Making a splash

Starting a new business can be a challenge...

but if you have the right amount of experience and support, success may not be far away, as Belfast-based professional swimming coach David Stronge is fast finding out.

With the support of Invest Northern Ireland's Go for it programme, David is bringing his medal-winning skills in swimming to his own new enterprise – SwimStronge – based in Belfast.

"As a professional swimmer, competing alongside some of the sport's top athletes, I felt that the natural progression was for me to bundle all of that experience, knowledge and training and use it to help train the next generation of swimming enthusiasts," said David.

"It's been a long time in planning and finally I felt it was the right time to make the move full-time and dedicate my time to helping others achieve their own goal of learning to swim with confidence in a supportive environment."

David's new company is offering 'Learn to Swim' sessions for anyone aged three and over. The programme complies with the Amateur Swimming Association's programme and only four swimmers per coach are permitted.

"It means everyone gets the attention they need," said David. "A coach is always in the water with the swimmers to promote confidence and ensure safety – and because a coach is always present, not all new swimmers need flotation aids, which means learning can often be quicker."

One of the founding aims of Swimstronge is to provide specialist coaching aimed at encouraging more people with learning difficulties or disabilities to swim and realise their own extraordinary potential. The company also offers personal coaching.

Although experienced in swimming, David was a newcomer to business and desperately needed the same guidance, help and support he provides for his learners to get his venture off on the footing he wanted.

"In everything you do, it definitely pays to take a step back, assess the challenge and make a plan," said David. "With that in mind, I signed myself up for the Go for it programme, which gave me the confidence to put my plans in action by helping me to address all the things I needed to do."

After being assigned an advisor, and by attending a series of course modules and workshops, David learned the ropes quickly, getting to grips with the art of business and financial planning, managing cash flow, marketing and research.

"Go for it challenged me in many ways," said David. "It made me think about the type of business I wanted, how I would run it, and what it would take to make it a sure-fire success. The advice was simple, practical and well worth the commitment I made to it."

David said meeting others who were in a similar situation also helped. "It was heartening to know that there were many people like me who wanted to make a success of their own business and with fears that were just as similar to mine. That made a difference to my thinking and helped spur me on to get on with it."

Billed as Northern Ireland's specialist swimming company, David said his company is passionate about swimming and the benefits that this sport can bring to everyone.

"We want to see more people learn to swim, enjoy a great, fun sport and gain greater health and mobility through what is arguably the best exercise for fitness."

The Go for it Programme is provided by Invest Northern Ireland and is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund. For details, log on to: www.goforitni.com.