People in Business: Steve Gardiner

Steve Gardiner shares what he has learned from more than 20 years in the health and fitness industry

Briefly outline your current position.

I took over the ownership of Gold Gym on February 1, 1991. I always knew as a schoolboy that one day I would own my own gym. In 1993, we rebranded to Gold's Health & Fitness. This proved to be a positive move as the old image of body building was being outweighed by the need to introduce greater health and fitness services in Rotorua. Now, 25 years since it started, Gold's Health & Fitness is going strong, changing bodies and lives for the better.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first real job after leaving school was as a government hunter for the Forest Service. I spent five years in that role before moving on to silviculture where I employed large numbers of staff.

This early employment taught me a lot about business management, setting goals and targets, managing staff and making money. But it mostly taught me how to be a risk taker. I believe failing to step out of one's comfort zone by taking calculated risks would be the No 1 reason why most businesses fail to grow.

What do you see as the greatest opportunity and greatest challenge in the health and fitness sector in the year ahead?

I believe the road ahead for genuine health and fitness providers in Rotorua is very positive. The health and fitness industry is well suited to the market place. The greatest opportunity out there is to prove to people you can help them with their individual health and fitness goals and needs. That we can not only help them but show them we are genuine and can over-deliver both in services and in facilities. Every business has its challenges. Businesses need to identify what is holding them back and come up with a solution to overcome it. Business is not for the weak or the faint-hearted but if you love what you do and believe what you are doing is your purpose in life then you will thrive.

What three skills or qualities are essential in your role?

First, if you want to be successful in business you need to be a people person - to genuinely like other people. Secondly, you need to invest in industry-based knowledge, continuing to upskill and become better at what you do. Thirdly, there will be storms in business. You have to be able to dig deep when the going gets tough. I really encourage all businesses to take on a mentor.

How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

I guess I often fall guilty of overworking and forgetting to rest. But as I write this I am about to go on an eight-day holiday with my wife to the Sunshine Coast. It is so important to take regular time out from day-to-day business to enjoy other qualities of life.

If you could do any other job for a day, what would it be and why?

I would like to tell people about the good news. About the word of God, the holy Bible. I guess that's being a preacher. I would love to spent a day washing people with the word of God.

What is one thing most people don't know about you?

That I have worked very hard to get to where I am.

What achievements to date are you most proud of?

I am proud of winning the service category at the 2008 Rotorua Business Awards but I am mostly proud of building a business that has so many wonderful people as a part of it. I love our city and am very proud to be a recognised and mostly liked business person.

What piece of advice do you wish somebody had given you when you were starting out?

I think that would have been encouragement, like "good on you Steve, you will do well".

If you could choose anybody to be your business mentor, who would it be and why?

I have had many business mentors over the years but I think the best one I have ever had was God himself. I base a lot of my business decisions on the instruction book of life, the holy scriptures. He does not charge a lot and is bang on every time.