Mother and Daughter aim to combat Rotherham’s obesity ‘Epidemic’

An ambitious mother and daughter are setting their sights on helping Rotherham to shake off its reputation as one of the most obese areas in the UK, by using ground breaking 3D Lipo technology to help adults win their battles against the bulge.

Former Purchasing Manager Sue McPherson and Estate agent daughter Lisa first became interested in the non-invasive treatment after hearing about the technology via social media. Curious about how the procedure worked and sceptical that the promises being made were far too good to be true, they decided to road test the technology for themselves.

Popular with celebrities, 3D Lipo is a non-invasive therapy which uses ultrasound to break down fat cells into a liquid so they can be naturally disposed of by the body. The powerful technology can help some people to see results within just 40 minutes, as Lisa herself discovered, after trying the procedure.

Fascinated by the technology, Sue and Lisa spent several months undertaking extensive research and felt 3D Lipo could be used to not only help people from across South Yorkshire to lose excess pounds, but could also act as a catalyst to encourage more healthy lifestyles. Following the closure of the town’s Institute of Obesity (RIO) last summer, Sue felt there was a clear need to offer practical support and assistance to individuals who were struggling to maintain a healthy weight.

After realising they had hit on a winning formula, Sue and Lisa began carefully forming their business plan and called upon help from the Sheffield City Region’s Launchpad Programme, a fully funded business support programme aimed at equipping new entrepreneurs with the skills needed to succeed in business. The experience gave Sue and Lisa the confidence to believe in their idea and after placing an order for a state-of-the-art 3D Lipo machine, the first of its kind within South Yorkshire, the couple set about building their new clinic in Parkgate.

Whilst waiting for her new machine to arrive, Sue spent time working with a Launchpad business advisor to fine tune her ideas. She attended a range of training workshops which helped her to market her business effectively using social media and develop a robust business model.

Since launching the clinic, the duo have taken time to develop their business beyond its 3D treatments, now offering nutritional advice and guidance on how to maintain a balanced diet.

Sue McPherson, Rotherham Lipo Clinic, said:

“Throughout our lives my daughter and I have attended weight loss classes, lost count of the gym memberships we have applied for and despite always trying to eat healthily, like many people we struggled to reach our ideal weight and shape.

“3D Lipo is a non-surgical, non-invasive alternative to traditional liposuction. It is commonly used in London and the South East, but we wanted to give people in South Yorkshire the chance to experience the treatment for themselves. During our research we were stunned to discover just how serious the obesity epidemic in Rotherham really is. We felt the technology could be used to help people not only shed the excess pounds, but through the combination of healthy eating and exercise, maintain permanent weight loss.

“In some treatments the results can be seen within a matter of hours, however, we feel the real benefits of 3D Lipo are the long term health benefits associated with losing weight.

“Although I’ve worked in business for most of my career, I’d never really considered self-employment. I’m at an age where I felt ready to take on a fresh new challenge and I liked the idea of being able to use the skills and knowledge I’ve developed throughout my career to help others to achieve their goals.

“Becoming self-employed was a big step and the support we have received from the Launchpad team has proved to be invaluable. From the early planning of the business, our advisor has given us the confidence to believe in our idea and realise that anything is possible. We’re now looking to expand our business and bring forward future development plans which seemed almost unimaginable when we first started trading.”

Julia Millea, Business Advisor, Launchpad said:

“Sue contacted Launchpad with a clear outline of what she wanted to achieve with her business and it was apparent from the start she was passionate and excited about the prospect of using the innovative technology to help others lead a more healthy lifestyle. She has identified a niche in the local market and through the support available via Launchpad, she has achieved a great deal in a relatively short space of time.

“The Launchpad programme is delivered throughout the Sheffield City Region and provides support to new entrepreneurs and start-up business owners who have been trading for two years or less. The programme is delivered at no cost to the entrepreneur and gives them an opportunity to attend a range of business workshops, as well as accessing one-to-one support and advice from an experienced business advisor. The first few months of any business are critical, but the success Sue has enjoyed to date shows that she is not only helping individuals across South Yorkshire to lead more healthy lifestyles, but her business has a healthy future too!”

According to Government statistics, Rotherham was named as one of the UK’s fattest towns with 43.5% of the local population being overweight while 32.6% are classed as being clinically obese. In a bid to make the treatments more affordable, Sue has recently launched a membership scheme, which provides a number of treatments each year and can be shared by friends and family members. To find out more information about the range of treatments available at the Rotherham Lipo Clinic, please call 01709 527770 or visit: www.rotherhamlipo.co.uk

Launchpad is a unique scheme which forms part of the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub. Financially supported by the European Union Regional Development Fund and delivered by local authorities within the Sheffield City Region and the Princes Trust, the programme provides free help and support to budding entrepreneurs in the Sheffield City Region who are thinking of starting their own business, or have started trading within the last two years.

For more information on the Launchpad programme and how it operates throughout the Sheffield City Region, contact the SCR Growth Hub Gateway on 03330 00 00 39 or visit www.scrlaunchpad.co.uk