A couple who own a gym franchise on the brink of closure have shared the harsh reality of owning a small business in Australia amid the cost of living crisis.
Adelaide couple El and Jon Trovas are facing the loss of 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 she and her husband were first-time business owners and were going through a steep learning curve when they opened in November.
The gym has grown from 30 to 70 members, but the couple says it’s still not enough to keep it open amid rising rent, electricity and insurance costs.
In an effort to keep the business open, the couple asked for help in a video shared with their members and friends.
“Unfortunately for us we are working against the clock,” Trovas said in the video.
‘We have some pretty big expenses starting very soon, including rent, which means we’re running out of time to reach our break-even goal.
‘What we ask of you, our wonderful friends and members, is that you help us by referring people to sign up to become paying members.’
He and Jon could lose their home and their FitStop franchise if they don’t sign up 50 new members to their gym by the end of July (couple and business partners pictured)
FitStop was founded by Peter and Bec Hull in 2013 (pictured: FitStop members in January)
Australians were divided over the video, with some arguing that expensive gym memberships would inevitably be sacrificed in a cost-of-living crisis.
However, Ms Trovas said people should think twice before cancelling.
“I can totally understand that. I’ve trained at other group fitness franchises and thought I could save the $59 a week I was paying, so I cancelled my membership,” she said.
“And now I can tell you that $59 a week is just going somewhere else and you’re not actually going to see that return come back into your pocket.
“And suddenly your mental health starts to deteriorate, you don’t feel so good about yourself, everything starts to deteriorate.”
Ms. Trovas and her husband have made changes to try to save money since opening the FitStop franchise.
The couple, who spend $900 on electricity each month, try to save on their bill 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 sold the power grid to a Chinese company, so energy is expensive in general,” Trovas said.
“My husband’s mother lives in Queensland, the lights in her house are always on and it costs her half of what it costs us. That’s a factor.”
Ms Trovas said she stood in solidarity with other small business owners amid a cost of living crisis.
Ms Trovas says Australians should think twice before cancelling their gym membership because of the physical and mental benefits (pictured, members of FitStop Kilkenny in May)
Ms Trovas said she felt empathy for other small business owners in Australia who are struggling with rising operating costs.
‘This is the situation we are in. People want to do something for themselves, so they put all their effort into it. Some have great support and others don’t. “Big companies have more money available,” he said.
“I can relate to small business owners who have put in all their hard work. My husband and I always try to support local businesses because we know how they feel.”
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 I would have 50 cancellations but it had the opposite effect,” he said.
‘One of our members asked if we could increase the prices for people who already pay, meaning we wouldn’t have to pursue as many new members.
“With my moral compass, I can’t do that. I can’t just say, ‘Hey, we’re going through a tough time, so we’re going to do this to you.’ I just wouldn’t do it.”