One Step GYM & Beauty
Building the Business of Fitness
Laila Nasser Mohammed Al Kharoosi, the founder of One Step Gym & Beauty (women’s gym), is meeting different needs and preferences of women in regards to fitness and beauty.
The industrial city of Sohar is known primarily for industries and the port. But many small businesses are coming up in the city with the burgeoning population. “One Step GYM & Beauty” owned by Laila Nasser Mohammed Al Kharoosi is quite distinctive among such businesses. It is a fitness centre for women and run by an Omani woman who is passionate about fitness and has very good knowledge and experience about keeping fit. This is a competitive advantage for Laila’s business, not merely in Sohar, as there aren’t many women fitness centres that are run by an Omani woman in the Sultanate in general. Apart from Laila’s rich knowledge on fitness, this has been one of the key factors that went in her favour in winning the Direct Support Programme of Zubair SEC.
Laila has studied Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Sohar University and is currently working in a managerial position in Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel LLC. She started her business in 2017 in Sohar. In a short time, the gym has become quite popular among women who are fitness enthusiasts.
With the guidance of Zubair SEC advisors and the fund she received through the Programme, she has revitalized her Centre with a new location, new interiors, new branding and added facilities. She has changed her gym to a new location that is convenient as well as appealing to her clients. It is a much larger premises which is quite open with a lot of natural light and air ventilation to give the perfect ambience to her clients. The facility has been completely redesigned; it is now more trendy and lively with a lot of aesthetics appeal. The gym has got a new branding also in sync with the revamped facilities and interiors.
To complement her fitness services, Laila has been working on adding beauty services in the same premises. She has sublet a part of the place to set-up and run beauty salon services. The value addition is expected to be in great demand for her clients looking for both services under one roof. She has also added new activities like a dedicated dance-based exercise zone. To make the facility more secure using technology, she has introduced smart access cards for members.
“I’m thankful to the Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme for taking my business to a completely new level. Their advisory and financial support including helping me with new branding to location change to interiors redecoration to managing the facility in a more professional manner, are highly appreciated and valued,” says Laila.
With much improved offerings, she is planning to target corporates along with individual clients. She also endeavours to develop the facility further into an integrated centre for families, especially mothers.
With more and more women becoming health conscious especially when it comes to their physical fitness, Laila’s business is bound to soar higher and higher!