Located right in the heart of the city in the Central Business District (CBD), BoOm Singapore has survived remarkably well during the pandemic. Adapting swiftly to the fluid COVID-19 situation and ever-changing governmental restrictions, BoOm has managed to keep its business going strong. Quite a remarkable feat, when one considers the many fitness outlets that shuttered during these unprecedented times.
We chatted with BoOm’s co-founder, Bryan Tay, along with his co-founder and wife, Victoria Martin-Tay, to uncover the secrets behind what sets his studio apart in this competitive space (apart from the stellar workouts of course).
Sharing the three words that characterize BoOm’s ethos — empowering, accepting, joyful — it is clear BoOm’s genuine goal is to help people get fitter, stronger, and better, in a safe, accepting space all while having fun. A tall order? Perhaps, but not impossible for the powerhouse duo who have managed to turn their fitness passions into a successful business.
Native: How did you and Victoria decide you were going to open the coolest fitness gym here in the CBD?
Bryan Tay (BT): We decided to open BoOm at the end of 2017. Switching out from different corporate jobs, we were looking for a workout that both of us wanted to do together. More strength training was also something we wanted to introduce. It wasn’t a big thing for ladies back in the day, five years ago. And this was a vision we stuck with, even when people suggested doing away with the strength rounds when we first started.
Fast forward to today, a lot of ladies in Singapore are looking for more strength-based workouts, which is something we’re really happy with here, and really excited about.
Native: What makes BoOm different from other gyms?
BT: We’re primarily a music-based business, unlike others that might do beat matching. What this means is that it gives us free reign on what we can do with the programming. So while we do use very traditional training methods, we try to make it a lot more fun by introducing the music and lighting elements.
What’s really different about us is that, I think, we try to be very, very accepting, regardless of your fitness level. People who are older, who might not be too fit, can also come workout with us. Everything you do in this room is at your own pace. Anyone can come and get a good workout in, it really is an all-levels workout. And that is what we love to do here at BoOm.
Native: How much has the pandemic changed your business strategy?
BT: It’s definitely been tough. The capacity has dropped 50%, class timings had to change, and we’ve had to launch new programs to accommodate the new spatial constraints and increase our efficiency.
We’re just hoping that things go back to normal sooner than later. We used to have 24 people in class. Now, we can only fit 14 because we have three meters between each spot. Thankfully, we haven’t had any transmissions in the studio.
When the pandemic first started, we were probably the first studio in Singapore to close. We’d rather our customer base stay safe, so we actually closed two weeks before the circuit breaker.
Native: Hopefully when things get back to normal, where do you see BoOm in 5 years?
BT: For now, we’re taking it one day at a time. It’s tough in this type of climate to make money, especially because we’re keeping people so far apart. What we want to do eventually is to expand overseas. We’ve trained people in Thailand and Manila to do a similar style of things.
As for BoOm, we want to try and open a flagship location where we can put various concepts together, including a spin studio. Maybe open a couple more strength concepts as well.
We are always thinking about expansion plans. There’s a lot of competition out there, but we try to focus on ourselves. Water our own grass instead of comparing. The industry is a growing one as well.
We rounded off the interview with one cheeky question, keeping in line with our V-day theme.
Native: Do you have any relationship tips from a couple that’s considered “relationship
goals”?
BT: I feel like relationships are always difficult. You always look from the outside and see that someone is “relationship goals”, but you never know what’s going on behind closed doors, right?
Maybe don’t carry expectations of another relationship into your own. Just be present in whatever relationship you’re in.
Intrigued to try out a class at BoOm? Native is offering an exclusive Punch + Brunch event this on March 12 for those looking to break a sweat. Bring a friend or come alone, and start on that New Year’s Resolution today.
