What an incredible couple of days at Filex Business Summit. Held at The Park Royal in Darling Harbour, the event brought together fitness business owners, operators, industry leaders, and partners. The energy in the room was contagious from the very first session.
Day one opened with Jack Delosa, Founder and CEO of The Entourage, who set the tone perfectly. His keynote on mastering growth really hit home. It was not just about bringing in more clients, but about building sustainable businesses without burning ourselves or our teams out. That theme of working smarter, not harder, ran through so many of the sessions.
Rebecca Anderson, Co-owner at Filex Convention, made Facebook ads feel far less intimidating with a practical breakdown of what is working right now.
It was also great to see Michelle Furniss, General Manager at Xplor Gym, on stage with Chantal Brodrick. Their fireside chat focused on how technology is shaping the future of fitness businesses and the role it plays in both attracting and retaining members. Michelle highlighted the speed at which AI is moving and the impact it is already having on the industry. From smarter lead management that responds faster and more personally than a sales team, through to hyper-personalisation of workouts and offers, AI is becoming an essential part of the member journey. What was once a “nice to have” overseas, particularly in markets like the US, is now becoming a baseline expectation.
A key theme was balance. While technology can automate tasks and predict churn, its real value lies in freeing staff to focus on building community and creating meaningful member experiences. Michelle’s advice to gym owners who feel overwhelmed by tech was simple but powerful: do not adopt new tools just because they are trendy. Instead, define your top priorities—whether that is improving the sign-up process, boosting retention, or delivering more personalised workouts—and choose technology that directly supports those outcomes.
Matt Ryder, sales expert, entrepreneur, and former special forces sniper, delivered one of the most engaging sales sessions of the summit. Drawing on his experience building and leading some of the most effective sales teams in the world, he showed how to simplify sales into clear, repeatable steps that take away the pressure and turn average teams into elite closers. As the former CEO of 7th Level and Sales Sniper, and now running Dialer.io, Matt’s straight-talking, data-driven approach really cut through.
The afternoon featured an inspiring session with Jen Dugard, Founder of MumSafe™ and Creator of Safe Return to Exercise™, Belinda Amis, CEO of Fernwood Fitness, and Brooke Daubney, National Performance and Engagement Manager at KX Pilates.
Together they highlighted the importance of providing a tailored approach for female members. By better understanding their needs and experiences, fitness businesses can build stronger connections, offer the right support, and create long-term engagement with a group that represents such a significant part of the industry. Dan Henderson, Fitness Business Coach, then rounded out the day with a forward-looking session on what it means to future-proof a business.
Day two started with breathwork session that set everyone up for the day ahead. Dr Paul Taylor, Author, Neuroscientist, and Physiologist, then delivered a keynote on resilience, or “hardiness.” His session focused on how to lean into challenges rather than simply bounce back after them, offering practical strategies that felt both timely and valuable.
Barrie Elvish, CEO of AusActive, gave an important update on the ongoing Medicare advocacy work. This is such a significant conversation for the future role of fitness in preventative health.
Two engaging panels followed. The first looked ahead at the future of fitness, exploring how technology, AI, inclusivity, and the growing focus on mental health are shaping member expectations. The second turned the spotlight to people, diving into the challenge of recruiting and retaining great teams. The discussions made it clear that adapting to industry shifts and creating strong, positive workplace cultures are both essential to long-term success.
The summit closed with Mitch Little, Personal Trainer and Owner of Mitch Little Academy, who shared his journey from training clients on the side to running a global business. His story of scaling with authenticity and purpose was the perfect way to finish.
Two days, countless insights, and plenty of ideas to take back into our own work. The clear message: businesses that thrive will embrace innovation, support their people, and keep community at the heart of everything they do. Just as important, the summit showed the value of connecting face-to-face with customers and industry partners to build the relationships that will shape the future of fitness.
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by Xplor
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First published: 05 September 2025
Written by: Xplor