Although it is often portrayed as a competitive and elite sport, Susan Hodgson says rowing is actually an ideal option for people of all levels and ages.
“We believe indoor rowing provides a fluid motion that relaxes and challenges,” she says. “It also provides an ideal array of options to stay active, even when life might have other ideas!”
So the personal trainer and certified rowing coach built FluidFitness.Fit in the United Kingdom to democratize the activity. And she wants everyone to know they can join in. “We aim to do this in a fun and accessible way that can also enable you to transition to on-water rowing if you choose.”
In 2019, she started to grow the business properly once both her children were at school. Eighteen months later, the lockdown started, significantly impacting her business. “I was able to move some of it online but with home-schooling, and returning lockdowns it's been challenging to build momentum again.” As conditions improve, her business is rebuilding little by little. “It's getting there slowly now. Now the biggest challenge is getting the word out again that I'm back, this time with in-person and with online rowing options.”
She says establishing an online presence has helped her business grow. “Creating a website that I'm proud of has been pivotal. I now have somewhere to direct all my social media, take bookings, to share my blogs and showcase my expertise.”
Hodgson advises other fitness entrepreneurs to do the same: “Invest early on on a good website and don't be afraid to try new things. Don’t be afraid to try, learn, adjust and repeat until you find the formula that brings you clients in a way that you love delivering!”
She says .fit helped her communicate her mission to customers. “Go for it! It's easy to communicate and is working well for me.”
“As a fitness business, .fit was a really good 'fit' and also universal. For example, it didn't specify what country I'm based in, so it’s useful to help attract clients from bigger markets in other countries.”
Building an online presence through FluidFitness.Fit also helps her connect with clients and better engage with the local community. “On a more client-based note I've been very proud to work with two charities and to see clients managing learning disabilities, or the obstacles that old-age can bring, to do really well on the rowing machine.”
She has also harnessed that energy toward raising awareness about causes that are near and dear to her. Earlier this year she launched “Row the Distance,” a 5k to help support victims of the crisis in Ukraine. Last year she created the “Mo-Row campaign” to help raise awareness and some “mo-dough” to help more men survive common health conditions such as prostate cancer and thrive beyond them. She gave community members the option to join an online rowing class, where all profits were donated. Or people could sponsor Hodgson to row 2 x 6 km every day in November, to benefit organizations focused on men’s suicide prevention.
“A Mo-Row fundraiser seemed all the more appropriate because there is strong research to show a positive link between exercise and mental health, and exercise and some cancers,” she told British Rowing. “More specifically, as a rowing coach and a personal trainer qualified in GP Exercise Referral, I know and love the fact that rowing is a great way to exercise because of how adaptable it is.”
She says it all points back to Fluid’s mission “to grow the community of people being fit for life through indoor rowing.”