John Matthews

25 years of Fitwise Management

When I left J&J in June 1991, I had little idea about what I was going to do other than set up a corporate fitness business for Scottish companies. I linked up with exercise and diet experts invested in the latest high-tech fitness measuring software and then looked around for Scottish companies wanting to invest in the health and welfare of their staff. It was during the last economic downturn and there were few people showing interest.

To keep the mortgage paid, I also decided I would approach the associations I had worked with whilst at J&J – these included the National Association of Theatre Nurses, the Infection Control Nurses Association and the Institute of Sterile Services Management. I had attended their annual conferences as an exhibitor for the previous 6 years and thought that they could benefit from working with someone who had an exhibitor’s perspective.

As you will now realise the association management business grew and it has turned into an employee-owned company with 30 staff. I like to think I was ahead of the curve with the corporate fitness business as there are companies doing this sort of thing – often linked to local gyms.

It has been an interesting journey – one of highs and lows, learning all the way. Initially, we assisted associations, then we started taking on the functions such as membership management, minute taking and event management. When an organisation approaches you to help them contact their members as they had lost their “entire membership database” you learn all sorts of new skills. From setting up online BACS payments, to stuffing delegate bags, from running recruitment campaigns to chasing non-payers who have free loaded for years because no one recorded if they had paid or not.

Our events started getting bigger and more sophisticated. Online delegate booking transformed the industry – we no longer had to interpret a fax with illegible handwriting when booking in a delegate. Our new IT systems allow us to process thousands of delegates, collect payment in any currency, prepare badges and so much more. Things Blair and I could only dream of when we first realised we had become an event management company.

Some of the low points: not booking accommodation for the night preceding a conference for 200 delegates – lots of cleaning bedrooms and changing sheets! Being told on the morning of a conference for 120 delegates and 20 exhibitors that the hotel didn’t have a booking.

Some of the high points: seeing the impact on delegates of an inspirational speaker, hearing how people have become speakers having attended their first ever conference. Helping busy people who have more than full time jobs to improve the lives of their colleagues. There are so many memories of making things happen both within the company and for all of our association clients. For example, being voted best company to work in within the whole of the Lothians and Fife and receiving Gold Investors in People Award.

Moving to Blackburn House was a real step change for us. From a small farm outbuilding where 15 of us were almost sitting on each other’s laps to a large four story building with loads of space. We needed new phones, computers, upgraded IT systems, desks, meeting room furniture…  The list went on and on.

The final change for me was to make all of the staff owners of the company. Employee ownership can transform a company, it offers benefits to employees as well as give them more of a say and involvement in how the business runs. It is a surprisingly complex process which involved setting up an employee benefit trust to run alongside the company. Both organisations have to have articles of association and have to comply with the complex legal restrictions.

It has been a long and interesting journey and I have made many new friends along the way. I will not miss the endless round of conferences and board/council meetings but I will miss the people I have worked with on this great journey. The destination may have changed over the past 25 years but the enthusiasm for associations and their success will never change.