Pretty much a year to the day we opened the doors to our amazing new premises in the heart of Langley Park, on the outskirts of Durham. It’s been an amazing year overall, but like any business, it’s not all been straight forward, and thought you may like to hear some of the things which have challenged us!
- 2 days before our launch party we had treatment couches which were the wrong colour – we ordered a lime green colour (obviously!), and a teal blue one arrived… lots of telephone calls later, a few hours the day before launch we had the right colour – but without any face holes!! We didn’t get them changed until after we opened – and they look awesome.
- In the first few weeks we had a big water leak – luckily it filled the cellar and entered the void underneath the chapel, but it was pretty impressive!
- Thieves tried to pinch the lead off the roof – they didn’t succeed but they did manage to break some tiles which gave us another leak into the staff room.
- We had an incident in the studio when part of our ceiling nearly came down – during a class. No-one was hurt but we learnt an awful lot about who, and when, we rent our space out.
- We have had a few members of staff come and go – sometimes they weren’t right for us, sometimes we weren’t right for them – and sometimes the classes or services they provided weren’t right for you! I’ve discovered in business there are things you are constantly learning, reflecting on, and acting on – we never stop learning! On a positive note, the team we have now is awesome. We all get on, we recommend each other, we look out for each other, and very much feel like a family most of the time!
- I completely ‘knacked’ my right foot 2 days before launch day by falling down my stairs at home – so I hobbled around on launch party and wore a moon boot for 2 weeks after we’d opened – great advert for physio! And here we are, a year down the line, about to have surgery.
- Some people have been mean, and said awful things – and made me cry. We teach our children if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.. sadly grownups can be pretty hurtful. But they are no longer around the chapel so all good!
- We have been really broke for most of the year – assumptions are made by people when you have a building, and when you run your own business – which is completely wrong! But we’re in this for the long game, so the loans, the monthly outgoings, the salaries, will be all worth it.
- There is a time capsule buried under the corridor, where the baptismal pool was – this includes pictures of us and the family, letters explaining who we are, notes and pictures from the kids, our aims for the building and some of our appointment cards and branded items – how exciting at some point in the future this is uncovered!
- Mark and I (Mark is my husband and fellow physio in the business) have been like passing ships over the last year – I work Monday and Wednesday evenings, Mark works Tuesday and Thursday evenings – and we have 4 children and 2 dogs.. again, we know this is not an ideal place to be, for our marriage, for our family and for our sanity – but for now it’s fine.
Our first year has absolutely flown by, and in spite of some of the above challenges, it’s been the most rewarding year ever. Watching our team grow, the business getting busier and hearing and seeing the feedback, watching people come through the doors and trying our classes and different treatments are absolutely inspiring. I can’t tell you how much you all mean to me, to us all. Your kindness, support and generosity knows no bounds and I’d do it all again (although I’d get more sleep!!)
Here’s to our next year together, helping you improve your health, wellness and fitness.
Can’t wait to share our plans for September…. Watch this space!!
Thanks for taking the time to read this – if you’d like to find out more, visit www.tayloredfitphysio.co.uk
Vicky Smith, physio, pilates instructor, craniosacral practitioner, acupuncturist, business owner, mum, friend and giggler