Hello! I’m Meaghan and I’m the owner of Peak Training + Rehab Studio.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, HOW IT STARTED, HOW IT’S GOING AND WHAT YOU OFFER.

Peak Training Studio started off in late 2019 as a solo, female-led Kinesiology business in which I found a niche and provided the community with an education in strength training, functional mobility and effective pain reduction for my beloved, active community. My rehabilitation services proved to be a valuable asset in a small town with very few Kinesiologists. I was also able to provide education and skills regarding chronic illness management which became a passion of mine after a life-changing diagnosis of an autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis only five short years ago. Though my skillset focuses on the physical, I also incorporate the mental and emotional well-being of each of my clients by providing them safe space to experience their pain, mindset and challenges that coincide with injury rehabilitation and chronic pain management. I am honoured to be a part of my client’s journey to mental and physical wellness.

We currently offer 1-hour in-person sessions, small group personal training (max 6 people), remote training sessions and individualized program design. We plan to expand further into the digital market to provide strength and rehabilitation programs to clientele outside of our geographical area.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS TRANSFORMED THIS PAST YEAR? HOW HAS TECHNOLOGY PLAYED A ROLE?

After a brief shutdown at the start of the pandemic, there was a high demand from other practitioners in town to find a location so that they could serve their clientele in a safe, clean space since many gyms and recreational locations were not available due to Covid restrictions. After developing a second business plan, I acquired a lease for a second studio in the same building which allowed me to grow the team from a “me” to a “we” with a Studio Coordinator, Kinesiologists, Certified Trainers and Yoga Instructors. Further, the expansion allowed me to rent to other Kinesiologists, trainers and practitioners in the surrounding area so that they can serve their own clientele. Not only are we now able to support our patrons and community members, we’re also able to support other professionals in the area to build their business and create valuable services.

Technology has a multi-layered impact on our business. Firstly, during the initial lockdown, I was able to serve my clients with the use of telehealth sessions in order to support their physical and mental well-being while we were all confined to our homes. This opportunity showed me that video sessions were in fact as useful and productive as in-person sessions and that it was a service I will continue to provide in the future. This continuation of services via telehealth was integral to maintaining my client base and continuing to have a positive impact on my surrounding community with both individual and group sessions. I was also able to team up with companies such as lululemon to provide free, fun workouts through social media to support our virtual community as we faced the difficulties of the first few months of Covid.

After building a team following the initial lockdown, I finally took the plunge to use an online booking system to streamline our services and to provide a superior customer experience. This type of technology has been an integral part of our expansion. We’ve also extended our offerings to include training programs sold via direct-to-client PDF sales and to develop a YouTube channel in order to support clients and community members free of charge. Though our use of technology has not been to the extent that I would like, our focus in the new year will be on developing online programs and systems to connect with potential clients outside of our geographical area.

Further, technology played an imperative role with bookkeeping and system processes with the use of Quickbooks to record and dissect our expanding revenue streams and will soon provide me with the ability to create projections for the future of Peak Training Studio.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?

Peak Training Studio offers an inclusive, safe, empowering space that focuses as much on physical well-being as we do mental and emotional health. We pride ourselves on our ability to integrate into the community with educational offerings that support all aspects of wellness. We help locals return to their career, sport or active lifestyle with the implementation of personalized programs to ensure every person feels supported and can in turn, provide their person best to their surrounding peers. We believe that when we can help people to feel their best and become the strongest version of themselves, they can continue the positive ripple effect throughout the rest of our community.

HOW CAN CANADIANS SUPPORT OWERS LIKE YOU?

Canadians can support small business owners like myself by engaging in a genuine way, whether it’s by purchasing our products, partaking in our services, sharing our social media pages or utilizing our educational videos. Support comes in many forms and we thoroughly believe that providing useful information on our platforms for free will increase customer engagement to create long-term relationships with our dedicated following which will intern improve revenue. As we continue to grow and expand, we hope to provide our products to the nation through the use of technology and telehealth in order to support all Canadians no matter their geographical location.