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| Heather Waring is the founder of www.walkerscoach.com Heather, tell us what you do. Basically I walk and encourage others to try out this relatively easy exercise as a way to sorting out challenges and issues in their lives. With the many benefits walking brings, it is stress reliever, it promotes creativity, is a way to get fit, lose weight and tone up, it gives you 'me' time, it's sociable and a great way to network, it plays a role in preventing a wide range of major diseases and health issues and you don't need to buy loads of expensive equipment. I also speak, write, trek and coach all around walking. In fact it allows me to include all of my passions under one umbrella. What made you start the business and why walking? I've always enjoyed walking, doing a fair amount of it when I was at college in Scotland. Then in 1999 I did a fundraising trek along the Great Wall of China and during the training for this, most of which I did in the Lakes, my love of this activity was revived. The training also enabled me to retain my sanity as I was in a really bad place in my work life at this time. Being able to escape and not have to think about anyone but me was bliss and walking amongst all the wonderful scenery put things into perspective. I came back from the China Trek determined to do more and I did for a while but then life got in the way again. The real catalyst for the business was hurting my back on holidays in August 2005. Something tweaked when I got off the sun bed on day two and three days later we had to abandon our holiday as I was in agony. Why had this happened? After playing victim for a couple of days, I decided that the reason was to make me pay some attention to my own health and wellbeing and in particular my exercise which was very limited. I’d been meaning to do this for years but there was always someone or something else that needed attention first. So what would I do? I’d tried they gym but never sustained it for long; I’d swum especially when I was pregnant but now I’d gone off that as it was such a palaver to do hair all the time; I’d been a runner at college but that no longer appealed. So I decided to walk. The seven o’clock alarm saw me out of bed and into my walking gear hitting the streets for 30 minutes. At this stage there was no power walking but I loved it. I loved the quiet, the time for me. I would watch my area come to life, see nature change, have time to plan my day and I was exercising. In about two months, I had people ask me had I been to a spa or on a diet? People told me I was glowing, that I’d lost weight and seemed full of energy and all this was true. I was also calmer and not so moody. If I was benefiting in all these ways from something this simple, I figured that many other people could too, especially women, so Walkers' Coach was born. It must be great to actually do something for a living that has so many other benefits apart from earning money, but are there days when you just don't want to get up and walk? Honestly no. I love to walk and I love all the people I walk with. Yes, on a cold and dark winter morning when the alarm goes off, I do wish I could burrow down in but I know once I get out there that I will feel fantastic and I do. I find it impossible to come back in a bad mood. Can you run through a typical day for us? The 7.00 a.m. alarm goes and I get up, throw on walking gear and leave house about 7.15. I prepare all my stuff the night before so it makes it easier. I get back in time for family breakfast and then potter around doing dishes, getting Ellie off to school. Then I set off for one of my local 9.30 walks. These last and hour and then I might meet someone for a coffee to do some networking or I'll come home and have a shower before getting down to the office and checking my email, reviewing my plan for the day etc. Once a month I have networking lunch and on other days I may have a meeting or be working on a specific project. There is nearly always some writing to be done for my newsletter, an article, bog or column and I also regularly work on my marketing and business building. Some afternoons I have a one to one client. I check email again towards end of day, before writing the next days 'to do' list and then getting back into family life. What advice do you have for someone who wants to get fit through walking? Many people don't like sport and they are not into the gym, running or getting wet. Walking is no longer the under-rated exercise it was and getting fit is just as effective through this activity. It's not a quick fix but the weight that is lost or fitness attained does tend to stay. I have found that over the years, my body shape has changed considerably and it happened so gradually. I assess where people are when they come to me and then we'll build from there so programmers are tailor made and on top of that people can join in our local WOW groups, or go walking with The East End Girls which is fun and social but also gets them walking for longer periods and taking on challenges. e.g. this year we are walking the Thames Path. In 2006 I trained 16 women to take part in and complete the Breakthrough Breast Cancer 60k (38 miles) walk over two days in September 2006. It was a fantastic experience and every single one of those women completed it although many had never done anything like this in their lives before. I have coached and trained people to do the Moon walk and other charity events and I trained for the Inca Trail in 2007. I have developed weight loss and fitness training programmes and offer these individually or to groups and also work with obese and elderly people whose mobility is impaired to get them fitter and able to take regular exercise. We are also developing workplaces services to enhance efficiency and productivity and relieve stress. What's been the highest point for you? Two things, the first one was walking the Inca Trail. I had looked at pictures of Macho Picher for years wondering what it would be like to see it for real and I think my poor husband got fed up with me talking and said, 'just do it' so I did. I also took with me 5 others, three of whom I had trained to do the Breast Cancer Walk and that was just fabulous. A year before, I don't think they would even have considered doing such a walk. Everything about it was tremendous, the people, the scenery, walking through fields of llamas, trying the local dishes and seeing all the wonderful Inca Sites. To read about the trip in general visit - http://www.walkerscoach.com/inca_trail__the_dream_comes.htm The second thing was very recent and it was being featured on 'Ramblings' on Radio 4. Ramblings, presented by Clare Balding, is a programme all about walking and in March I was approached by Lucy Lunt the producer to see if she could do a walk with me about training for treks. Some of the East End girls joined me and we walked in Borrowdale in the Lake District. We had wonderful weather and a great walk and it was fabulous to hear the programme. My thanks go to Lucy, who captured, not only the essence of this wonderful walking group, but also the different aspects to walking and what it is that people take from the activity. You can listen by going to http://www.walkerscoach.com What are your plans for the future - where do you see Walkers Coach going? I want to be known for getting the world back to walking and so far it's all going in the right direction. I just want others to experience what I have and to feel WOW! Next year I will start to roll out the WOW groups programme throughout the UK, taking on others who want to buy their own mini business by having a Walkers' Coach Footprint. As part of this package there will be a year long coaching programme so there will be help and support at all stages to ensure a successful business and fulfilling experience. I am looking forward to then having time to build up the great links that have developed and developing partnerships that can also be replicated throughout the UK and Ireland. We'll be growing the Netwalking Experience, Training for Treks and the Walking for Weightloss and Fitness Programmes and Walkers' Coach will start to offer Retreats where walking and coaching will come together to concentrate on career, relationships, business building among others. There are very few areas where walking cannot be used so setting up our own accredited training is key as we are going to need loads of people to deliver the high level walking and coaching that Walkers' Coach offers. I am looking to bringing some major sponsors on board and to doing much more speaking and media work to heighten our profile and tell everyone just what we offer and how we can help them. I want Walker's Coach to be a world wide brand, working with people of all ages and from all walks of life and spoken of with affection and respect. I want to make a difference to people's lives and I know that through Walkers' Coach, I can. |
| Posted: 13/08/2008 06:42:24 Last Updated: 27/08/2008 15:57:57 |
Chick Lit > Business Chicks :: Business Chick Heather Waring