WITH less than $10,000 and a high-energy, can-do spirit that doesn’t only work in the gym, Lesakay Henry not only transformed her body but took her business to another level.

Fit by Kay, an online health and wellness enterprise, was inspired by Henry’s personal experience as she attempted to change her lifestyle five years ago.

“Initially I was just selling a few items mainly for weight loss because at the time I was overweight and I didn’t like how I looked and felt in my body or clothing. I decided to take my health in control and start eating better and exercising as often as I could,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“After I was able to successfully lose around 30 pounds through proper nutrition and exercise, while incorporating a few products to enhance my results, everyone became interested in what I was doing and I started receiving tons of messages inquiring about my fitness journey and the products I was using,” she continued.

Fit by Kay specialises in sportswear apparel, as well as fitness equipment and accessories. These include gym gloves, yoga mats, water bottles, skipping ropes, resistant bands, waist trainers, and female sportswear. Additionally, customers may request assistance in drafting a meal plan.

“We started out selling around five products, focusing only on weight loss. Now we sell over a 100 different variety of different products. From every item sold I would rush to flip the money and purchase more goods because ‘more goods mean more money’,” she told the Sunday Finance.

Noting that investing in the business remained a priority, she added, “Whenever someone offered me anything, I would always tell them to purchase something from my business or give me the cash so I could use it to invest and buy more goods the next time around.”

Initially the business made some $40,000 a month, but now averages $500,000 monthly.

Henry told the Sunday Finance that the novel coronavirus pandemic gave her business an additional boost as many people became very health conscious.

“Sales went up tremendously because a lot of people were home and could not attend local gyms, so they had to improvise and workout at home to stay active. Due to the stay-at-home orders that were imposed by the Government for our safety, many gym and health stores were closed, so we had to be creative and start doing online workouts, training sessions and attending pop-up shops,” she explained.

She said, too, that she was able to collaborate with church and health organisations on small events to encourage people to take their health seriously.

Second time’s the charm for Henry, whose first enterprise, Snatched by Lesakay, wasn’t as successful as she had hoped.

“I had no real knowledge about business, I simply thought once I was charging more for an item than I initially paid then that simply means I was making a profit. Boy was I completely wrong! Within a few months I realised my business was failing and I wasn’t making any money. So I quit on myself and got a 9-5 job — which was one of the biggest mistakes I had ever made, but no regrets. That job taught me a lot and I learnt so many valuable lessons that I may not have learnt in the first place if I hadn’t decided to try working for someone else,” she shared.

But undeterred by the challenges she had experienced the first time around, Henry revised her business model. This shift in focus and prioritisation was an adjustment in her mindset that she used to do what she does best — identify her strengths and capitalise on them.

“The second time I started over was from the love and passion that grew from it. The timing was perfect too because I was unemployed, so I figured if I was going to do something with myself, why not do something I love and enjoy doing,” she said.

Pointing out that she has always wanted to make an impact, Henry said she is happy her new passion has positively influenced numerous individuals.

“I’ve met so many wonderful individuals and helped so many transform their lives, not only with fitness but I’ve helped encourage persons to start their own businesses, quit old jobs, discover their passions, invest in themselves, and try new things,” she gushed.

She added, “Many of my customers are now very close to me. I know them by name because of the relationship I’ve built with them. My job is much more than selling a few items — I’m their counsellor, best friend, financial advisor, trainer and therapist all wrapped up in one.

“It’s a lot at times but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love what I do and I love getting great feedback from my customers and clients — those are what keep me going,” she told the Sunday Finance.

According to Henry, owning a business has moulded her into the person she is today. A feat accomplished through hard work, the 28-year-old recalled having a chip on her shoulder during her childhood.

“We have overcome so much, from losing our home in a fire at age 10 to [a] few months later losing our grandfather and father at the same time, just months apart. I wasn’t the best-behaving child growing up; matter of fact, I was stubborn and always got into trouble for fighting. My poor and rough childhood trauma affected me a lot and I never had anyone to talk to or confide in,” she revealed.

“It wasn’t until my later years, around 17, I started to re-evaluate myself and my behaviour and knew I needed to change in order to be the person I imagined and dreamt of becoming. I’ve always dreamt of being an impactful person and sharing my story to help young persons like myself who think because of their circumstances or how they started out [that this] is how they have to end,” she told the Sunday Finance.

She shared that hearing her mother say “I’m proud of you” is her biggest accomplishment.

A strong believer in the adage that nothing happens before its time, Henry is now reaping attractive returns from her initial investment and projects even more growth — for the business and herself.

“Our aim is to become Jamaica’s largest fitness supplier and manufacturer. Our strategy within the first five years is to double our sales each month and our profit margin, which we have successfully done…to date. I’m excited to see what we’ll achieve as a company and I’m looking forward to an actual office or warehouse space because my home is running out of space,” she said.

She further told the Sunday Finance, “You can’t complain about the results you didn’t achieve from the work you didn’t put in. I have a lot of big goals for myself personally, but I’m one of those people who doesn’t like to speak about what I’ll be doing. I work in silence and let my accomplishments speaks for itself. I’m limitless and there’s nothing I can’t do if I put my mind to it.”