Fitness expert John Famelton is seeing impressive results after investing £100,000 in his own fitness centre after saving for seven years.
Just four months after opening, his specialist Inline Fitness Centre Ltd in Blaydon, has around 100 members – fast approaching half its planned capacity.
Success for John, 30, is based not just on an ability to count the pennies while helping people work out and lose the pounds.
For his determination to succeed led him to work at the famous Australian Institute of Sport in Sydney and hold down two jobs on his return to the UK while building his business part-time and gaining extra qualifications.
The Leeds Metropolitan University sports sciences graduate even spent another £50,000 building a fitness suite extension at his Newcastle home so he could hold exercise classes while developing his overall business plan.
He now employs three staff and has ambitions to double the size of his Chainbridge Road premises and expand the scope of instruction provided, which goes beyond developing physique.
It takes in overall body and mind well-being and has led his centre to become expert in taking GP referrals from those fighting depression, obesity and other medical ailments.
Jon and his team – personal trainers Clare Young, Liam Anderson and Adam Colquhoun – even plan to go into schools and the community to teach children about wellness and obesity.
He said: “I have worked tremendously hard and have been meticulous with my savings to ensure that I had enough to invest. For years I took only a small wage and the rest I saved, and now I am in this wonderful building with great facilities.”
“Membership is going very well but I plan to keep it to a very manageable level so that I can retain a very personal level of instruction and service.
“Members have a full body fitness assessment which includes blood pressure reading, an analysis of body fat and even lung capacity. We show people how the gym should work with diet, nutrition and lifestyle and everyone is given one free personal training session.”
John started his business in 2007 by holding fitness classes in Bellingham town hall in Northumberland, using his car to ferry equipment around from his then home in Wark. In 2009 he bought a three-bed semi in Fenham, Newcastle, and spent six months building the fitness suite which he used to hold group bookings.
Last summer, using his savings and with support from a silent partner, he took out a lease on the Chainbridge Road site, spending three months converting it into a fitness centre.
It has a 45-piece gym, a dance studio and holds 35 classes a week, including flexibility and spinning, and next month outdoor boot camps and running clubs will begin.
Newcastle Sports Injury Clinic holds a Monday clinic every week and a range of beauty treatments from manicures to hot stone massages are available every Wednesday when Ritual bring their luxurious treatments into the centre.
Within a year John hopes to have doubled the centre’s size by creating a health café, steam rooms and an extra training area.
A range of membership options are available from corporate fitness packages to couples membership. For more information, visit www.inlinefitness.co.uk or contact John or one of his team on 0191 414 3190.
