HTA Advisory has a broad spectrum of clients across many industries. Often, it’s only the business advisor who gets to hear about the exciting things our clients are doing. Our Client Conversation offers an opportunity for us to present our clients to our readership in a way that shares their passion for what they do.
This month we introduce Nu Fitness and Nu Pilates.
Guys, thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. I know how passionate you are about fitness and health. How did you both kick off your careers, and in turn start these businesses?
Luke (right): Originally I’m from the river lands of South Australia, I grew up running the family vineyard. In this environment, my passion for a healthy and strong body grew from an early age. My move to Melbourne was pivotal moment for my career – I discovered personal training and never looked back.
Paul (left): Far from the fitness industry, I studied IT – before a change in degrees. I found my love of Pilates while living in Notting Hill, London – and it didn’t take long to develop a bigger plan! Training at a premier PT studio in South Yarra, I met Luke. We really hit it off personally and felt well matched professionally. Looking back, we realise how lucky we were in this regard. Good partnerships are gold!
For anyone checking out the Nu Fitness or Nu Pilates website they will get an excellent idea of what you offer. What would you say is the biggest hurdle your clients face to go from looking at options to walking in the door for their first session?
Luke: The list is long and varied, but not realising the value of looking after their bodies would be up there, particularly the younger generation who currently feel a little invincible.
Paul: Then there are the emotional and practical obstacles – fear of change, fear of the stereotypical ‘gym’ environment and the time poor. We work through these issues on a daily basis.
One of the limitations I’ve found from working with a personal trainer, or even going to classes, is what I can do in the off-days at home. What approach do you take to support your clients when they’re not working out with you?
Luke: Our most committed clients welcome homework – and we love dishing it out! For example, an exercise prescription targeting areas of need, in particular, working on correcting postural defects.
Paul: Active recovery works best with a balanced approach. Integrating their training with functional movement, such as running or individual/ team sports is a great way to mix it up – and the variety keeps them fresh.
In terms of starting a new business, and also achieving its growth, what have you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
Luke: A normal lifestyle goes out the window. We’ve made sacrifices in terms of lifestyle – less time with family and friends. Scrap the 40 hour week mentality.
Paul: As directors, we can’t do it all. Making that realisation changed things for us. If we were ever going to succeed, we had to trust and rely upon our awesome staff.
Health and fitness is crucial for personal development, but also essential for businesses too. What tools have you put in place to ensure Nu Fitness & Nu Pilates are healthy, profitable businesses?
Luke: We’ve learned to work smarter, not harder. We delegate tasks to others, and improved communication and processes. Troy has helped us immensely with Xero, our cloud based accountancy and bookkeeping software. We have literally reclaimed hours each week.
Paul: We stick to what we’re good at, and get the experts in to do the rest! HTA is a true partner. They’ve been invaluable in guiding us through all financial aspects of our businesses. Thanks to Troy, we literally rarely have to think about this stuff… and that’s exactly how we like it.
Brilliant guys, thanks for your time today. If anyone has questions, they can check out your site, but can they email you too?
Paul: Yes, the website will detail what we’re about, but enquiries can be made to info@nufitness.com.au as well.
