IWCYC Challenge update: Matt StirlandWhen Matt won the If we can, you can Challenge for the Middlesbrough Gazette in June, he was trying to gauge interest for his business idea, Playhouse. The proposal centred on re-designing a warehouse space into a fun keep fit area for kids. Six months on, things have progressed extraordinarily.
Matt says, “Playhouse was going to be a stand-alone unit, an all-encompassing facility to promote kids’ fitness, similar to that of an adult health club. However, it proved not to be financially viable enough for me as a start-up business and I found it very hard to find investment for what was a substantial lump sum.
I’ve since re-branded. Streetlife Youth Fitness works as a unit that transports the latest children’s interactive fitness equipment to schools, youth clubs, sports centres, and anywhere else to be honest. We’re going directly to the user rather than the user having to come to us.
It’s a much more financially viable business now, with low overheads and low cost start up costs, but my ambitions are still as big as ever. The potential for the business is incredibly scalable.
Streetlife has three main strands underneath the one brand- Streetlife Business Brains, Streetlife Youth Fitness and a Technology side where I’m working in partnership with an international company called FitLinxx on a product called the Lifepod, which tracks your activity. I’m also planning something for Adult Fitness in the future.
This month I’m placing orders for new equipment and looking at leasing vans to transport it all. In January I’m planning on doing a launch event for Streetlife which will include a demonstration by kids using the equipment, so people can see what Streetlife is all about.
So I’m in the stage of bringing it all together now, and creating partnerships across the region. I’ve just had a meeting with the Managing Director of two of the Primary Care Trusts within Tees Valley, who straight away loved the idea and I’ve managed to get a lot of work for Streetlife with the organisation which is fantastic- I’m on a real high about that right now!
I also have to thank Simon Brown of Calm Asylum who introduced me to that contact. Simon and his creative agency did my re-branding design and logo, and we got on so well that he is now my business mentor. He took the time to ask me where I wanted to go with the business, and he’s been an invaluable support; I think having a mentor has moved me on so much quicker and he has given me a real underlying confidence in the vision I have for Streetlife in terms of its structure and potential."
I asked the incredulous question, “And you’re a fire-fighter as well? How the heck do you find time to tie your shoelaces?!”
“That’s an excellent question, and I haven’t the foggiest how to answer it. My fire-fighter shifts are very good and flexible, which gives me a lot of spare time to work on my business. I suppose hard work has always been drilled into me, and sometimes it can actually be a bit of a stress reliever to be working on something like Streetlife. I love it. I think if you have a passion for something, you’re able to find more energy."
For more information on Streetlife visit http://www.streetlifeyouthfitness.co.uk/, and see Matt’s profile page by clicking www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/matt-stirland
Matt says, “Playhouse was going to be a stand-alone unit, an all-encompassing facility to promote kids’ fitness, similar to that of an adult health club. However, it proved not to be financially viable enough for me as a start-up business and I found it very hard to find investment for what was a substantial lump sum.
I’ve since re-branded. Streetlife Youth Fitness works as a unit that transports the latest children’s interactive fitness equipment to schools, youth clubs, sports centres, and anywhere else to be honest. We’re going directly to the user rather than the user having to come to us.
It’s a much more financially viable business now, with low overheads and low cost start up costs, but my ambitions are still as big as ever. The potential for the business is incredibly scalable.
Streetlife has three main strands underneath the one brand- Streetlife Business Brains, Streetlife Youth Fitness and a Technology side where I’m working in partnership with an international company called FitLinxx on a product called the Lifepod, which tracks your activity. I’m also planning something for Adult Fitness in the future.
This month I’m placing orders for new equipment and looking at leasing vans to transport it all. In January I’m planning on doing a launch event for Streetlife which will include a demonstration by kids using the equipment, so people can see what Streetlife is all about.
So I’m in the stage of bringing it all together now, and creating partnerships across the region. I’ve just had a meeting with the Managing Director of two of the Primary Care Trusts within Tees Valley, who straight away loved the idea and I’ve managed to get a lot of work for Streetlife with the organisation which is fantastic- I’m on a real high about that right now!
I also have to thank Simon Brown of Calm Asylum who introduced me to that contact. Simon and his creative agency did my re-branding design and logo, and we got on so well that he is now my business mentor. He took the time to ask me where I wanted to go with the business, and he’s been an invaluable support; I think having a mentor has moved me on so much quicker and he has given me a real underlying confidence in the vision I have for Streetlife in terms of its structure and potential."
I asked the incredulous question, “And you’re a fire-fighter as well? How the heck do you find time to tie your shoelaces?!”
“That’s an excellent question, and I haven’t the foggiest how to answer it. My fire-fighter shifts are very good and flexible, which gives me a lot of spare time to work on my business. I suppose hard work has always been drilled into me, and sometimes it can actually be a bit of a stress reliever to be working on something like Streetlife. I love it. I think if you have a passion for something, you’re able to find more energy."
For more information on Streetlife visit http://www.streetlifeyouthfitness.co.uk/, and see Matt’s profile page by clicking www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/entrepreneurs/matt-stirland
No comments:
Post a Comment