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  • Thur 14 September 2023 / 8.30AM - 4.30PM
  • Crown Plaza Southbank, Melbourne

Emerging Business Models

Commercial Opportunities

Programming Content

Legal And Finance

Sell To Retain

The Latest In Software

Forget the same old, same old – this is something Australia’s never seen before!
  • Thur 14 September 2023 / 8.30AM - 4:30PM
  • Crown Plaza Southbank, Melbourne

That was our heading in 2018 when we launched our first Ignite fitness business event in Melbourne.

Our History: 2019 Melbourne, 2019 Expro Singapore, 2019 FIBO USA, 2019 Ignite Women’s event Melbourne, 2020 Melbourne and 2020 Women’s virtual event; then, as we all know, we went into lockdown!

We’re back in 2023 and want you to participate in our event!

Seven
Roundtables

20 Guest
Speakers

LES MILLS
Networking drinks

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

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HIGH PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS (AND LIFE)

Craig Harper B.Ex.Sci., PhD. Candidate

What does a high-performance business look like? And function like? Professionally? Practically? Culturally? Socially? Are people saying great things about you, your business and what you do? What does high performance mean for your organisation, team and individuals? What do you base your version of high-performance on? What matters most in your business? Customer satisfaction? Profit? Efficiency? The happiness of your employees? Workplace culture? Client retention? Growth? What are the skills, qualities, attributes and habits of high-performers? Who makes a great leader, and why? What’s going great on Planet You, and what could be better? As a business, what is your unique selling proposition? Are people compelled to be a member, customers and clients because what you do and how you do it is exceptional? Do they want to be part of what you’re about?

In his typically casual and interactive style, he is an Exercise Scientist, Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster, and PhD. Candidate and Fitness Industry Pioneer Craig Harper will unpack these questions and more. 

MORE ABOUT CRAIG

2023 SPEAKERS

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Emmett Williams
CEO Myzone, Asia Pacific

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Liam Robertson
Managing Director,
Creative Fitness Marketing

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Owen Bowling
Co-Founder & CEO, Coach Welly

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Edwina Griffin
AtOne

Richard Toutounji
Founder & CEO, COM Marketing

Lisa Lord
Portfolio Manager, Mystery Shopping for Fitness Businesses

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Steve Jensen
Impact Training &
National Sales Academy

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Barrie Elvish
CEO of AUSactive

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Billie Cox
General Manager Business
Development, AUSActive

Joel Garrett
Associate of Velocity Legal

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Edward Hart
Associate of Velocity Legal

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Glen Taylor
Fitness Industry Veteran and Business Expert, Fitness On Demand

Michelle Furniss

Michelle Furniss
General Manager, Truecoach by Xplor

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Daniel Pollard
Business Partnership Manager, Les Mills Asia Pacific

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Belinda Amis
General Manager, Fernwood Fitness

PANEL SPEAKERS

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Ken Baldwin
Functional Ageing Specialist, Movement & Wellness Educator

Nadine Kemp
Regional Executive Manager, YMCA Victoria

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Scott Hunt
CEO at Fit Your Ability, Fitness Enhancement Personal Training and Fitness Enhancement Franchising.

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Fiona Kriaris
Health & Wellness Product Manager, YMCA Victoria

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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Ignite Fitness 2023 brochure

Discover the future of fitness with the Ignite Fitness 2023 brochure. Download now and unlock a world of cutting-edge trends, innovative programs, and expert insights that will inspire and transform your fitness journey.

DOWNLOAD

SPONSORSHIP PROSPECTUS

It’s not too late to become a sponsor of  Ignite Fitness Business an event for personal trainers, gym owners, those wishing to start a business and frontline teams. We pride ourselves on creating a personalised event for independent business owners.

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CONTACT US

Ignite was a great success. Inspiring stories with a great range of knowledgeable presenters. The roundtable format allowed for a more interactive session with presenters.
The speakers are all amazing in their own right. As someone who has been in the industry for 20 years, it would be far more beneficial hearing about how to make changes or improvements rather than personal journeys. While inspirational, it’s not exactly what we need. The short, sharp, 5-minute talks are a fantastic concept. If they can be developed, then I believe there is some very good scope for an excellent working session.
A refreshing and engaging event with great content and takeaways.
Great experience, lots to learn, very good knowledge to have. Great group of people from the industry to learn from.
Great day that revelated a lot of things learned within business and the fitness industry. Would recommend it highly to new start-up businesses – the format and content would prove invaluable.
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Emmett Williams

CEO Myzone, Asia Pacific

I’m Emmett a founding Partner in the global wearable technology brand Myzone – a hardware, cloud-ware, and software mix that drives exercise adherence for the end user, and customer engagement metrics for the network partner. Check it out at MYZONE.org 

I moved from Australia to the USA in 2011 to manage Myzone through the developmental phase of its commercial existence. After 2 years of beta with the product, and 2 years of establishing product market fit through a significant amount of market interface, I was part of the senior team that led the company thru its ‘go to market’ phase in 2013/14, seeing the system now installed in over 7000 health clubs in 60+ different countries. The platform is currently attracting tens of thousands of new users every month, changing behaviour one exerciser at a time.  

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Liam Robertson

Managing Director Creative Fitness Marketing 

Since 2003, Liam has been the bedrock of CFM Australia & New Zealand. From humble beginnings on the road to now the director of the company, Liam leads with a true passion for helping to improve the profitability of independent fitness clubs all over the continent. 

Liam is bred out of Jan Juc, Victoria, so naturally is a surfing enthusiast while at the same time sharing an uncanny resemblance to an ill greyhound while rocking a shaved head. 

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Owen Bowling

Co-Founder Coach Welly

Co-founder & CEO at Coach Welly (currently raising), an AI-powered platform enabling insurers, corporates & gyms to engage, support and reward their members/employees. 

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Edwina Griffin

ATONE

Edwina is a negotiation consultant operating in the areas of negotiation, mediation and communication. Edwina specialises in workplace and franchise mediation. Edwina now specialises in workplace mediation, including disputes under the worker’s compensation scheme and non-compensation disputes. Mediation can assist with work relationships for return-to-work claims and can also address disputes before they escalate.

Richard Toutounji

Founder & ceo, com marketing

As the owner of Australia’s first Private Fitness Studio and founder of one of fastest growing corporate wellness companies, for 21 years, Richard Toutounji is known as the go-to-Authority in the fitness industry. Richard Toutounji along with his wife Joey Toutounji founded COM Marketing, educating health & fitness studios globally.

Their award winning COM Marketing Ninja Program has empowered thousands of Fitness Studios and have now been recognised by the governing bodies, partnering on marketing education with AUSactive, Exercise New Zealand, Pilates Alliance Australia & Yoga Australia.

Richard is a best selling Author and International Speaker. He is a serial entrepreneur and is obsessed with helping fitness business owners achieve impossibilities through his proven experiences and programs to create a healthier, happier world. Richard currently resides in Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia with his wife and 2 boys.

Lisa Lord

Portfolio Manager, Mystery Shopping for Fitness Businesses

Experienced and results orientated Lisa delivers exceptional customer service, reflecting her commitment to her clients’ success.  She combines a warm, compassionate personality with steely determination and focus.  Lisa’s early experience working in Media followed by her career in the Real Estate Industry that spans over 25 years is where she has honed her Sales, Marketing and Customer Service skills.  Dedicated to her clients’ success shines through in her everyday approach and she is both passionate and proactive with a genuine knowledge and belief that Mystery Shopping can make a huge difference in your business.   Lisa is an avid bibliophile, works as a writer and editor in her spare time and is a member of a Melbourne fitness centre where she trains most days. 

Steve Jensen

Impact Training & National Sales Academy

People from all around the globe have doubled and tripled their sales income as a direct result of what they’ve learned from Steve Jensen, the Founder of Impact Training Corporation, the National Sales Academy and My Mentor Coach and recently The Sales Authority Club & Podcasts. Everyone knows, if you get an opportunity to learn from Steve, you seize it; because his knowledge will help you become a successful fitness professional and business operator. After all, as Steve always says, “There’s not a lot in business that more sales can’t fix. 

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Barrie Elvish

CEO of AUSactive

Barrie brings over 20 years’ CEO experience of successful organisational change, strategic development and business growth across a range of sectors including Education, Health and Community Services. He holds a BA, Grad Dip Education and MBA, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. You’ll regularly hear Barrie talking about his passions and experiences including surfing, Triathlons, keeping his mental health and wellbeing strong through exercise, trekking the Kokoda Trail and Macchu Pichu, Led Zeppelin and Hot Rods – all for the purpose of making meaningful connections. Barrie has a longstanding personal and professional interest in adventure play for children and is the proud grandfather of two beautiful girls. Today Barrie is pleased to be the CEO of AUSactive, the peak national health and fitness industry association activating everybody, every way, every day. 

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Billie Cox

I have over 20 years’ experience as an event industry professional in sales, event management, business development, sponsorship and marketing. I have managed over 2000 events – from street parades, conferences, gala dinners, charity events, live music events and TV shoots. I continue to enjoy teaching and lecturing events and business at the College of Event Management.

Joel Garrett

Associate

With property law experience in both law firms and in-house legal teams, Joel has a great understanding of client needs and will be the reliable guide you’re looking for. A great team player, Joel is always ready for a challenge (whether it be a complex legal matter or representing Australia at dodgeball!) and will go above and beyond to seek the best solution for his clients.

Edward Hart

Associate

Edward loves all things law, particularly commercial law and franchising. He enjoys thinking outside the box and is driven by achieving the best outcomes for his clients. Outside of work, Edward enjoys cooking up a storm and playing for his basketball team on Thursday nights.

Glen Taylor

Fitness Industry Veteran and Business Expert, Fitness On Demand

Over the past two decades, Glen’s worn a lot of hats in the fitness industry. After leaving the army, as a Physical Training Instructor he transitioned into fitness equipment sales, where he excelled. He has since held many positions within the fitness industry from state to country manager roles and worked with a wide variety of leading industry brands such as Cybex & Matrix. During his long track record, Glen also has owned and operated gyms and recently looked into FitnessOnDemand products and services as a way to bring enhanced fitness content offerings to gym members.

Michelle Furniss

General Manager, Truecoach by Xplor

Michelle Furniss is the General Manager at Xplor Technologies – a global platform integrating SaaS solutions to support fitness businesses of all sizes, from personal trainers and coaches to fitness studios, gyms, health clubs and leisure centres. Michelle has worked at Xplor for over 10 years in senior leadership positions and spearheading commercial activity. In her spare time, Michelle is a qualified personal trainer, sports massage therapist and avid marathon runner.

Belinda Amis

General Manager, Fernwood Fitness

Turning her passion for health, fitness and wellness into a lifelong career, Belinda boasts over three decades of experience in the fitness industry assisting hundreds of clubs and business owners to maximize their business potential. After ten years within the Fernwood brand, Belinda truly embodies Fernwood’s ethos to, ‘Empower women to shine’. As General Manager, Belinda plays an integral part of Fernwood’s continued success, working across multiple teams, projects and partnerships.

Ken Baldwin

Functional Ageing Specialist, Movement & Wellness Educator

Ken is an ex military Physical Training Instructor with over 30 years experience in the Fitness Industry. Ken is extremely passionate about sharing his knowledge in all areas of training including Group Fitness, Personal Training, Club and Studio Management. As Owner & Director of Education & Training for Perform Better AU, Ken is continually developing education content for CEC accreditation with his current passion being the combination of key Functional Ageing & Movement Programs, Neuroscience Connections, Mindset & Habit Coaching.

In 2019, Ken was inducted  into the Fitness Industry’s ‘Roll of Honour’ for Outstanding Services to the industry and also recognised as a ‘Game Changer’ in the industry and one to watch. 2019 also sees the launch of the MEND™ program and the Healthy Ageing Institute, focusing on the areas of education for those working with the Active Ageing population for a healthier life and reducing instances of preventable Chronic diseases

Nadine Kemp

Regional Executive Manager, YMCA Victoria

Nadine’s has over 25 years’ experience leading teams across the Health, Fitness, Aquatic and Recreation. She has worked in commercial health clubs, council operated facilities and a wide variety of YMCA managed facilities. In her current role Nadine, Regional Executive Manager at YMCA Victoria see oversees over 700 staff and 10,000 members. During her career Nadine has have helped shape the careers of current and future leaders in the Y and within the wider fitness and recreation industry. Nadine has also shared this experience, learnings and successes with the broader industry presenting at numerous fitness business events.

Scott Hunt

CEO at Fit Your Ability, Fitness Enhancement Personal Training and Fitness Enhancement Franchising.

Having started Fitness Enhancement in 1999 as a 19-year-old on $400, I grew the business to the largest independent Personal Training company in QLD.

In 2013 we franchised and are now Australia’s third largest Personal Training company with either our own staff or franchisees across every Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane suburb and areas of Sydney and Melbourne.

We’re looking forward to helping more new successful franchisees in our existing cities and new Australian cities!

Fiona Kriaris

Health & Wellness Product Manager, YMCA Victoria

Fiona has been working in the Health & Fitness industry for almost a decade, her role in YMCA Victoria is overseeing health & fitness for 50,000 members and 6,000 staff. During this time, she has created a mindfulness product called Mynd Wellness which has been up-scaled across Australia, along with virtual meditations globally. Her studies extend internationally from UCLA at the Mindful Awareness Research Centre, as she brings global lending trends to a local environment.