Laila Zemrani created a fitness testing brand trusted by olympians & world champions that's trusted by everyday consumers
Our mission at Fitnescity is to empower people to learn more about their wellness so they can make meaningful lifestyle changes.
We truly believe that wellness starts with understanding, and we aim at enabling people of all ages and fitness levels to fully take control of their health.
We offer wellness tests that enable anyone to understand their current level of fitness and risks, as well as track progress. The assessments use clinical-grade equipment and range from body composition analysis to metabolic testing, performance analysis as well as injury prevention.
Fitnescity also offers its clients the option of working with a personal trainer, and/or combining their test results with data from wearables and other sensors.
The vision behind our work at Fitnescity is to enable anyone to gradually build a longitudinal and comprehensive view of their wellness. We believe that prevention is the future of medicine, and that a data-driven approach to wellness can help optimize someone’s wellbeing, as well as prevent lifestyle-related disease before it actually happens.
What motivated you to become an entrepreneur? Is having your own business something you always wanted to have?
Absolutely. I have never imagined myself doing anything other than building my own business. I love building things from the ground up.
I have also been inspired by my passion for fitness and wellness technology. I have been an early adopter and advocate of the Quantified Self (“life logging”), a movement that aims at empowering individuals to access and make sense of their personal health data, with the goal of improving health and wellbeing.
How do you generate new ideas to stay relevant on the market? Is it important to innovate in your space?
It might sound counter-intuitive, but I usually stay away from technology news, especially those that report on companies. I think that the best way to innovate is to focus on your own product and spend as little time as possible following competitors. I find that the best ideas usually come from customers; the very best ones might require you to actually observe them and “read between the lines.”
What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
Most of my sacrifices have been around taking risks, and I realized along the way that there was a pattern: The higher the risk, the greater the outcome. For instance, I started my company shortly after I received my MBA from MIT. The opportunity cost of not doing what most people do ―getting a high-paying job― was pretty high. However, this also means that the expectations were high. This, in turn, is what led me to strive for greater goals.
How far are you willing to go to succeed?
I think that running a business is a lot like running a marathon. Even if you are very fit, you will not win if you give up. Persistence, or being able to go as far as you possibly can ―at a time when most people would be thinking about giving up― is one of the most undervalued skills.