Rosanna Trigg, Founder & Director, The Yard Singapore and Gym With Me.
What makes a business venture truly click? Is there a secret sauce, a magic recipe, or just a stroke of good luck? Well, it turns out, there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe. But a dash of innovation, a pinch of resilience, a handful of passion, and a generous sprinkle of adaptability seem to be key ingredients in the entrepreneurial potluck. And the secret sauce lies in rolling up your sleeves, hitting the ground running, and staying on your toes when the going gets tough. Sure, there will be curveballs, but the real winners are those who can roll with the punches, learn the ropes, and turn the odds in their favor. Exemplifying this very essence of entrepreneurial spirit, a seasoned entrepreneur who is sculpting success and reshaping the landscape of the industry is Rosanna Trigg, the Founder & Director of The Yard Singapore and Gym With Me.
Rosanna’s journey into founding Gym With Me wasn’t sparked by a single lightbulb moment, but rather a string of events that nudged her to turn her passion for gymnastics into a thriving business. It all started at the tender age of 3 when Rosanna fell in love with gymnastics. It became more than just a sport; it was her lifelong passion that led her to travel across the globe as an athlete, forging meaningful connections and honing crucial life skills that ultimately played a role in her business success.
After a couple of years working in London in marketing, life took an unexpected turn when her husband’s job led them to Singapore, the place where she had spent most of her teenage years. It was here that the seeds of entrepreneurship began to sprout within her. Fueled by a desire to forge her own path, unleash creative energies, and be her own boss, Rosanna initially aimed to channel her marketing expertise into establishing a creative agency for small businesses in Singapore. But life had different plans. An unexpected call from an old coach, who finally got funding for a gymnastics facility at Rosanna’s old school, tossed her into the unexpected role of building a full-scale club program. Despite initial reluctance and the frustrating tendency to be pigeonholed into coaching, she accepted the challenge. Thus, Gym With Me was born out of a deep connection with the team and the kids.
Soon, the demand for her programs shot through the roof. What she thought would be a pit stop on her way to a “real career” turned into a rollercoaster of learning. From designing flashy flyers to managing budgets and delving into the intricacies of employment, Rosanna was in the thick of it, loving every chaotic minute. The initial surge in demand prompted her to hire staff within the first three months. Within a year, another school sought Rosanna’s expertise, and by the third year, she was working with seven schools. In just eight years, Gym With Me had collaborated with 11 international schools. As the business continued to grow, Rosanna found herself constantly contemplating ways to scale, innovate, and remain on the cutting edge of gymnastics programs, reflecting her perpetual mindset of “what’s next?”
Navigating Challenges with Resilience
What was next was setting up purpose-built facilities that focused on the full athletic development pathway for young gymnasts. Setting up a whole new company and brand around gymnastics that was fresh and modern. While establishing The Yard Gymnastics, Rosanna faced a myriad of challenges that tested her resilience and determination. One of the initial hurdles was convincing others that a center for gymnastics like The Yard needed to exist in Singapore especially when there was nothing similar around. Despite facing skepticism within the industry, Rosanna’s thorough market research and insights from her athlete’s parents fueled her confidence in the unique proposition. However, the vision required substantial investment in facilities, equipment, and ample space. Rosanna put her savings and a loan from her parents on the line, taking a significant risk for herself and her family. But cash flow became a constant concern, and the financial strain persisted for the first few years. However, leveraging the success of her Gym With Me business, Rosanna creatively navigated the financial challenges.
Building a qualified team was another uphill battle for Rosanna due to the lack of qualified coaches and coaching experience in Singapore. However, Rosanna addressed these challenges by establishing a robust coach development and mentorship program. Meanwhile, establishing a strong brand identity in a region unfamiliar with gymnastics was no easy feat for the company. However, through a comprehensive marketing strategy focused on community outreach, social media, and collaborations, The Yard positioned itself not just as a gymnastics center but as a hub for youth development and physical excellence.
Amidst these challenges, the unforeseen arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic threw an unexpected curveball. With facility closures and strict government restrictions, The Yard had to adapt quickly. During these trying times, online training sessions and community support became lifelines, but the challenges were emotionally taxing, especially for Rosanna, who faced the brink of losing her company while being six months pregnant. When government closures lifted just as international schools entered summer break, Rosanna’s quick thinking and shrewd management brought The Yard back to life through summer camps, increased training hours and adapting to indoor and outdoor training programs, resulting in a stronger company structure post-COVID. “In overcoming these challenges, the key was maintaining a clear vision, being adaptable, and fostering a culture of resilience and innovation. Each hurdle provided a learning opportunity and a chance to strengthen our foundation, ultimately contributing to the successful establishment of The Yard as a premier gymnastics and acrobatics center,” asserts Rosanna. Now we are the first training center in Singapore producing collegiate Scholarship level athletes for the NCAA in the USA and delivering national level athletes for international representation.
Providing A Holistic and Inclusive Experience for Everyone
For Rosanna, The Yard Gymnastics isn’t a mere facility; it’s a vision brought to life with a strategic focus on three key pillars: innovation, inclusivity, and excellence in training. Initially, Rosanna conducted extensive market research to understand the regional presence and demand for gymnastics and acrobatics. This is when she identified a gap in the market for a state-of-the-art acrobatics center which led to the conceptualization of The Yard, Singapore’s largest acrobatics and gymnastics training facility that offers specialized programs catering to various abilities, from beginners to elite athletes as well as diverse age groups. “It was important for us to recognize that adults and children have different needs, interests, and physical capabilities when it comes to gymnastics. But everyone can benefit from the significant health benefits the sport offers,” opines Rosanna.
The Yard’s adult programs are focused on fitness, flexibility, stress relief, and enjoyment, while children’s classes emphasize skill development, discipline, and teamwork. The gym focuses primarily on children’s classes, offering diverse acrobatic disciplines tailored to varying abilities and ages. “We offer something for everybody, a development pathway for lots of different needs, and varying levels of commitment. Providing various opportunities to participate in sports will keep kids involved in sports for a lot longer which has tremendous health benefits for them and on the company side, it increases the customer life cycle, which is great for business, elucidates Rosanna.
Nurturing Teams with Shared Purpose and Values
Rosanna’s distinctive leadership and team-building approach are firmly rooted in principles that prioritize collaboration, inclusivity, and a shared sense of purpose. Reflecting on the past, Rosanna acknowledges the challenges they faced during the initial surge in demand. Back then, the demand was off the charts, and they scrambled to fill roles based on whoever was available. It seemed practical at the time, but soon they found themselves in a bit of a conundrum. This led to a lack of cohesion, high turnover, and immense pressure on managers.
Learning from these initial hiccups, Rosanna now swears by a set of principles that guide her path. First up is diversity. Rosanna values the unique perspectives that come from having a team with diverse knowledge, professional backgrounds, and cultural experiences. Besides this, fostering continuous learning, and promoting clear communication, empowerment, and trust are at the core of her leadership philosophy. In her leadership role, she consistently exemplifies the values and work ethic she expects from her team. Leading by example, especially during intense periods like the execution of significant annual events, she works alongside her team to emphasize the importance of every tasks. As The Yard evolves and expands, so does Rosanna’s leadership style with a growing focus on company culture. “Whilst I’m still learning as a go, I think understanding the people you hire and the structure that helps set them up for success is the key to running a successful business,” shares Rosanna.
Charting Future Horizons with Visionary Expansion
Looking ahead, Rosanna envisions an exciting future for The Yard with plans for their fourth location in Singapore and a keen interest in exploring international territories for expansion. One particularly exciting endeavor on the horizon is the soft launch of retail lines featuring gymnastics, athleisure wear, and sport-specific accessories in the first quarter of 2024. Simultaneously, Rosanna is actively strengthening relationships with equipment manufacturers and venturing into supplying custom designs to schools and businesses, marking crucial steps toward the next phase of growth.
Drawing the key lessons from her incredible journey, Rosanna encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to build strong relationships through community engagement, exceptional customer service, and effective relationship management. While she acknowledges the invaluable role of passion in selling a vision, she also cautions against letting that passion blind their critical business decisions. Illustrating the delicate balance between perspectives on failures and successes, she shares a personal anecdote about a recent event. Despite overseeing the largest and most successful event to date, she candidly recounts how a single negative parent review consumed her thoughts for days. “When you sit at the top of the organization what travel up the flagpole is normally the issues and problems. It’s easy to get fixated on failures and lose perspective. Perspective is crucial to managing your response to situations and your most valuable asset – time,” she concludes.