A couple who own a gym chain that is on the verge of closing spoke about the harsh realities of life as a small business owner in Australia when the cost of living is so low.
Adelaide couple El and Jon Trovas are at risk of losing their FitStop gym franchise in Kilkenny, which they opened just seven months ago, along with their family home.
Ms Trovas told Daily Mail Australia that it was her and her husband’s first time running their own business and they went through a learning curve when they opened their business in November.
The gym has grown from 30 to 70 members, but the couple says that’s still not enough to keep the gym open, given rising rent, electricity and insurance prices.
To keep the business open, the couple pleaded for help in a video they shared with their members and friends.
“Unfortunately, we are working against the clock,” Mr. Trovas said in the video.
“We have some pretty big expenses coming up, including rent, which means we have less and less time to reach our break-even goal.
“What we ask of you, our wonderful friends and members, is that you can help us by referring people to sign up as paying members.”
El and Jon could lose their home and their FitStop franchise if they don’t recruit 50 new members to their gym by the end of July (the couple and their business partners are pictured)
FitStop was founded in 2013 by Peter and Bec Hull (pictured FitStop members in January)
Australians were divided over the video, with some arguing that expensive gym memberships would inevitably be sacrificed due to the cost of living crisis.
However, Ms Trovas said people should think twice before cancelling.
“I can definitely understand that. I’ve trained at other group fitness franchises and thought I could save the $59 a week and canceled it,” she said.
And I can tell you right now that $59 a week is just going somewhere else and you’re not actually seeing it in your own pocket.
‘And then suddenly your mental health deteriorates, you don’t feel good about yourself anymore, everything deteriorates.’
Mrs. Trovas and her husband have made changes to save money since opening the FitStop franchise.
The couple, who spend $900 on electricity each month, try to save on their energy bills by turning off the gym’s LED lights between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
In South Australia, to get out of debt [the government] “We sold the electricity grid to a Chinese company, so electricity is generally expensive,” said Ms Trovas.
“My husband’s mother lives in Queensland, her house lights are always on and it costs her half of what it costs us. So that plays a part.”
Ms Trovas said she had empathy for other small business owners at a time of cost of living crisis
Ms Trovas says Australians should think twice before cancelling their gym memberships because of the physical and mental benefits (pictured members at FitStop Kilkenny in May)
Ms Trovas said she sympathised with other small businesses in Australia who are struggling with rising operating costs.
‘This is just the situation we’re in. People want to do something for themselves, so they put everything into it. Some have great support and “So big companies have more disposable income,” she said,
“The small business owners who have put everything into it, I feel for them completely. My husband and I always try to support local businesses because we know how that feels.”
Ms Trovas said eight new members had signed up since the video went viral and they would continue to fight for the remaining 42 members.
“I thought there would be 50 cancellations, but it had the opposite effect,” she said.
‘One of our members asked if we could raise prices for people who are already paying, so we wouldn’t have to recruit as many new members.
“With my moral compass, I just can’t do that. I can’t just say, ‘Hey, we’re feeling the pinch, so we’re going to do this to you,’ I just wouldn’t do that.”