To inspire others and showcase diverse career paths within the outdoors industry we've created a monthly blog series featuring individuals in our community and their goals and aspirations for the future.
This month we are featuring Hollie Burnett, Operations Manager at Energise Cycles, a level 3 IMI mechanic and the only female mechanic in the UK who can teach MIAS Cycle FIT qualifications. She is also navigating being mum of two tweens, perimenopause and ADHD.
Photo by Hollie - on a family ride
Hollie's Aspiration
I aspire to empower women to be who they want to be. I want to help them to remove the barriers that they feel limit them.
What key experiences and influences shaped your path to where you are today?
I only learned to ride a bike in the summer of 2020. My youngest daughter was struggling to learn, and I wanted to help her, so I decided to learn myself. When I started riding, I worried constantly about getting a puncture or having my chain break. Those fears limited how far and where I could ride. To overcome this, I started looking into basic bike repairs. However, fixing a puncture isn’t something you can fully grasp by just watching online tutorials. I needed hands-on experience. Struggling to find an affordable course, I decided to volunteer at a social enterprise that ran a bike workshop.
Volunteering involved a lot of community work, mostly at Dr Bike events, where we provided free fixes for passersby, and at youth clubs. The Dr Bike events taught me to think on my feet and trust my growing knowledge. At the youth clubs, I found joy in teaching kids small but important things about their bikes—how to pump up tyres, change an inner tube, fix brakes, or even just clean their bikes to make them run better.
As I gained more experience, I started noticing how many bikes were gathering dust in sheds or being dumped at tips because no one knew how to fix them. It became a mission for me to teach mums and kids how to repair bikes themselves or at least give them the confidence to visit a bike shop without fear of being ripped off. There seemed to be a generational gap in bike knowledge, and I wanted to help bridge it so families could have safe, functional bikes to pass down.
People began leaving old bikes with me to refurbish and pass on, or they’d ask me to set up their new bikes. Soon, I had a steady flow of bikes coming in and out. I enjoyed playing mechanic while helping people save money. One day, as my partner struggled to navigate the garden cluttered with bikes, he joked, “At this rate, we won’t have any garden left—you need your own shop!”
The idea of owning a shop had never crossed my mind. It seemed like an impossible dream, especially as a woman without years of experience in the field. But suddenly, we were doing it. My partner quit his job, and we used our savings to get everything up and running. It was terrifying—everything was riding on my skills, and we were diving headfirst into the unknown.
It’s only been three years since we started, and so much has happened. The learning curve has been immense and is still ongoing. We continue teaching basic bike maintenance, sharing knowledge to empower others. One persistent issue is that many women limit themselves in cycling because they don’t know how to fix their bikes. To address this, we’ve recently started women-focused sessions to help change that. Our goal is to make cycling accessible and affordable for as many people as possible. We still take in donations, refurbish bikes to make them safe, and service bikes to keep people riding.
Photo from Hollie - teaching a young school boy to fix his bike at a youth club, he is still a regular in the workshop.
What would you say is the key to succeeding in what you do?
I succeed because I am determined. But don’t get me wrong—I really need my cheerleaders in life to keep me going. Sometimes, being determined, independent, and working in a male-dominated industry is incredibly hard. Without the support and encouragement of those people who believe in me, I would really struggle.
Maybe the key to succeeding isn’t just determination, but also surrounding myself with the best people—the ones who make everything I do worthwhile and enjoyable.
What piece of advice would you give to yourself ten years ago?
Ten years ago, I was stuck in an abusive marriage. It took me four more years to build up the confidence to leave. Six years ago, I became a single mum with two young girls, no job, and no work experience since before they were born.
Despite the challenges, I found something I was passionate about and decided to build a business. I wanted to create a life I could be proud of and be the kind of mum my kids could look up to. My goal was to show them that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
And I would tell myself, “You can do it.” Whatever it is. Life is short—do the thing. If something is on your mind or bringing you down, face it and deal with it. If you're passionate about something and no one else seems to be, go out and find your people.
Photo from Hollie - we ran a project just for girls (same as the one we run often for boys), its for kids who are vulnerable and involved in county lines. We won an award for empowering women and girls with Street Games!
What's next for Hollie?
My focus this year is on strengthening the foundations of the business. I want to make it strong and resilient because I want it to last. Running your own business takes everything, so I’m working on creating smarter strategies and setting reasonable boundaries to ensure I can stay strong and resilient too.
On a personal note, life is good—I’m getting married this year! I’m also planning to take some time to spend with my family and savour these special moments.
Professionally, I’m aiming to get more involved in women’s activities, including rides, workshops, and festivals. I’ve started offering my services at these events and am now working to lock them in and make them a bigger part of my mission.
Photo by Hollie
Breaking Barriers in the Bike Industry: Join Us on the Journey
The bike industry is challenging to break into. Too often, job opportunities are filled through existing connections, leaving those outside certain circles wondering how to get a foot in the door. At Grow Cycling, we believe that everyone deserves a chance to ride the path to success—so we’re changing the game, one job posting at a time with our Grow Cycling Foundation Jobs Board.
If you have any questions or feedback on what you'd like to see in a future Career Chronicles feel free to email us at hello@growcyclingfoundation.org