Made in Michigan. Innovative wellness concept designed and developed by Grand Haven inventor

"This is a movement from Grand Haven, Michigan that I am sending south" says   Brenda Kay Boterenbrood, certified personal trainer, entrepreneur and inventor of BeachFit.
 
The movement is literally about movement. BeachFit is Boterenbrood's innovative wellness concept which features a patented tool that utilizes sand and water for weight resistance.
 
Boterenbrood who lives in Grand Haven, credits the Lake Michigan beach as both an inspiration and a testing ground for her fitness business.  As a personal trainer she enjoyed the experience and physical challenge that working out on a beach provides.  As an inventor, she says she began her journey about four years ago when she had an idea for a special tool  that utilizes the natural environment, in this case beach sand, which makes exercise more fun and effective. "The idea was born on the beach.Then I spent four years doing research about making a product."

With a design in place and the patent process complete, Boterenbrood began manufacturing in June 2013 and proudly says  "It's 100% made in Michigan."

The business model for her first program which she says uses the "sand version" of her product is  based on her licensing the use of the tool and exercise program to health clubs at 5-star resorts with beach property, mainly in Florida.   She estimated that over 400 people have used her exercise system since launch in June at several resorts in Florida.

To compliment the "sand version" of her product, she is now near completion of launching the "water version" of the BeachFit tool, which she says is currently in the process of being designed and tested at Michigan Tech, as part of an engineering class. "I've hooked up through Bob DeJonge, the lead professor in the capstone class at Mi Tech.  The new product has several similarities with the sand version, but it's focus will be it's use in water. And it will be more eye catching."

Boterenbrood says this new product provides many more business opportunities. "It will open up more markets: pools, lakes, every body type: from novice to fitness buff."  Unlike the sand version of her product, she envisions the aquatic trainer to be sold directly to consumers through a wide variety of channels.

Boterenbrood credits help from the Grand Rapids Inventors Network, (GRIN) in moving the product forward. She currently has one sales rep but has plans to grow the team methodically. "The business is self funded. It has to grow based on commission." Besides working on developing her new product she is also busy working on nurturing her network of resorts, trainers and distribution channels and expects to be able to announce several significant expansions in the near future.

To learn more about BeachFit you can visit the site here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Job News Editor