Body Vibes - Belfast Co.Antrim

Written by goforitni Monday, 07 November 2011

Garvan's got the vibe for business

Garvan Liddy had always craved the independence of running his own business.   

With the support of Invest Northern Ireland's Go for it programme, the former construction engineer has opened one of Northern Ireland's first Power Plate studios on Belfast's fashionable Lisburn Road.

A familiar face on many of Belfast's big building sites over recent years, Garvan is now the new proud owner of 'Body Vibes', which he set up to meet the growing demand for people keen to use 'Power Plates' to help get themselves fit quickly.

"Power Plate technology was originally used by the Russian space programme in the early 1990s before it was adopted by the Americans, who used it to keep their astronauts healthier for longer in space," explains Garvan. "Now it's available in Northern Ireland, it's really catching on."

Vibrating plates cause core muscles in the body to react naturally at a rapid reflex rate, according to Garvan, who claims it tones and strengthens the body in up to a quarter of the time needed to achieve the same results in a typical gym workout.

Although his decision to start up alone was prompted by the downturn in the local construction industry, Garvan says his long-standing interest in health and fitness, combined with is desire to run his own business confirmed his new direction.

"I've always wanted to be my own boss, to put my future in my hands," Garvan says. "The construction industry here was suffering badly from the recession – I knew it was time to do something different. I researched my idea and spotted a gap in the market."

But Garvan wasn't alone. Before taking on the challenge, he signed up for the Go for it programme, which he says was vital to his current success. "I had little knowledge about running a business – let alone starting one from scratch – so without it, I probably wouldn't still be here today."

"From research, finance and marketing through to book-keeping and branding, the programme has helped me to stay firmly on the rails. Taking part has helped me avoid many costly mistakes." 

So what's next?

In the short term, Garvan plans to continue building his membership base without compromising on delivering great customer service, but over the longer term, he plans to expand.

"I'm determined to grow this business. I'm passionate about it, the demand is there and I believe in its future. There just isn't any time to look back!"

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.