Personal trainer Gavin Townsend took a gamble as Britain headed into lockdown that making and designing his own range of gym equipment would pay his bills – and get him out of the £40,000 debt that he had accumulated.
The gamble paid off for the 34-year-old and his business, Gymbeing, is now set to deliver much more than that, turning over £1million this year
Gavin says he has shifted over a million kilos of weights since the spring and generated a profit of £150,000, which he is reinvesting in marketing, expansion and a new range of clothing gear for 2021.
Working it: Personal trainer Gavin Townsend started his own online business, Gymbeing, selling gym equipment and workout clothing
The fitness fanatic from Redditch, Worcester, says: ‘At the start of the year I had maxed my credit card out. I then had to close my shop and gym.
‘I basically started the year with more than £40,000 on credit cards and had lost over £200,000 worth of business in the spring.’
Gavin Townsend says he started the year with £40,000 of debt – and then had to close his gym and stop work
In spite of accumulating much debt, Gavin managed to self-fund the business.
Gavin says: ‘With gyms shutting I knew the demand for home gear would be massive, so I sold any possessions of value to raise some capital.’
To help him create the gym equipment he reached out to a client’s engineering firm who were experiencing a quiet period due to Covid and started developing his own pull-up frame in March.
To cope with the demand, he’s also hired 50 people to help him cater to those desperate to workout from home and maintain their exercise regime.
He says: ‘Now I have about 50 people helping me in different capacities, packing, manufacturing, deliveries, purchases, web, marketing etc., so it has been brilliant to have been able to create jobs for other people.
He says: ‘We turned it around in 24 hours and we started working on our own adjustable dumbbell sets. Since then, we have sold thousands of sets and are on target to reach £1million turnover this year.’
Gavin reached out to a client’s engineering firm and developed his own pull-up frame in March
Gavin has managed to expand the business internationally as well. He says: ‘We’ve had enquiries all over the world and shipped overseas to Europe and Japan.’
I basically started the year with more than £40,000 on credit cards and had lost over £200,000 worth of business in the spring.
Gavin Townsend, Gymbeing
To start and maintain the business, Gavin has had years of fitness industry experience to draw on, an industry he has worked in since 2005.
He has also designed his own Gymbeing clothing brand and opened up a high street store in Redditch where he sells the gym clothing.
He adds: ‘We sell mostly to men, however, it’s probably a 70/30 split male to female. A lot of women find gyms intimidating so having a set of weights at home is the perfect solution for many.’
The products have also appealed to most age groups. Gavin explains: ‘We sell mainly to the 18-50 age group but have had some customers in their 70s and 80s ordering weights.
Modelling on Joe Wicks’ success
Gavin also attributes some of his success to a fitness celebrity who famously got the nation working out during the first lockdown.
He says: ‘I also think Joe Wicks’ morning workouts stoked demand and made people realise the mental and physical benefits of working out.’
Gavin says fitness guru Joe Wicks stoked demand for at home work out equipment
But it hasn’t all been about profits and getting out of debt. Gavin says he also tried to find time to give to those not doing so well.
He says: ‘I’m fortunate now that I can help people during the pandemic.
‘I’ve given away more than £30,000 worth of gym equipment and clothing to key workers, local charities and sports people to help them keep training.
‘I’m one of the few people lucky enough to have profited from lockdown. Giving back is the least I could do.’
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