A Perivale resident has spoken of how an Ealing Council-funded programme helped him transform a personal passion into a growing business aimed at helping older people get fit.
Mohamed Bennadi, founder of MoJeMo Fitness, joined Startup School, a free six-week online course designed to support residents in launching or expanding a business. His business is focused on helping people over 50 stay active.
He said: “I heard about the Startup School course from a friend. I hated school when I was young, but I decided to join the 6-week course in June this year, not knowing what to expect.
“My business was in the very early stages, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to go about it. The course was really good – it was an eye opener and good fun. Some people had a business up and running already but needed more customers, while others only had an idea.”
Encouraged by his brothers, Mr Bennadi began his fitness journey in his 40s by joining a gym, where he discovered the transformative power of exercise.
The Startup School scheme, which begins its next intake on Thursday (18 September 2025) , offers more than 25 hours of videos, one-to-one mentoring, specialist workshops and weekly networking. Free to people out of work or on low incomes, the course covers how to identify customers, price services, market a business and navigate legal requirements.
In the past five years, 174 people have taken part. Mr Bennadi said advice on advertising led him to create a website and reach out to potential clients through platforms such as NextDoor.
He said: “They encouraged us to think about what type of people we want to use our services. That’s when I decided to focus on people aged 50 plus who have not been physically active for some time.”
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Mohamed’s inspirational story shows that it’s never too late to turn your passion for something into a career.”
Residents can sign up at www.startupschoolforseniors.com for the next course starting on 18 September 2025.
