Interview with Dr Thanuja Madhusudan | Reach 2 Fitness

I hope this can inspire you to become a successful entrepreneur too! Why is it important to hear the story of a successful entrepreneur?

Having the vision to become an entrepreneur is great. Making it happen is another story!

In that frame, I had the pleasure to interview Dr Thanuja Madhusudan, founder of Reach 2 Fitness. Reach 2 Fitness is a modern multigym & fitness centre started in 2017 by Dr Thanuja, a health care professional. It offers group fitness, personal training, yoga, Crossfit workout, diet & nutrition counselling and separate male & female steam rooms.

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e what’s your source of motivation?
Being a doctor is what I wanted to be from a small age. Fitness became a passion as I grew along. To do things perfectly is my motive and thus ended up starting a fitness centre. The thought of motivating people especially women kicks me out of bed and pushes me ahead for the day.

2. Why should people choose your product/services?
My fitness centre is my temple of passion and the clients get the attention and care they deserve. We have highly experienced and certified trainers who are professional in their approach and help people realise their dream weight and fitness goals.

3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
Along with being managed by thorough fitness professionals, my expertise as a doctor, nutrition expert helps many women to achieve and sustain their fitness needs. We don’t just pump away weights, we have lots of fun activities too!

4. What risks are you facing?
People with unrealistic goals, misinformed youngsters, women looking for a magic wand to fit into their favourite dress.. you name it!! It takes lots of counselling sessions to make them realise that fitness is not a one-off achievement but a lifetime goal.

5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
No, I never had that thought.

6. What are your cash flow projections? When will you break even? How much will you need in investments?
We are growing at a steady pace since our inception 2 and a half years ago. We have a cash growth projection of about 12% P.A Our expectations of break-even is 4 years. For further expanding our business as per our projected goals, we need an investment of about 25-30 lakhs in the next 2 years.

7. What comes first for you money or emotions?
As I have said earlier its an emotional and passionate business venture.

8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
My primary strength is my family and my background as a health care professional. My weakness is that am a stickler of punctuality and a stern taskmaster which is the only attribute my employees don’t like about me!

9. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
In a national level Women’s fitness event held in 2015, I was in the top 5 and stood first from south India. On a personal level, the scores of messages and emails I receive from women asking me to share my fitness experiences is something am really proud of.

10. How do you handle the pressure?
Being a businesswoman is not an easy job and that too in the fitness world. It takes a toll on one’s patience and determination. My way of handling pressure is by doing an hour of strength training and a 15-minute deep meditation.

11. If you sold your company today, what would be the tone of the conversation? What would you want to gain? What would you want to avoid losing?
I can’t think of it even in my nightmares but if I had to sell my company it would be to another passionate individual who can look after it with the same love and integrity as me. I would want to gain the satisfaction that its in good hands and not with unscrupulous individuals looking to make a fast buck.

12. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Always follow your passion and although it may look like the going is tough, you just have to believe that the right things will happen and it will all fall in place.

13. What’s the one question you were expecting most and I haven’t asked you? I was expecting to be asked what’s the role of my family in my venture.
To say that I have a very understanding and encouraging family is an understatement!! My father never believed that women should be at home and I was brought up like a boy. He has encouraged and inspired me to go ahead with my business plans when he heard from me. My husband is equally supportive too and believes that we should never regret later in life that I had something to achieve and I missed it.