From lifestyle coach to co-owner: Lisanne's Happy Bodies journey

The Netherlands has thousands of gyms, but only a few really stand out with a unique concept. Happy Bodies does, with an approach that focuses on personal guidance. In this blog, Lisanne Bijnen, club manager of Happy Bodies Schijndel and recently also co-owner, talks about her growing role within the sports organization and what makes the concept so special.

How a job fair started my career

My Happy Bodies adventure started after my Sports Science education at the HAN in Nijmegen. After three months of traveling through Australia and New Zealand, I was ready for a job in the health sector. From a young age, I have had the drive to help people with exercise and health.

At a job fair for alumni I got into conversation with someone from Happy Bodies. It sounded interesting right away: as a lifestyle coach I could combine different aspects that I liked. After a job interview at Happy Bodies Uden I was hired. That's where my journey began.

What appeals to me about the concept

At Happy Bodies, everything revolves around personal attention. With the Milon circle, every athlete has a personal wristband that automatically sets all devices. This way, you don't have to struggle with weights or settings and you always train at your level. As coaches, we can therefore fully focus on your technique and progress. Whether you want to lose weight, become stronger, improve your condition or have to take injuries into account - you get a program that perfectly matches your goal.

The efficiency also appeals to me. With 35 minutes of circuit training you offer a complete workout that everyone can fit into a busy life, Club manager Jorik also wrote a blog about this. But the most unique? The guidance. Nowadays you see more and more gyms that are open 24/7. That is at the expense of the guidance. With us, there is always a coach ready to motivate people, keep an eye on them and contact them if they have not been there for a while.

From coach to club manager

After a year and a half as a lifestyle coach, the opportunity arose to take on more responsibility. My employer at the time (now my partner) took over a branch in Schijndel and asked if I wanted to become a club manager there. I had already helped with schedules and administration and was ready for an extra challenge.

The timing wasn’t ideal – after two weeks we had to close due to corona. The club was at a tipping point: would we make it? But together with the team I got to work, we hired new staff and created a friendly atmosphere where everyone works hard.

A club where people feel at home

What I had in mind from the beginning: I wanted people to feel seen and at home. Looking back now, I think we've managed that pretty well. People don't just come for the sports, but also for the coffee table. After the sports, they socialize.

It started as a small club, but you see that everyone gets to know each other and the group grows. A member once told me: "I had a nice afternoon thanks to you. I got tickets for the theater through a fellow athlete." That is exactly the bond you do it for.

The step towards entrepreneurship

In December, another opportunity arose: the location in Uden, where I originally started, was put up for sale. Since I know Happy Bodies inside and out, they asked if I was interested. I had to think about it for a while – it was a completely different step. But I saw it as a great opportunity.

Since March 1st, I am officially the new owner of Happy Bodies Uden. My goal? To also create a fun club there with a nice team where fun and cooperation are central. I hope to make it a place where many members come to exercise with pleasure to work on their goals under supervision.

My wish for the future of Happy Bodies

Now that Happy Bodies is celebrating its tenth anniversary, I hope we can continue on this path. That the interests of the athlete remain paramount and that we can continue to grow to even more clubs. Not because the goal is to become very big, but because in this way we can help even more people with a healthy lifestyle. Because that is what drives me: really helping people.