Perth Fitness Camp has come a long way since being set up in 2009, having trained more than 500 members to date.
Founder Jason Brownlie started his career in the travel industry and then the rail sector.
However, the nature of his rail work meant he put on weight. He left that job in 2001 and spent 10 months getting back in shape.
From there, he realised he wanted to pursue a fitness-based career and in 2002, started a sports science university course.
Having an impact on people in Perth
Jason, originally from London, moved to Perth after meeting his wife in 2009.
He said: “When I came here, there was an opportunity to offer an alternate way of group coaching with a personal trainer (PT) that didn’t come with the PT hourly cost.
“My market was primarily over-30s men and women who wanted to get back in shape, improve their health, have more energy and feel more confident.”
Jason said the early days of Perth Fitness Camp were a struggle as he was unknown coach in the city.
“I knew I could make an impact on people’s lives. Word soon got out and friends would refer their friends.”
Over 70 members and plans to recruit staff
Jason said the secret of his success has been keeping things simple – from training sessions to nutrition.
He runs the enterprise on his own, but would like to bring in another coach in the future.
Perth Fitness Camp currently trains more than 70 members every week, with 45-minute sessions during the week and hour-long classes on Saturdays.
Jason added: “It’s important for anyone new coming into sessions to build foundation strength before progressing on.
“I am also a kettlebell teacher, so every now and again I’ll run a kettlebell workshop and the new members will have the opportunity to join.
“It gives my members the best of both worlds – a unique combination of bodyweight and kettlebell training.”
Covid-19 has been ‘mentally tough’
Asked about the impact of Covid-19, Jason said: “When the first lockdown came into force, we switched to an online platform.
“In April 2021, we slowly started to get back outdoors.
“We were able to train 15 people at one time – so I ran two sessions back-to-back through the week.
“The rest was run online until we could all get back out together as a team.
“I can’t say it’s been all sunshine and rainbows – it’s been tough mentally and like many businesses I lost members along the way.
Plans for the future of Perth Fitness Camp
As regards the biggest opportunities for the venture going forward, Jason said outdoor training is very much at the forefront of the industry at the moment.
“Right now I’m currently working on a rebuild strategy for 2022 and am hopeful for the year ahead.
“I have a superb team of people who have stuck by the Perth Fitness Camp over the last couple of years which I’m very appreciative of.
“Other opportunities would be to run an online coaching programme alongside the outdoor business.
“This would be a great way to reach and help more people from Perth and beyond.”
