"Startups are stressful, but they offer a sea of growth opportunities."

In the stream of the modern world, people have become more efficient. Every day, a person performs many tasks, and fitting sports into a tight schedule becomes a challenge. But how compatible are specific training schedules and human productivity? To find out how the next-generation fitness payment model works in Kazakhstan, The Tech interviewed Sanjar Bazilzhanov, CMO of the QFit startup.

What is QFit and what is the main goal of the startup?

• QFit is a pay-per-minute fitness service. Users are not tied to subscriptions that expire, along with their motivation to exercise. The platform is built on the idea that people go to the gym and work out here and now. The service is designed for everyone, regardless of age or other characteristics.

• The system works in a very convenient format. You simply open the app and choose a fitness center that suits you. By clicking on it on the map, you select a comfortable time for you and confirm your choice. Then, upon visiting the facility, you scan a QR code and begin your workout. At the end, you click "Finish," and only the amount corresponding to the time you spent at the fitness center is deducted. The price varies depending on the class of the fitness center.

• The main goal of the startup is to give everyone the opportunity to start exercising, even with as little as 500 tenge in their pocket. It also eliminates the need to be tied to subscriptions, providing the flexibility to work out at any convenient time, allowing users to visit fitness centers anywhere in the city and take control of their own time.

What difficulties did you face, and what solutions were implemented?

• As is typical for any startup, there were many challenges. However, the most significant issue we want to highlight was legal in nature. In our team, an experienced accountant prepared incorrect reports, which had to be completely redone and reorganized over a period of two weeks.

• Therefore, never skimp on accountants and lawyers. This is the very area that can destroy your precious time, which is highly valued in startups, down to the minute (just like in our service). Through our own experience, I want to convey to all aspiring entrepreneurs that, in addition to quality, the legal aspect of your product is no less important. Periodically check all your documents, licenses, and services, and maintain full control over all aspects of your product.

Who are your main competitors, and what makes you unique?

• There are competitors both in Kazakhstan and on the global stage. Examples include 1Fit in Kazakhstan, Gymmy in Russia, and the global startup ClassPass. However, I want to emphasize that this does not make us weaker; rather, it serves as motivation to become better and to become professionals in our field.

• In turn, we have three main differences compared to similar products. First, we emphasize our loyalty and etiquette towards clients, where even the project founders can get in touch and respond to requests. All team members are committed to providing high-quality service to each person. Second, we strongly emphasize customer orientation. We offer a low percentage taken from fitness centers and cover additional expenses related to various system issues on our own side. Additionally, the concept of pay-per-minute payment is being developed, along with a hypothesis that we will not disclose due to NDA, but you will see it soon. For now, let’s keep it as our little secret.

How do you evaluate your development ambitions in Kazakhstan?

• When creating our startup, we focused entirely on Kazakhstan. All plans, strategies, and hypotheses were based on our climate, work schedules, transportation, and the residents of our country. Therefore, the prospects for development are very promising overall.

• We plan to scale up in major cities and then proceed with our plan to "capture" other cities. Currently, we are following this path and will soon launch in Almaty. Our activities will develop in two major cities in Kazakhstan, with further plans to expand into all regions of the country.

• But now you can already test our service in the capital. Our team has done a lot of work to bring you the pleasure of pay-per-minute fitness. I am confident that you will be pleasantly surprised.

What advice would you give to all aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve maximum results?

• Based on our own mistakes, I can confidently provide examples that will help absolutely everyone. First of all, check all legal documents and services. Be careful in this regard, as they affect many internal aspects of your business and can cause leaks at the most inconvenient moments, so be cautious and do not skimp on lawyers and accountants.

• The second equally important point is to always work together and maintain team spirit in any situation. Investors invest in ideas and strong teams. Therefore, try new things, and most importantly, never be afraid of mistakes, as they only strengthen you. The key is to learn from them and try not to repeat them. Startups are stressful, but they are also a sea of growth opportunities. Taking a risk once can lead to unprecedented heights. Remember that dreams exist to be realized. Dream bigger, do more!