Hi, I'm Simon
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28th Aug '11, 12:10pm
Hello everyone,
My name is Simon and I am based in South Wales about 20 miles north of Cardiff.
Should have done this first but love this site so much and been caught up in reading and contributing that it slipped my mind.
As a keen lifelong sports person (no great achievements other than keeping fit and virtually accumulating a library of books and sports journals) I got made redundant 18 months ago at 34 years of age. At that point I decided that working within an industry that paid the bills but did not float my boat could no longer be an option for me (business and finance management).
Therefore taking the plunge I enrolled on a BSc Sports Science Degree as well as a range of other CYQ level 3 sporting qualifications. After realising how few and far jobs within sport are I took the plunge 2 months ago and started my own business offering sports performance testing and improvement programmes to lower division sports clubs and individual sports people across a broad range of disciplines. I approached several sports clubs in my area offering to test one of their players for free in order to prove the benefit of sports science principals in getting their players match fit. I can tell you now there are a lot of fragile egos at this level and the first few clubs approached, the response from their coaches was that they were level 2 qualified and did not need any outside help! It led me to conclude that they saw my services as a threat rather than a help to them and undeterred I just kept knocking on doors with the same approach. Two months on I have now been appointed by a local rugby club to train their players once a week (from a match strength and fitness point of few) and have also picked up some work with individual sports people from within athletics, boxing and cycling. I have also picked up some PT work along the way which although not a long term aim is providing some bread and butter money whilst I continue to raise the profile of my sports performance analysis and enhancement business.
I have just about broke even in my first two months of trading and I fully realise that it will take time to establish my reputation within my area for providing a quality service at a fair price. However for the first time in 18 years I look forward to getting up in the morning and work is no longer a chore but something I now embrace with passion.
I have found PPonline to be such a great resource after my CYQ tutor recommended it to me.
I hope to develop my business long term and convert it into a Social Enterprise to enable those less fortunate to have access to sporting activities that they otherwise may never get the opportunity to enjoy. Lack of activity and obesity is such a problem in our great country and I for one will not sit back and expect the government to come up with the answers to solving it.
Hope to get to talk with some of you again very soon.
Kind regards
Simon
Simon Vincent
Sports Performance Analyst
Body Bullet Dynamics!
South Wales
Hello and welcome Simon
29th Aug '11, 11:26am
Goodness, you sound like you have your hands full at the moment! That all sounds very interesting, and I'd be interested in hearing how you progress, particularly in the area of social enterprise as and when that happens.
Best of luck with it all, and once again, welcome :)
Great to read about someone
29th Aug '11, 7:14pm
Great to read about someone starting up in the business and following his heart, rather than his head.
Your story sounds very familiar to me!
I worked in a business which supplied the banking sector, and also was made redundant during the financial crisis.
I too have always thought about starting a performance analysis business, but always wondered whether there would be real demand for such a service.
Reading your post encourages me.
I am based over in Scandinavia now and aim to start-up over here.
Let me know how things are going.
Regards,
Richard.
Great to read about someone
30th Aug '11, 4:30pm
Hi ElectronBlue and Richard,
Many thanks for your kind words of encouragement. It is too early yet for me to ascertain the exact level of demand for my sports performance analysis services, but I plan to give it at least 6 months to find out for sure. As I stated earlier, thus far my biggest resistance has seemed to come from people already involved with the teams in some way who are unable or unwilling to acknowledge that their teams lack of sport specific fitness is down to their own lack of training and sports science knowledge.
I will certainly keep everyone posted on the developments and will not be deterred by a few doors being slammed in my face along the way. Sports science studies has reawakened my passion and the rapid developments witnessed in the few clients I have gained to date is certainly proving to me that this stuff works.
I would also like to sincerely thank all those involved in writing and editing for PPonline. A lot of knowledge and training techniques that are featured by them will probably not appear within BSc sports science courses for at least another 5 years and I finish mine within the next 18 months so its great to have access to such cutting edge bang up to date research and guidance on training methods etc.
Kind regards,
Simon
Hey Simon, 6 months does
30th Aug '11, 8:58pm
Hey Simon,
6 months does sound a bit short to me. It looks like things are going well.
You have broken even in your first few months... Imagine where you will be in five years !
I think your biggest challenge will be remaining positive in these early years.
Maybe offer a no-improvement, no-fee basis? what have they got to lose !
or try hitting them with hard facts about the improvements you have achieved with your existing clients.
Make it as specific as possible giving percentage improvements and time scales.
(You have probably already done this !).
Regards,
Richard.
Thanks again Richard and I will certainly keep you updated
1st Sep '11, 9:26pm
Hi Richard,
Thanks again for your words of encouragement and I think you have hit the nail on the head when it comes to the need to stay positive in these early times. Only a few weeks ago I attended a local cycling time trial event in order to hand some information fliers out about my service and prices. I ended up staying there the entire day coming to the rescue of the organisers mother when it game to the catering arrangements. Despite this I heard nothing and thought it was a wasted day that I could have been spending with my wife and 2 young children.
However out of the blue yesterday I get a call from one of the guys I got talking to on the day who happens to be on the board of the Cycle Touring Club. He has asked for me to carry out my full programme of performance analysis and enhancement with him and is coming early next week for his induction.
Therefore that day was well spent in helping them out after all, and if he is impressed and posts an article on their members website about my services, who knows where this one will lead.
I have discovered another performance testing facility in my area linked to one of the universities and they appear to be offering a fraction of what I am to my potential customers but charging high prices.
This reassures me that there must be a demand for what I am doing so for me the next 6 months is going to be spent raising the profile and awareness of my services hopefully taking them from strength to strength.
I will certainly keep you updated of my progress.
Kind regards
Simon
I agree with the staying
5th Sep '11, 11:07am
I agree with the staying positive- it sounds like you have made a brilliant start. Breaking even is not to be sniffed at in these uncertain times, but I am sure it will be onwards and upwards.
Well done you!
21st Sep '11, 7:47am
do you participate as well? If you have an area that you specialise in then that may give you a foot in the door there...