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Each month, we interview a brilliant entrepreneur to find out what inspired them to start their business, how they came up with the idea and how they actually got started.
Discover how they are growing their businesses, what success means to them and their top tips on starting a business…
Today we welcome Someone and her mum Kate who run South Coast Swimming and Coaching in Dorset.
This is the superstar team who have transformed my five-year-old son from nervous and apprehensive landlubber into a super-confident, water baby!
Getting to watch him improve week on week and absolutely love swimming is the highlight of my week.
Here’s to tell us a bit more about how this family run business got started…
Tell us all about South Coast Swimming & Coaching…
South Coast Swimming and Coaching Team is a family run business run by myself (Sophie) and my mum (Kate), we started the business up in October 2017 where we had a few lovely kids that needed lessons and we have continued to grow everyday since then. We now have 140+ swimmers on the programme.
What inspired you to start South Coast Swimming & Coaching?
To own a business was always a dream of mine, in my school years I struggled with learning, this was due to being quiet and not very academic.
I’m very much a practical person and always learned with a visual frame of mind. So to be sat here now writing about a successful business of my own is crazy!
Once you decided on your business idea, how did you get started?
A wonderful friend of ours, who is of course now one of our customers, bought a vehicle from a lovely man who owns one of the swimming pools we now hire.
If our friend wasn’t as lovely as she is and asked if she could have a friend come and teach her beautiful daughter in the amazing pool he has, of which he said yes I have no idea where we would be today.
We had a meeting with the lovely owner and came up with some arrangements. We now also hire out other pools which has helped our business grow.
For anyone interested in starting a similar business, what is your background? Did you need particular qualifications or experience to prepare you for the business?
Qualifications and insurances are a must in this profession. The qualifications you need to have are…
STA Level 1 Award in swimming teaching, STA Level 2 certificate in swimming teaching (you can do the ASA version), Pool safety or NPLQ lifeguard qualification, parent and baby (if you wish to go down this route), safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults (online course), Regular DBS checks, STA Associate membership which insures you to be a swimming teacher.
You do need liability insurance to protect yourselves and your business. I do monthly lifeguard training to make sure that my knowledge is up to date, if there was ever an incident then it would all be a natural reaction to sort the situation out as safely and efficiently as I can.
There are other qualifications you can get but they are mainly CPD’s (continuous professional development) not a necessity but always handy to do.
What do you think has been the key to your success?
We didn’t start the business because we wanted to make loads of money, we started it because we love teaching, when you see babies, children or adults progress into becoming an amazing swimmer the reward you get from that is just priceless!
Your teaching techniques come from the skills you have been taught. But putting your own personal experiences into teaching can create a much calmer working environment and I guess our customers love the service we provide.
What are the main activities that are growing your business?
Having many levels of abilities means we can find the right class for the customers needs. Being able to provide lessons for babies and adults has really helped with expansion.
What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?
I wouldn’t really say we have had any major challenges. Everyday , every child, every lesson is completely different and you have to be prepared for anything.
What do you love most about what you do?
We get to make people happy and smile on a daily basis, and out of that you also get to teach them the most important life skill there is.
What is the best thing about having your own business?
We get to do it every day and we are able to do it our way. We both still work for other people in this profession purely because they are our friends and we also want to help them grow as a business. “when women support each other, incredible things happen”.
How do you measure business success, what does it mean for you?
I never really set goals. (I know that probably sounds bad) I find living in the moment and enjoying every little thing rather than being to focused on the bigger picture really helps for me.
If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting their business, what would it be?
Starting up feels like the hardest thing to do. So much to remember, have we got this, have we done that.
If you need to ask for help from other people you know in a similar profession, just ask them.
Yes, you have started up your own business so you feel you should be doing everything yourself and that you should know everything.
At the end of the day you probably don’t know it all, but don’t be scared to ask.
And finally, what is your dream for South Coast Swimming & Coaching?
For myself and mum to carry on being happy and anyone we come into connection with to feel the same. The future is bright but don’t forget to live everyday as life is to short.
Best things in life…
Living in a little home that I own with my amazing boyfriend and going on adventures to see what the world has to offer.
This year I will…
I will be going on holiday for the first time since starting up the business and in desperate need of some relaxation.
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