Amy Gorman
Describe your business and your role within it.
I am the Director of Empower Fitness & Nutrition. I help women rebuild strength, balance and self-trust, learn different ways of working instead of always trying to shrink down, and people please – habits that we’ve often been brought up with. I teach them to take up space and honour their body, through nutrition, strength, and mindset work.
How did you get into this line of business?
I had always wanted to own my own business and had been interested in nutrition, from days in university through to becoming more interested in sport in my 20s. It was only later when I had the skills in business from my degree and later studies with Mountbatten that I realised I could put my interest and skills together to begin my own nutrition and coaching business. From years of working in a corporate environment, it also developed my understanding of different work and life contexts.
How did you go about setting it up and getting established?
I had been a sole trader coaching fitness in different gyms for four years, alongside remote coaching nutrition. Coaching hundreds of women that wanted to feel healthier for life, and feel better in their clothes. Last year my partner and I set up a limited company and moved to Portugal, setting up our business gave us freedom to create on our own terms.
What else is in the pipeline?
I’d love to host retreats to our quiet pocket of Central Portugal, to help burnt out women get a piece of nature and learn some balance that supports their life and career. Watch this space.
What has been the proudest moment in your working life thus far?
I have helped hundreds of women learn how to fuel their body, so they no longer believe they have to be hungry, exhausted and small – they have so many options if they take a step back and look at what brings them joy. It brings me a lot of pride when they finish working with me and say they came to me to lose weight, but instead they totally transformed their life.
And of course, recently moving to Portugal to renovate my own home and have a more flexible, sustainable lifestyle.
What has been your biggest mistake/learning experience?
Getting in my own way. I always thought I had to do a more traditional job, but in reality, that just wasn’t me. I like to learn and talk to people, I like to create and question the standard way of doing things. So, this is perfect for me.
Any words of advice/wisdom would you impart to others thinking of setting up their own business?
It’s not easy, it’s a pretty lonely space at times. So I’d recommend finding a mentor or community that helps you feel supported and not like you’re going crazy. Give yourself space for rest – you won’t build epic things all the time, and you definitely won’t if you’re beaten up and exhausted.