Martti studied to become a physiotherapist, which gave him a strong background in coaching
Jamk was originally chosen by Martti, who was interested in sports, because of the good opportunities for further education and Jyväskylä's sporty image. The most unforgettable part of Mart's studies was the team spirit of the year and his fellow students, many of whom became friends. Martti says that during his studies, he spent a lot of time with his friends at school, but also in his free time.
In particular, the training sessions focused on working with different customer groups, along with the work placements and the first customer encounters there, are also memorable.
"Before, I was particularly interested in musculoskeletal disorders, but now I realise that a wider view of physiotherapy is a real strength when I work as a CrossFit coach," says Martti.
Three start-ups in two years
Very soon after graduating in 2021, Martti decided to take a bold leap into the world of entrepreneurship. Today, he owns three businesses: his own business, the Harju training container he founded in 2021, and CrossFit Harju, which opened its doors in 2022. But the momentum is not over yet, as CrossFit Harju is moving to larger premises in spring-winter 2024.The team and other support network have been there to support and safeguard the rapid pace of progress towards the same goal.
A personal need inspired the idea of becoming an entrepreneur
"I had always thought that I didn't want to be an entrepreneur, because there is always a certain amount of uncertainty involved in being an entrepreneur," Martti reveals. Instead, Martti was passionate about CrossFit, and his dream was to work in a CrossFit gym as a coach. However, the size of the industry is small, which makes it challenging to be employed. Previously, in his former hometown of Turku and when visiting Helsinki, Martti had come across outdoor gyms that did not yet exist in Jyväskylä.
"The company was kind of set up on the side, because my primary goal was to get into coaching CrossFit. A small outdoor gym "training trunk" was also a safer way to test the entrepreneurial spirit, as the start-up costs, and therefore the risks, are much lower than in a traditional gym," Martti explains. During the summer, Martti and Janne gained a comprehensive insight into entrepreneurship and deepened their coaching skills. Finally, after a training session during the summer, Martti and Janne were approached with a proposal to expand.
"Ollie had been dreaming of setting up a CrossFit gym, and he came to tell us his thoughts after a workout. We realised that we were in a position where we could either start competing in an already relatively small market or join forces. Competition was not an option at any point, and we decided to start planning a joint gym, CrossFit Harju," Martti explains.
The planning of the CrossFit Harju, a joint company, started with common values
Martti had already known Ollie through mutual acquaintances, but the start of the joint gym began with getting to know each other. "Gradually we have divided our roles so that Ollie is more responsible for coaching and I am more responsible for business development," says Martti.
"But all along, our goal has been that all clients are welcome at CrossFit Harju, regardless of their starting level. For example, we have our own group training for mothers, juniors and seniors," Martti says. Listening to customer needs and a customer-oriented approach have been important in the development of the CrossFit gym. When CrossFit Harju was being set up, Martti and Ollie carried out, among other things, client personality profiles, as, for example, a competitive athlete and a rehabilitation client have very different starting points for training. Of course, development has not been limited to the establishment of the company, but the activities are constantly being developed with the help of member feedback collected a couple of times a year.
Support for developing business from the Starup Factory
"I ended up at the Startup Factory's Business coaching when I heard about the opportunity from KS-yritysidean's business advisory service," Martti says. Entrepreneurial coaching is free of charge for Jamk and University of Jyväskylä students, researchers, staff and alumni for one year after graduation.
"We have received a lot of additional support for business development and planning from the business coaching. In a way, the business coaching has helped us to develop our business. During the training, we have improved our sales and marketing processes, automation and business planning. During the training, we have, for example, introduced various business metrics, and we were encouraged to look at other opportunities in Jamk, such as the assignment to InnoFlash and the Turbine Fund," says Martti.
Full round of InnoFlash
InnoFlash is a course focusing on customer-driven development and innovation, where students solve work assignments. There are always around 60 students solving one assignment, and hundreds of new development ideas are generated. Martti was already familiar with the InnoFlash course from his own student days, and giving the students their own assignment seemed like a great opportunity.
The InnoFlash course is suitable for anyone in the working world. From small one-man businesses to larger organisations, from individual projects to large organisations and public actors.
"I think that commissioning students is useful for any business that needs fresh, next-generation ideas for a problem of its own. Our brief was to increase the use of morning hours, as our gym is much quieter in the mornings. I was surprised by how well the students were able to dive into the topic in one week," says Martti.
During InnoFlash, students interview members of the customer group and use the results to brainstorm new concepts. The best challenges are those that generate many alternative solutions.
"The students have given us many new ideas from outside the company. Our own eyes were opened to new ideas, and our clients' perceptions of CrossFit became even clearer. For example, it surprised us that a lot of people still think that CrossFit is all about lifting heavy weights. In reality, it's not just that: CrossFit is a versatile, functional workout that works for a wide range of clients. Based on the ideas of the students, we have already developed our communication, for example, and we will also use the ideas to develop new services," says Martti about his experience as a customer.
Support network and teamwork are crucial
Martti has several years of entrepreneurial experience behind him. At this stage, Martti feels that entrepreneurship was a good decision after graduation and that he has learned a lot during his entrepreneurial journey. However, there was a lot of pressure involved in setting up a business, especially in the early stages.
"Especially at the beginning, there was uncertainty about whether this business would succeed and whether there would be customers. On the other hand, successes feel great," Martti says. According to Martti, experiences of having success come in small and big ways. According to Martti, the bigger moments of success have been the opening day of CrossFit Harju and when the beginner courses filled up quickly in autumn 2023. Smaller, more mundane but still rewarding successes, according to Martin, are the fact that customers keep coming back and developing.
In moments of success and moments of hesitation, Martti has been able to rely on his strong support network. His support network consists of entrepreneurial partners, close friends and the Business Coach but Martti also has a business mentor to support him. Entrepreneurial mentors are experienced and volunteer entrepreneurs who provide valuable support and guidance to new entrepreneurs.
Martti mentions the support network as one of the most important tips for those dreaming of entrepreneurship. For people dreaming of entrepreneurship, Martti would say:
"I think it's best to be brave and try to find out if there is a demand for your business idea or service. Think about if you could test your business lightly. Another tip is to gather a support network and a team around you."
