Businesses of Banyule’ presents Cinch, Macleod
It’s true what they say, sometimes it just takes one person to believe in your mission, for you to be successful. This rings true for Nikki Ellis, mum of two and owner of Cinch. Seven years ago when she started her business, her husband Andrew was right behind her every step of the way.
“My husband has always been very encouraging and supportive. With him behind me, I knew I could give the business a good go,” said Nikki. “I owed it to myself.”
Initially run as a home-based business, Cinch Personal Training has since become a leading boutique training studio in the heart of Macleod, with five staff members and 70 clients.
Like any business, it’s important to articulate your point of difference. This has completely defined Nikki’s success.
“What we do here is extraordinarily different to what you get a normal gym. We have an exercise physiologist on staff, and two staff members have Masters degrees.”
“My husband Andrew has a Masters in Nutrition and he’s also a personal trainer. Despite him working full-time for the government, every week he still manages to create a new individualised fitness programs for the studio.”
“We even have themed weeks,” explained Nikki. “For example we’ve got Rocky Week coming up. We always have a lot of fun, as well as helping clients get the results they’ve always wanted”
Nikki isn’t just the force behind Cinch, she can now add ‘published author’ to her bio.
“I was invited to co-write a book called Healthy Body. I’m one of 10 authors. We all wrote a chapter. Mine is called, Movement Is Magic,” explained Nikki.
Outside of running Cinch, Nikki can also be found lecturing at Victoria University.
“I run personal training lectures as part of summer school at Vic Uni. I’ve been lucky enough to teach in this module for 17 years.”
“I also spend a lot of time mentoring women within the fitness industry. I really enjoy working with young adults and the energy they bring to the table,” explained Nikki. “I’d also love to work with mums looking to start their own businesses.”
Nikki’s passion for health and wellness has resulted in her being nominated for a Telstra Business Women’s Award this year. Despite this achievement, Nikki’s greatest honour is seeing the impact she and her staff make on their clients’ lives.
“One of my most memorable experiences was witnessing the positive transformation I saw in a client who had chronic back and shoulder issues. She was a 32-year-old who couldn’t lift a kettle of water. We worked with her for several years during this time she became so strong, she not only became fully functional, she actually competed in powerlifting competitions.”
“Every week we receive several sincere thankyous from our clients, it is just lovely” explained Nikki. “At the end of the day though we just want to create a positive oasis where clients can take time out to focus on themselves and their goals. Everything else is a bonus. I honestly think I have the best job in the World”
Interested to know more about Cinch? You can head to their website, https://www.cinch.training or call Nikki to organise a free trial of group pt on 0406 261 171.