Work Well Feature Stories

Each month, we shine a light on someone from our Work Well community, sharing their journey. These are honest conversations to inspire, encourage, and remind you that you’re not alone on the path to creating work that feels good and does good.

Real stories from real people building meaningful businesses in the wellbeing space.

Our first feature is Kirsty, one of Work Well founders. Let's dive straight in to see what she has to say..

Kirsty Owner of Habitual Fitness, Chorlton Health Hub and Co Owner of Work Well

Habitual Fitness Instagram

Chorlton Health Hub Instagram

Q. What inspired you to start your wellbeing business?

A. My journey into the wellbeing world started with the love for Pilates and massage, both had a huge impact on how I felt in my own body. Growing up, I played a lot of rugby and hockey, so flexibility definitely wasn’t my strong point! Pilates completely shifted my perspective. It showed me a new way to feel strong, connected and balanced in my body and that experience lit a little spark in me.

I knew I wanted to help others feel that same shift, to feel better, move better and have a more empowered relationship with their bodies. That’s what led me to open my own fitness and wellbeing studio. For me, it’s always been about sharing what works and building spaces where people can feel supported in looking after themselves.

Q. What’s one unexpected lesson you’ve learned since becoming self-employed?

A.  There are plenty of practical lessons I’ve learned over the years, things you almost expect when running your own business, like how to juggle your time, stay organised or keep things going during busy periods. After running my own business for all of my adult life, it’s only in recent years that I’ve fully realised how personal business really is.

I’ve come to realise that the way I do things, how I teach, how I connect with clients, how I run my studio, is completely shaped by my journey. My experiences, values and even the challenges I’ve worked through all play a part in how I show up. And that’s not something you can copy or plan for, it just naturally becomes part of your work.

This has given me a quiet confidence over time. Not in the sense of feeling like I’m doing it ‘better’ than anyone else because I truly believe everyone brings something unique to their work, but more in trusting that how I do what I do is enough and that it resonates with the right people.

That’s been an unexpected and really empowering part of being self-employed: learning (and still in training!) to trust that my story matters in the way I serve others.

Q. What part of your work fills your cup and reminds you why you do what you do?

A. I am constantly reminded why I do what I do when someone comes to me really needing help because they’re in physical pain. A lot of people come to me who have been dealing with the same pain for years and don’t know what to do or they’ve got an injury that we work through together. That’s when I feel like this is why I do what I do. When my massage actually helps someone feel better and makes a difference in their life, it really is the best feeling.

Q. What’s one thing you do regularly that helps you stay balanced?

A. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve really understood what balance actually means for me. I’ve always worked hard in my business, early mornings, late evenings, weekends because I genuinely love helping people. But once I had kids, I started to realise that I was pretty good at making time for others but not always so great at honouring my own boundaries.

Now, I’m much clearer about when I work and when I don’t. I’ve set out my client days and admin days, and I stick to them. That shift has made such a difference, having these clear boundaries have allowed me to have more energy for my clients because I don't feel hard done by or guilty for missing family time.

Another thing that really helps me feel more balanced is having my gym and sauna session scheduled into my week. It’s a small thing but it’s just for me and I’ve learned to take that time without guilt. It reminds me that looking after myself is just as important as looking after everyone else.

Q. What would be one free tip to help others Work Well?

A. If you’re here in the Work Well community, it’s because you’ve got a business that you believe can help people. Working in wellbeing is all about being of service and making a difference in peoples lives, sometimes small changes but they all count. So here’s my tip: get yourself out there so you can help as many people as you can.

And I don’t just mean posting on social media (although that helps I am sure). I mean real connection. One of the biggest things that helped grow my business and my confidence was networking, showing up and talking to people. I think back to when I moved to Manchester, my 23-year-old self standing in a room full of suits. This was the advice given by the business books I read when I started out. And it worked, and still does. Networking is not about selling your services, it is about telling people your story, having real chats and gaining trust. This brings me to another vital point: reliability and consistency. When you show up and deliver on your promises you build trust with your clients and people you collaborate with. Consistency in your actions demonstrates that you care, which goes a long way to establishing strong, lasting relationships.

When you make an impression others will spread the word. Word of mouth is so powerful, especially in this industry. When people feel good because of what you do, they tell others. And when that starts to happen, your confidence grows, because you’re not just running a business, you’re building something real and solid.

There’s a quote I love: “There are people out there less qualified than you doing what you want to do, simply because they believed in themselves.” It’s a good reminder that you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to believe in what you’re doing. So get out there and give it a go.

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