A 24-year-old personal trainer who left her job at the start of the pandemic has started her own business and has more than tripled her income.

Marina Cheevers, who grew up in Sittingbourne, decided to run her own online coaching company, Train with Maz, after a period in which she was barely able to cover her rent.

She had been working as a personal trainer in a London gym when the coronavirus pandemic hit last March, which led to her losing her entire client base.

“They literally upped and left when the first lockdown was announced,” Marina said. “It was such a weird time.

“I remember thinking to myself ‘surely the whole world can’t close down’ and it slowly did.

“I couldn’t quite believe it was happening - I felt intensely stressed.

“I had worked so hard to become a personal trainer and it was completely taken away from me.”

Marina, who has lived in London since she was 19 years old, found herself in a situation where she could no longer afford the rent on her Clapham home.

She had to move back in with her parents in Sittingbourne for six months – and that’s where she built her own business.

“When the pandemic hit, I thought I can’t just sit back and do nothing,” Marina said. “That’s when I launched Train with Maz.

“I originally qualified as a Level 4 Personal Trainer with a specialisation in Diabetes, and did an extra qualification in postnatal care, but my speciality is helping people gain weight.

“There are plenty of PTs out there addressing excess weight gained during the pandemic but, unlike most trainers, I focus on the other side.

"When the pandemic hit, I thought I can’t just sit back and do nothing."

“The inspiration for this comes from my own personal background. After experiencing a deteriorating quality of life being underweight myself, I managed to gain 16kg in a year-and-a-half – so I understand how important it is for some to gain a healthy weight, even without access to the gym.

“Now, I help people change their shape from skinny to strong.”

She added: “I feel incredibly positive about my business. I’ve built it up and have more than tripled my income.

“My clients can access my sessions from anywhere – I’ve already got clients in Canada, America, Ireland and the Netherlands.”

"I’m now in the best position I could be,” she added. “Setting up my own business has freed me to focus on what I’m truly passionate about, and to help more people be their own best selves too.”

To find out more about her new venture click here or Marina can be reached on email at info@trainwithmaz.co.uk

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