Currently...

I set up http://www.libertefitness.com" rel="nofollow">Liberte Fitness which run outdoor fitness sessions in parks, gardens and beaches across East Anglia. They are not bootcamps and are not military in anyway, instead focussing on getting people out of the gym and reconnecting with the great outdoors.

The day-to-day running of the business involves researching new park and beach locations, working on my new leisure clothing range, recruiting PT's, getting new park members, writing blogs, social media updates, networking and that's all before lunch.

There is no longer time to eat, have a social life or see friends but I hope it will all be worth it and some of my friends remember me when I reach my tipping point and I can afford to take a day off. I am also training to be a personal trainer so that I can teach the sessions.

Before I escaped...

I worked in compliance in a large investment bank followed by 4 start-up hedge funds where I helped get them off the ground. Rather worryingly, I found myself excited at the start of each business but bored after the initial 'buzz' of the launch. I'd then be head hunted to go and start another one and the buzz would start all over again but after a while I got bored of always starting other peoples' businesses and not my own.

I'd had previous experience of running my own business with an e-commerce gift shop and I had been runner up in the 'Young Entrepreneur' category of the East Anglian Daily Times Business Awards in 2005 so I always knew there was something bigger and better out there than the day to day monotony of a corporate life.

My moment of truth...

When I was in a job where I earnt the most I've ever earnt but felt depressed at the dullness of the role I'd been hired to do. Nothing excited me and without being overly dramatic, I wondered what the point of the whole rat race was; every day was like groundhog day and I felt I was wasting my life.

So, deciding it was time to break free from the corporate world, I booked an adrenaline-fueled solo trip to Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Whilst I was sitting on Bondi Beach with a friend of a friend, I saw everyone exercising outside and decided to create a beach fitness weekend back in the UK.

Planning for it...

I funded it through bonuses that I had saved but so as not to spend them all, I worked full time whilst setting is up - it is a recesssion after all. This doesn't work for some people but it suited me better than getting out huge bank loans to set it up (am still not convinced that any banks would lend to many start ups in this market) so my salary from my day job funded my dream job - it just caused a slight amount of stress in the process.

The worst and best bits...

The best and the worst thing has been setting up alone. When you're having a bad day, you have to rely on friends and family to listen and they may not want to hear you droning on. However, when you have a good day, you feel even more proud of yourself that you've been able to make this happen on your own. People always say you shouldn't start anything till you've found a business partner which I think is very bad advice.

Yes I'm sure it could be more fun if you found the right person but it's far better to be on your own than face the problems of being with the wrong person. Setting up on your own means you make all the decisions and whilst sometimes you don't know what decision to make, it does mean that you can act swiftly and confidently when you do need to make a decision without having to get someone's approval.

Best advice...

'Don't understimate how hard this is going to be'. Unfortunately, I only heard this a few weeks ago, nearly 2 years in. I wish I'd known at the time my idea was turning into a business. Saying that, I wouldn't have changed anything; I just wish I could have been more mentally prepared for the problems or rather challenges ahead.

My famous words 'I just need to get 20 people to turn up on on a beach' seemed such an easy premise but to get those paying customers took me on a journey I was totally unprepared for - it seemed so easy on paper.

I've only learnt now that by something not working, it doesn't mean that you're a failure. In year 1 I took failures very personally but now I just see them as challenges, and some things not working out has led to much better options; it's just a matter of remembering that at the time.

Useful resources and information...

I've been amazed at how helpful people in the fitness business are to an outsider who has spent 13 years working in an office in the city. I thought it might be hard to break into a new industry but by showing I was brave enough to set up something bigger than I ever thought possible, it's meant most people are more than happy to share their experiences with you to stop you making similar mistakes.

I hired a fantastic branding company who have created a great identity for Liberte http://www.zealdesign.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">http://www.zealdesign.co.uk/ and have had the help of a fantastic Personal Trainer who is the Lead PT for Liberte, Gareth Thomas.