My business is to help people lose weight
Elizabeth Simiyu sought to lose weight five years ago after getting her first born. She ate endlessly even after her son stopped breastfeeding and before it hit her, she had gained so much weight.
After trying to exercise unsuccessfully, she visited several beauty shops and found a less strenuous way of losing the excess fat.
Intrigued by the kind of business, she opened her own shop to help herself and other people with weight problems.
But with no basic skills, the business incurred huge losses. For instance, she lost Sh500,000 after buying three fake electrotherapy machines.
“I remember one machine broke down after a week and the rest never went beyond two months. Besides I lost clients too,” said Ms Simiyu. However, the loss was a turning point.
“I did thorough research about the business and consulted widely,” she said.
Wanting to rekindle the business she attended a month’s Faradic treatment (technology used for firming and toning body muscles), electrotherapy and weight loss training in South Africa.
The training constituted courses in weight loss management. Through weight loss treatments with a nutrition management programme, she now helps people lose weight.
Reference
“I was able to move from dress size 16 to 8 and I use my case as a reference to clients to clear their doubts,” said the 33-year-old.
After the training, in November 2011, the electrical engineer reopened her shop. And Instead of buying machines from any dealer, she has a partnership with the South Africa college.
Through a strict nutrition plan and the weight loss treatments, she ensures that clients lose 1,200 calories per session.
“If they stick to the nutrition programme a client can lose a dress size a month,” she added.
The intense treatment is a work out, such that you can get a muscle strain, a muscle pull and at the end of the session, feel tired, said the mother of two.
Three sessions a week cost Sh11,000 while five-day and six-day sessions cost Sh14,000 and Sh17,000 a month. A session lasts 45 minutes and in a day the business serves ten clients.
The frequency depends on the weight problem facing the customer and the rate at which they want to lose.
“In the last two years we have recorded a 90 per cent success rate with our clients and Slim Therapy has spread its network further.”