Nerida Bint is the Founder of Lissome, a women’s only gym based in Newcastle.
The seed of the idea was planted when she experienced terrible customer service at a local strength and conditioning gym. Instead of wallowing, she used this negative initial experience with the fitness industry to spur her into action.
She is passionate about helping women of any age, shape, size or ability to experience and know their best self. Through training at Lissome, women grow to become fitter, stronger and more confident through belonging to a community of like-minded women.
- What lead you to start your own business?
Basically, I saw there was a big need within the fitness community in Newcastle where women wanted to train in a cross training environment in a group setting, on their own, without males around. I was really passionate about bringing women together, empowering them, getting them fit and strong, and helping them to live their best lives.
There was the need, so I decided to start Lissome.
- Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Not at all actually, I never thought about it. There were actually a few other people that suggested I become a Personal Trainer, that led me down that path and then when I started doing that, I realised I wanted more. I came up with so many ideas and I really loved what I was doing.
It was really an accident, but I’m so happy that it happened.
- What is one action or task you ensure you incorporate into your diary each week?
I really am excited about self-development. I know that’s kind of a cliché term. I love to read a book, listen to a podcast and talk to a mentor. I find it energises me, keeps me driven, keeps me looking forward, and so that’s definitely what I try to incorporate every week.
- What do you attribute your success to?
That’s a tricky one; I honestly would say the people around me. All that I do is bring people together and I highlight the best thing about those people. When I find that I do that, more and more people want to be around you and more and more people come to you. So I find the more I’ve done that in my life, the more successful I’ve been, the more attention I bring to myself, to Lissome.
It’s really the people that you’re around; I find that people genuinely want to be together and I like highlighting different things about people, their achievements and their successes. I honestly feel like that’s the only thing that I do that’s helping me to be successful.
- Which local entrepreneur do you find inspiring?
I have to say Jessica Koncz, the Creator of Crave Media. I think she’s absolutely amazing; she’s young, she’s spunky, and she’s so intelligent. I definitely think she’ll be the next Oprah or something in this world, and I really think she’s doing great things for women and for business, so I really admire her.