JANE Gambarini, owner of PT Pilates was announced in the top 100 of women entrepreneurs in the UK and said the exercise ‘changed her life.’

Jane founded her business in 2021- one of the reasons was down to a personal experience. In 2010 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, at the time juggling a one- and two-year-old.

Her passion for pilates all started when a friend of hers was taking a pilates exam and asked Jane to go along with her to see what it was like and since then she hasn’t looked back.

“It changed how I felt physically, mentally and it gave me peace in my own mind and my own body.

“It changed my life,” said Jane.

Starting something new comes with its waves of apprehension, but Jane remembers one piece of advice which has stayed with her throughout her journey.

“I remember the night before we opened the studio, I was so nervous. I thought, "what if nobody came? What if I fall flat on my face? What if I fail? I remember a friend of mine saying to me, but what if you fly.

“For me that passion I felt more than anything else I have ever done before and I wanted other people to feel good about themselves. It's what led me wanting to bring this to rest of the community.”

Jane hopes her studios bring an inclusive atmosphere, letting people feel comfortable in their own skin without the fear of comparison and self-doubt.

“When people walk through our door, they feel included regardless of the age, size, and fitness level. We want everyone to walk out feeling safe and supported in our environment.

“We’ve built a wonderful community of men and women and endless amounts of laughter along the way.”

Jane has given some inspiring advice to others who may feel they want to take the plunge but feel they don’t know where to start.

“The biggest lesson is to be real and true to yourself. The industry that I work in is dominated by social media.

“It is about keeping it real, I am a 52-year-old mum of two and I want people to feel they can walk through the door of this studio and not feel intimidated.”

The f: Entrepreneur campaign was launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain, and it aims to raise greater awareness of the impact of female business owners across the country, helping provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community.

“It is brilliant to feature Jane in this year’s #Also100 campaign. All of the female entrepreneurs in this year’s line-up are inspirational and remarkable role models,” said Michelle Oven OBE, CEO and Founder of Small Business Britain.

The campaign celebrates 100 women across the UK who are driving innovation, growth and positive impact in their communities, while running successful businesses.

“Coming to work is a pleasure for me to help other people,” said Jane.