our six years of business that we had somebody else tell us to close our doors,” said Lauryn.
There’s that aspect but then there’s also turning lemons into lemonade and finding ways to continue to stay motivated during this time,” said Lauryn adding that moving online is beneficial for the family business in the long run where they won’t be able to spend long hours to run classes in person.
