A Preston entrepreneur has been handed a grant to kick-start his business.
Daniel Cowell, 23, from Walton-le-Dale, gave up his office job and has started his own personal training and fitness company.
He has been given a £2,500 loan from a government fund headed up by former Dragons Den star James Cann to give his venture a helping hand.
Daniel said: “I was in a normal nine to five office job and I didn’t like it very much.
“I was eating too much and got overweight so I decided to lose the weight and I realised I was enjoying doing it.
“I enjoyed the personal training side of things so I decided to get my qualifications so I could do it myself.”
Daniel said despite the current economic climate the decision to give up his job and start on his own wasn’t a difficult one.
He said: “I didn’t like my other job so it wasn’t a difficult decision.
“I was looking for grants on the internet and applied for the UK Start Up Loan, and they got back to me pretty quickly.”
The cash allowed him to set up Daniel Cowell Personal Training.
He said: “It’s for people who might feel self conscious going to the gym, so instead I go round to their houses and train them from there.
“When I was in the gym I would be talking to other trainers and was told that a lot of people tend to leave the gym within three months of joining.
“It’s a bit of a risk, but it’s something I wanted to do.
“As soon as the details of the funding comes through I can start advertising myself, and hopefully if I start now I can get all the people who want to lose weight in the New Year.”
The UK Start Up Loan aims to create 30,000 new businesses.
Daniel will also receive mentoring and other business support as part of the package.
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