When lockdown was first announced, Charlotte Mcgaun, the owner of Image Geek and Sanctum thought it was the end of her beloved gym. In fact, what Charlotte proved, is that community has never been more important. 

Not only has her gym survived the lockdown, but it’s thrived through creativity, adaptability and the open and honest conversations between Charlotte and her members. 

Charlotte is one of the few female gym owners in the UK and she really takes the time to know every one of her members, whatever their journey and goals. I caught up with Charlotte to see how she defied her own initial fears and how on earth she juggles just as much as she does. 

How would you describe Image Geek and Sanctum? What do both brands do?

Charlotte: I was always on sports teams. I gave up sport and went into fitness. I was just in a gym and I got so lonely. So I created Image Geek really just to like make friends. My group of friends at uni at the time weren’t into fitness. I thought, surely I’m not the only person. 

I call myself a wellbeing complex because we don’t just do fitness. We do food tolerance testing, we talk about food, we talk about mental wellbeing. I’m doing my psychology masters so I can offer counselling services that work parallel together to help you on your journey within fitness, health and wellbeing. 

Sanctum I took over ownership in April last year, so literally, the start of lockdown, to revamp it and get it recognised again.

That’s so interesting, what you say about it being something you do alone.

Charlotte: Yeah, and I didn’t mind it at first and then I was like god, I could not be like doing fitness till I’m fifty with like no one around me. I wanted to have more open conversation and I just felt like gyms needed to be a bit more modernised. 

So much of Image Geek’s ethos is about the mental side of fitness, how do you think this has changed over lockdown?

Charlotte: I think it’s kind of like heightened everything. It’s actually made people realise actually you do need to look after your mental wellbeing.

I think people underestimate walking as well because walking is such a huge benefit and it is fitness. I think when people just think well I only went for a walk, I don’t do fitness – I’m like no you have. You’ve done a one hour walk. That’s amazing steps, that’s great for mental wellbeing. 

The past year has been tough for gyms. I wanted to talk about opening and closing, how hard was it for you?

Charlotte: Image Geek is 6 years old.  The first three years I did it mobile, so I’d only had my gym 2 and a half years when the first lockdown happened.

I was in the gym on the Friday when they announced the national lockdown. My parents drove to my gym that night when I was there teaching. They just came and gave me a big hug – I was just crying.  I actually thought that was it. I couldn’t offer anything like what big commercial gyms could – like freezing people’s membership. 

By the time I got home, someone put on the facebook group saying “I’m going to keep my gym membership going is anyone else?” and literally all these comments were underneath. There was about 85 of them. I burst into tears that night and I was like oh my god we’ve got to do something online. 

That Saturday morning the Image Geek online group was made, we offered 7 classes a week. It has been hard for gyms to adapt to being online, but I’ve got an amazing community so that’s how we went online in the first lockdown.

“all these comments were underneath. There was about 85 of them. I literally burst into tears that night and I was like oh my god we’ve got to do something online” – Charlotte Mcgaun, Image Geek

That’s amazing how the community just rallied behind you!

Charlotte: Honestly, I was shaking. I was seeing all these messages and I’m just like I’ve never done anything online. It’s worked really well. It’s shown people that actually you don’t need to travel to a gym you can just do some workouts at home.

What did you decide to include in an online workout?

Charlotte: With the first lockdown, cause that was quite a long one, we just kind of duped the classes we did at the gym. A lot of it is body weight at the gym and then I hired out equipment to people, so things like stepper, kettlebells. 

The programmes have kind of developed because I work with other people. So we do Zumba and pilates and now we do programmes like the running programme, the ab programme, the stretching programme. So many people have taken up running in the lockdown, even myself, I never ran before lockdown.

How did you find collaborating with other women in fitness?

Charlotte: I’ve absolutely loved it. I think it’s one of them things, that when you have your own business you try and be superwoman, superman and you try and do everything. 

I do offer a range of classes but things like Zumba and pilates are just not in my speciality. If I got qualified in it I just know I wouldn’t enjoy teaching it. I’ll put my hands up if I don’t enjoy something I won’t be passionate enough to do it. So, I just thought you know what I need to go to the specialists. 

I just reached out, I thought I’ll just try my luck. It’s worked out really well.  Everybody loves it, just to do something different as well. It is about supporting, like people have supported me and I want to support other small businesses as well.

“people have supported me and I want to support other small businesses as well.”  - Charlotte McGaun, Image Geek

How has moving online affected the community?

Charlotte: I think it’s got a little bit stronger. Once that gym is taken away from you it’s stripped from you, you start thinking about all them times you said I’ll just go another day. 

People have taken more of the opportunity to workout online and to really connect and make a little more conversation than they normally would and take part in a few more classes than they normally would.

What’re your favourite posts you’ve seen?

Charlotte: Errrrrm, I love seeing people’s goals. That’s probably my favourite one seeing people actually challenge themselves cause they don’t have to but it’s nice that they’re actually going that step further.

“if I don’t show up that’s it, I’m letting the team down” – Charlotte McGaun, Image Geek

It’s one thing to get clients motivated, how do you motivate yourself to run online workouts everyday?

Charlotte: I know it’s crazy isn’t it. Funny as well you know cause my partner will even tell you I’m actually really lazy. It’s weird because I am a fitness coach. 

I used to do a swimming session before I went to school. At 5am my parents would get me out of bed for my swimming session and I would do that three times a week. 

I think it’s just instilling discipline. I think everyone looks at fitness coach and thinks you’re so motivated to train every day. Our slogan is “Train Hard Not Long” so our sessions are only twenty to thirty minutes so I know by half seven I’m going to feel so much better. 

I think because I was part of a sports team for so long you knew if you weren’t motivated or disciplined enough when you showed up, you were going to let your team down. I have really instilled community and accountability in this, in our group. 

I’m like if I don’t show up that’s it, I’m letting the team down even though fitness is just an individual thing

Another aspect of Image Geek is nutrition, how has the conversation changed since moving online?

Charlotte: It’s a weird one because a lot of PTs are trying to be like the superhero PT online. They’re saying just be in a calorie deficit you can eat whatever you want. To an extent, it is true but whenever I educate it, which is why I feel I’m slightly different. 

I’ve actually got a separate qualification in nutrition and then in food intolerance testing. So I actually learn more about the nutritional value and density of food. I’m very honest about actually food isn’t just about the calories so don’t believe that myth of those superheroes. It’s also actually understanding that food is going to give you energy. 

I am actually very open in the group so I’ll let people know when I’ve had chocolate, when I’ve had a takeaway but I’ll also tell them how it makes me feel. 

When talking about looking good and feeling good, how does gym wear fit into this?

Charlotte: I think it’s the same with any clothing. I think clothing is so temperamental, it changes the body, that makes people. So when you wear the right pair of jeans it’ll make you look like you’ve got an hourglass figure. 

Just wear what you feel good in. That’s what I love about Sanctum, we’ve got such a variety of like tops and bright colours, core range, core colours such a variety to cater for everyone’s personality.

“Is it called the scrunch bum?” – Charlotte McGaun, Image Geek 

What do you think will be big activewear trends?

Charlotte: I’m going to say the name of it and it makes me cringe every time. Is it called the scrunch bum? That’s like the new leggings? the pattern on the seam is like scrunchy. 

So that’s like the new trend at the moment and I hate it

I’ve never heard of a scrunch bum before. How do you manage two businesses and a masters while finding time for yourself?

Charlotte: I am definitely an excel spreadsheet girl. So I literally have a schedule of my week. I’ve had that for like nearly three years and I like live by it. It just keeps you on track and it keeps you accountable. 

You actually see it there and see your timings worked out. I have flexibility because, especially with uni work cause the deadlines are so far and inbetween so it does alter slightly cause I am definitely a student who likes to leave things to the last minute.

What’s your favourite way to relax?

Charlotte: This is going to sound really weird, but my dad has high blood pressure and in Germany the doctors told my dad to get a dog. So we got our family pet.

When my business started, I could just feel you know, you’ve just started your business. It’s just become real. You’re overwhelmed. So I would go for a walk and that’s when I remembered oh yeah, that’s why we got our family dog so that’s why I got my first dog. 

It is just dog walking that is my chill time, zone out, I don’t take my phone with me – I just literally block the world out and take the dogs out. I’ve got three now.  I love it. I absolutely love it.

“Every time I survive a lockdown I just feel so blessed” – Charlotte McGaun, Image Geek 

So much has changed for Image Geek and Sanctum over the past year, what are you proudest of achieving?

Charlotte: I think surviving the lockdowns. Every time I survive a lockdown I just feel so blessed and so like, we’ve done it. We’ve made it. I think as well just knowing that I’m doing a little something to keep people sane through lockdown makes me feel really really good.

What are you looking forward to when lockdown is over?
Charlotte: Do you want an exclusive? I’ve got a new class coming.  I’ve just done a new course. Trampoline fitness. Yeah, so just small fitness trampolines so everyone gets one to themselves. So yeah, that’s what I’m excited for, doing something new again. 

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Written by Lauren Waugh

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