Meet the chef turned PT going from healthy meals to healthy bodies

So much so that it's the name of his business.

Fitness Matters is a fitness studio in St Helens that focuses on getting people healthier both physically and mentally in quieter spaces that are very different to the hustle and bustle of busy, bigger gyms.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Matthew tells us how he started work as a chef running several kitchens before qualifying as a personal trainer and opening his own business.

If you would like your business to feature as Business or Trader of the Week, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

What’s your full name?

Matthew Smith

What’s the name of the business?

Fitness matters

What’s the address?

Unit 1,

College Street,

St Helens

Are you the owner/manager?

I am the owner

When did you open the business?

I opened up on College Street, St Helens on September 1, 2022 but the business has been operating since 2017.

Fitness Matters opened on College Street in St Helens in September 2022

Has it always been in the same location?

No, I was a personal trainer at a local gym before opening my first studio in 2018 on North Road, Unit 2, YMCA.

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

No I am from Bradford and moved here 12 years ago.

Tell me a bit about your business?

We are a fitness studio that focuses on getting people fitter and healthier both physically and mentally. We’ve seen first-hand how uncomfortable people can be going to a gym. We offer a space that is far from a busy and crowded gym, but still has a high range of equipment to help people achieve their goals while giving them a space where they can feel comfortable and relaxed.

What do you do? What services do you provide?

We provide tailored personal training sessions, a variety of fitness classes including circuits, sculpt classes and box-fit and sports massages.

Why did you decide to open your own business?

When I was working in a gym, I realised that the vast majority of people didn’t feel comfortable having personal training sessions in a busy place, as they felt intimidated and uncomfortable. This was why I opened my first fitness studio - to provide a place where they could train.

What’s your business background?

This is the first business I have owned. Before being a personal trainer, I was a chef and ran several kitchens.

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Why this type of business?

I have always been into health and fitness and went to the gym from being 18. When I went to the gym, I noticed that the personal trainers in the gym were more interested with their phones then what their clients where doing. This made me want to learn more about techniques and anatomy. So, I went to college and became a personal trainer with the goal of ensuring I provide a high quality service for my clients

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

I had been open for several years before the pandemic happened. When the pandemic hit, it had a massive impact on the business, with the studio having to be shut down four times during local and national lockdowns. To ensure my clients still kept healthy both physically and especially mentally during the pandemic, I moved to online training. When I was able to train outdoors, I started doing bootcamps until the studio could re-open. Due to the popularity of the bootcamps, I decided to work towards opening a bigger studio where I could offer group classes.

Fitness Matters is a space that is far from busy and crowded and offers clients the freedom to workout

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

We offer all the benefits of a busy gym with a high range of quality equipment but without the crowds and without the feeling of everyone watching you. The relaxed atmosphere combined with a passionate and knowledgeable personal trainer creates the perfect mix for clients to get the results they want. Our classes are kept small to create a friendly community that is both welcoming and gives clients a great push.

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Why do loyal customers return to your business?

I’ve spoken to several of my clients and they said that even after all the time training, their sessions are still highly enjoyable and go extremely quickly. They say I have a great knowledge of the anatomy and I’m passionate about getting people fitter and heathier. They appreciate my depth of knowledge and how I am able to deliver the training sessions in a way that’s easy to understand and implement.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

In the next few months, the plan is to offer more classes with potentially some different ones that clients haven’t had before.