After working in the women’s health and fitness industry for over ten years, it became evident to Yvonne Shepherd that women became busier as they got older and were left with little time to exercise. She understood the difficulty in staying motivated to make time for fitness, but felt she needed to clear her head by getting active outdoors.
On a long walk with a friend, she realised there were many women like her, those that wanted to stay active and who wanted to connect with other like-minded women beyond coffee and wine dates. This is how inspiration struck to start her business, Women’s Fitness Adventures.
This is what Yvonne has to say about running her own business:
“I wanted to help women like me get support in a group doing physical activity, without judgment and with no specific fitness level. It gives me so much pleasure to see the change that happens in my clients – I love seeing the shift in their physical fitness along with their confidence and self-esteem. It’s very rewarding.”
Yvonne’s Advice for New Business Owners:
- Think ahead and plan for the long-term. Some things take a while, but when your business picks up momentum, you want to have a plan to take it to the next level.
- Have a clear vision. If you have a general direction of where you are going and keep your eye on the prize, it’s easier to achieve your goals.
- Be braver than you think you are – don’t underestimate your potential and how far your business can go.
Yvonne’s Top 3 Tips to Improve Your Business:
- Get a mentor. It is key to get direction from someone who is not connected to you emotionally or invested in you or your business. They only want your business to succeed with you as the vehicle to drive it there.
- Set the big goals and set a time frame. Work towards those goals and all the little stuff gets taken care of along the way.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can only improve yourself and your business by asking for advice and support from those around you. It’s a learning experience.
Yvonne’s ideal business thrives when she can do everything on her own terms. She loves being able to wake up without an alarm clock, get some exercise, do some work, have a nice lunch, and work for a few hours in the afternoon.
“It’s great to have flexibility and to have time to do what is important to me outside of my business. I love being able to choose my own work environment and which clients I want to work with.”
This post was authored by Allison Mullin. Allison is completing a journalism internship with HerBusiness. She studies editing, writing, and media at Florida State University in the United States.
