Andy McGlynn

Name: Andy McGlynn

Employer: LA Fitness Personal Training

Area of work: Health and fitness

University: University of Bolton

Subject: BSc exercise sports science and coaching

When I was younger I did some work experience in a gym and really enjoyed it, completing a gym instructor award. After finishing school, I joined the Royal Marines but four years later decided to go back to academic study. I worked as a personal trainer throughout my degree and got a real buzz from it so decided to set up my own business.

My job

I manage 50 personal trainers (PTs), across six counties and have taken on supervisors to look after them on a more personal level and provide a counselling service. I run training workshops for the PTs and seminars for the supervisors to help them develop their personal training skills. Guest speakers are often invited to talk on specific topics – one of our recent guests was runner Diane Modahl. I also develop new initiatives to make the business more profitable. Being self employed means I can work long hours. The PTs usually work a 40-hour week, but this really depends on how much or how little they want to do. I like to be based in the gym as much as possible, but in management there is office-based work to complete.

Best and worst

Directly and indirectly my job allows me to help people achieve their goals, whether that means the supervisors, personal trainers or clients. However, there’s lots of travel involved so I’m quite often stuck on the motorway in traffic.