Jen Dugard (00:00.85)
welcome to the podcast. How you going?
Emma Bunting (00:03.874)
Good, thanks for having me back.
Jen Dugard (00:05.9)
I was going to say thanks for coming back. Obviously it wasn't that bad first time around that you're willing to come back again.
Emma Bunting (00:12.236)
I say yes to the things, Jen, you know that.
Jen Dugard (00:14.336)
I do know that, I do know that. And I try not to take advantage of that, just so you're aware. Nice. And let's dive straight in with a word to share how you're showing up today. Something that you're winning at and something that you are working on.
Emma Bunting (00:19.351)
Nah, I enjoy it.
Emma Bunting (00:29.256)
Yes, so I had to think about this today. My word is a different kind of word today, which is open. I am normally pretty open in learning new things, but as I evolve in the business, I'm definitely more open to different ideas and ways to maybe improve the business or different ideas. My win is launching my fourth location on the Sunshine course this term and working on filling those spaces.
Jen Dugard (00:54.232)
Amazing.
Emma Bunting (00:57.87)
in the different locations and seeing where my business can be improved as well.
Jen Dugard (01:03.928)
Awesome, I love it. So that came across as you'd launched your fourth location this term. But it's your fourth location in your business. I was like, cool, that means you've got like a hundred and something locations. She's launching four every term. Fourth location. So what are the locations that you're in the Sunshine Coast in now?
Emma Bunting (01:15.5)
No, full.
Emma Bunting (01:21.336)
Budrum, Amaruchador, Palm Woods and Cullinbeach. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (01:24.984)
Awesome. And we're to dig into how that journey has kind of evolved and the challenges that have come and all that kind of thing. And we did this podcast in October of 2023. And so if anybody wants to go back and listen to that podcast, not, we've made a conscious decision not to just rehash everything that we talked about, but as a little bit of background.
Emma Bunting (01:31.309)
Mm-hmm.
Jen Dugard (01:52.728)
You moved from, you set up your business in Sydney, you moved from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in 2021, relaunched the business in 2022, and then by, easily by the time we were talking, but even before that, you had rebuilt Motivate Mums on the Sunshine Coast to meet the same revenue level as you'd done in Sydney. Cool. How did that feel?
Emma Bunting (02:15.544)
Yes, that's right.
Emma Bunting (02:19.596)
I feel great because it took two years in going straight into a business with no business experience right at the straight of my PT career. Whereas when I moved to the Sunshine course, I already understood how to launch a business. so restarting the business was not as challenging as the first time. Challenging because I didn't know the areas or the people, but super exciting.
for me to go into it knowing the steps that I needed to do to get it where I wanted it to be.
Jen Dugard (02:51.224)
What are the key things that you did that you would just keep doing in order to, I guess, establish yourself and you're doing it now. You're establishing yourself in new areas in the Sunshine Coast. So what are the key things that you did back then and the key things that you're doing now when you're launching?
Emma Bunting (03:10.828)
Yeah, so reaching out to local businesses was my big one. Making connections with local physios, going around with my flyers to all the places, walking around the streets. My car is branded so everybody knows and sees the car everywhere. I have airframes around the areas when the council aren't telling me to take them down. Coffle at signs.
Jen Dugard (03:31.746)
Did I do that? Have they talked? They have.
Emma Bunting (03:37.262)
But the biggest one for me is actually getting out in the community and talking to people explaining what I do why I do it Meeting women's health physios in the area, which I absolutely love to do So I've got a lot of connections with physios in the area and even you know They reach out to me and see what I'm doing and want me to go meet them So that's been a huge one for me, which is an ongoing one
Jen Dugard (03:59.83)
Yeah, and then you get around in your Motivate Mums gear all the time.
Emma Bunting (04:04.366)
24 seven. I know they didn't wear the top for the podcast, but when I was like, okay, now I've got to wear it. Yeah, hats, top, jumpers. Now it's getting a bit cooler. So I've got the body warmer, everything. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (04:11.062)
You have to. Absolutely. And you've got a hat. What else have you got? What's all the merchandise you've got?
Jen Dugard (04:24.476)
I did, was it you that put a post up about socks the other day? Yeah. Did you find a supplier or no? Yeah. Do they? Interesting. That's cool. If anyone's listening and you've got a brand, branded sock supplier, let us know. And then you've got a trailer.
Emma Bunting (04:27.052)
Yes. No, no, but I do and that's the next thing. People keep asking for socks. I'm like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. So that'll be the next thing.
Emma Bunting (04:45.79)
I have, I've got a trailer that I first bought because I was going to carry my equipment around with that, but then decided I would use it for advertising, which has been a great one in one of the locations in Palmwoods Park Street at the side of the playground. And everyone I speak to has seen the trailer because it's right in the in a really good road that people drive through. that's been a really good one. Branded in pink, pink and white writing. So, yeah.
Jen Dugard (05:05.1)
You
Jen Dugard (05:13.632)
Amazing. I love it. I love it. Are you going to get a van again or no? Has the van had its day?
Emma Bunting (05:15.394)
Yep.
I think we'll get a van again. I think that's the only way to carry all the equipment around. But for now, the smaller car's fine. Eventually, I think. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (05:25.43)
Yeah, yeah, or you need like four different trailers in each location.
Emma Bunting (05:29.998)
I think so. That, yeah, potentially buy another trailer and park it somewhere different on the coast. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (05:34.848)
Yeah, nice, nice. And let's go straight into like if people want to go and listen to their original journey, I think that would be a really good idea. what has driven you to decide to launch more locations?
Emma Bunting (05:51.959)
Yeah, so I got to a point where I felt like I wanted my, I wanted to grow and it wasn't sure which step to go in. And it took me a while to decide that launching new locations would be a great idea just because I really wanted to be seen in other areas on the Sunshine Coast. so the fact that I could launch new locations and increase my income.
I thought would be a really good step. It took me still probably over 12 months to actually decide that that's what I wanted to do. And I've got the vision board that what, over 12 months ago that, was it 12 months ago? Yeah. And I had on there, look, trainers on the Sunshine Coast. So was always an idea, but I just didn't know how to kind of launch into new locations and take on other trainers. But it felt like the right step.
Jen Dugard (06:36.098)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (06:50.946)
to increase my income.
Jen Dugard (06:53.366)
Yeah, what was it? Okay, two things. So the first one, when you say increase, so you set some income goals for yourself or, you know, we've been working together and you've been setting those goals. So
Tell me more about that and tell me more about the, I guess, the process you went through and maybe even the maths that you did in order to go launching a new location is a good idea in alignment with your values. Like, just kind of paint that picture for us.
Emma Bunting (07:22.134)
Yeah, so the classes that I couldn't really run in, Budrum and Maroochidaw, were always based on school hours. I didn't want to run and I do one session now early mornings, but I never wanted to run early mornings because I wanted to be there with the kids. My two life hours, honesty and excitement. And I knew if I didn't anything outside of what I was being honest to myself and my family or make me excited that I would soon resent it and I wouldn't want to carry it on. So my sessions were based on school.
hours. And then now having five sessions a week in the school hours, you know, 9.30 in the morning, I realized that if I wanted to grow in the other areas that I would need to then take on new trainers to do those classes. So then it was, okay, how much more money could I be earning if I took on some new trainers and worked out how many classes I would need to be running to try and push up to that financial goal.
So in the first location, I added two group classes a week to start with, because what I didn't want to do is pay for a trainer, open too many classes, and then realize that I couldn't fill those classes. So we've still got two classes in Palm Woods, and we soon, think one is almost full and the other one is half full. So soon we'll add another class in that area. But I always know that step by step, adding the classes in there is the best idea.
Jen Dugard (08:33.09)
Mm-hmm.
Emma Bunting (08:50.956)
rather than paying a trainer and not earning the money. So then I launched into the fourth location in Coulomb Beach because the income from the other location wasn't enough. So I realized that adding a new, another location would also increase the income and they're that far apart in distance that it's gonna make an impact in that area without being on top of the other locations.
Jen Dugard (09:18.082)
Yeah, and the fact that you're adding, I mean, every time you launch a new location now, you've got costs associated with that. Mostly trainer costs, some set up costs, but, and this is the if, if you can fill those sessions, then you are increasing your income, even if you've got more costs. Yeah. And I say if, cause I know you can, but it's more,
Emma Bunting (09:26.21)
Mm-hmm.
Emma Bunting (09:41.196)
Yes. If... like, yeah. But... yeah.
Jen Dugard (09:46.56)
and what I heard you say before about.
opening gradually and filling up the classes and then then opening the next one. I guess that's the safety net, right?
Emma Bunting (09:52.846)
Mm-hmm.
Emma Bunting (09:59.596)
Yeah, yeah, and that's what I was worried about at the start is thinking, if am I going to be able to afford to pay training if I'm not putting people in those classes? So that's why I've been super cautious on releasing two classes at a time in one location and really focus on building those up before open any more classes in that area.
Jen Dugard (10:20.194)
Yeah, and how many clients do you need per class to break even on your trainer?
Emma Bunting (10:26.114)
five per class. So yeah, pay the cost for trainer insurance and park fees. So we're over that. Yeah, his profit. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (10:27.894)
Yep. Pays the trainer. Or pays your costs. Yep. Yep.
Yeah. And then anything on top of that is profit. Yeah. And I think that's where a lot of people, or some people get stuck is rather than, and what I love about what you've done is you've got your base level of classes and then what a lot of people do, and I think I did this myself actually, is they take themselves out of the base classes that they've got. They put a trainer in and they somehow think that they're going to earn the same amount of money.
Emma Bunting (11:00.462)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (11:04.803)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (11:06.324)
Whereas you've got this base number of classes that you're running along with your PT and anything that you launch is additional income. And then later on, when you've got enough additional income, you could choose to extract yourself out of some of your own classes. If you want to, you could raise the cost of your PT. You could do all these other things, but you're holding onto that base level of income. So everything else is profit.
Emma Bunting (11:23.992)
Mm-hmm.
Emma Bunting (11:31.446)
Yeah, I think it will be so easy to get someone to step in and do those classes. But then, yeah, you're not making as much profit as you want to. It is good to have the flexibility to have another trainer to step in, you know, like, you know, when I'm going to Sydney or wherever it might be. But I will be in those classes for a long time until I know that I've got enough income to pay myself and the trainers.
Jen Dugard (11:50.989)
Yeah.
Absolutely. And you said before it took you over 12 months to decide to launch the sessions. What took you so long? It's not actually a long time, but...
Emma Bunting (12:03.03)
Hahaha
It felt like a long time because every session with you, I wasn't sure what direction to go in. And I was stuck on the same thing over and over again. was how do I go into that process of finding a trainer that is willing to do all the things, safe return to exercise and willing to train with me for three to four months. And then...
start that journey of launching their own location. So, I mean, I wasn't looking for someone for that long, but it felt like when I put the messages out there, it took me a little while. And then I started that process, but I was think I was scared to, scared to branch out. It's been my own baby for five years or four and half years when I first took on my first trainer.
And I suppose it's about letting go a little bit and being able to let someone else step in and help. Because essentially I trained Adam, the trainer up, and then he launched the new location without me even being there, which is super cool, but felt a bit strange as well at the time.
Jen Dugard (13:23.308)
Yeah, it's that, I mean, attachment to your clients, attachment to the way that you think things should be done. And then, yeah, when you're not the person launching it, it's that, they know him now and they don't know me now, which is both a good thing because sometimes it can be hard to bring a trainer in and then they take over your stuff because the clients didn't know them to begin with and they like you. But also that, you know, one step away when...
Emma Bunting (13:35.427)
Yeah.
Emma Bunting (13:41.836)
Hmm. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (13:51.714)
he's launching the sessions instead of you. You did something though, like when he was first launching, and I'm not sure if you're still doing it every term, but you ran a group session online before they even hit the park. Can you tell us a little bit about that and why you did that?
Emma Bunting (14:08.27)
Yeah, and probably that was because he was new and I wanted to make sure that the mums coming on board really properly understood about the classes, about what we're all about, our mission, and then also talking through pelvic floor and the core activation. So that was more of a connection at the start of the term. Yeah, Adam would jump on and the other mums and we'd go through everything, what we're all about, a little bit of a...
a presentation of like what it's all about and then probably for the connection into the group rather than them feeling isolated from the community. And I actually don't do that anymore because I feel like Adam's built such a good community. I'm super proud when I see, you know, when I see the mums talking that they really enjoy it and they've got that connection with Adam and the group. I really think it's a good place to be letting him run the classes and him having his own.
group without me having to be there. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (15:08.802)
Hmm. And how do you connect? Do you, how do you connect in with them at all? Like how do you? Yeah.
Emma Bunting (15:14.006)
WhatsApp, we've got a WhatsApp group. Next week I'm going through and taking them out for coffee. So, you know, every now and then I'll pop in and say hello to the new ones because I know names, but I don't know faces. And so, yeah, I'll do that a couple of times a term as well. I'm trying to get them involved in the social events as well.
Jen Dugard (15:26.123)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Absolutely, because you do a social event each term. Yeah, nice, nice. Twice a term, cool. One of the things I heard you say before, and I didn't want to deflect into it, when you were thinking about how do I find a trainer that is willing to do safe return to exercise and train with you for four months before they go into the role, what did you mean by that?
Emma Bunting (15:34.262)
Yeah, two, twice a turn. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (15:56.94)
I think some people want to go straight into a job. They want to go straight into a paid work and not willing to do the work that it takes to bring you up to the standard that you need. So I was worried that, you know, you get a trainer who doesn't want to do all the background work and actually wants to go straight into paid work instead of they done the same return to exercise off their own back. And then I say free training, but you know, training with me for four months.
unpaid, that that's what I was worried about finding someone who was willing to do that. But on the flip side, they're getting heaps of experience, they're doing a course that was awesome and they're, you know, better educate themselves. So you can look at it in two ways, but my mind was going down, how am I going to get someone to come in and willing to do all the work?
Jen Dugard (16:26.999)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (16:45.58)
Yeah, yeah, whereas my mind is in, my goodness, they just got like a whole lot of mentoring that you would pay money to get that. I mean, it's mentoring, it is onboarding, it's all of those things that getting them ready for a role. But I also think it's, when you're growing your business and you're meeting someone new and you're integrating them into the business, there's gotta be that getting to know you period so that you both know that you're on the right track.
Emma Bunting (16:56.429)
Yeah.
Emma Bunting (16:59.725)
Mm.
Jen Dugard (17:12.982)
and the relationship is kind of is working together. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (17:15.884)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, there's definitely things I could do better. That was the first time that I started working with someone. So they, he would start coming to the classes two or three times a week. But I think I'd have a bit more of a structured and I did have a structured training plan of how we would go with the training manual and explained everything. But there's things that I could do better as everything. It's all a big learning curve for me. And I asked him,
Jen Dugard (17:41.665)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (17:44.214)
always for feedback, which I think super important as well. We give each other feedback of where I could improve and where he could improve as well.
Jen Dugard (17:51.704)
How do you do that?
Emma Bunting (17:53.464)
We sit down, do I give the feedback or? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I, yeah, I struggle to listen to, well, I used to, I'm getting better. But we have an open conversation. We sit down and we do a review. And in the, review, there's a section where it says, and there's a certain amount of questions that asks him how do I, he feels he's being mentored and looked after and does he feel like he's been supported in the group? So it's good to have that to where.
Jen Dugard (17:54.924)
Well, both of you, because feedback can be hard for people, right? Like, yeah.
Jen Dugard (18:03.8)
you
Emma Bunting (18:24.459)
communication and good conversation about about things yeah yeah
Jen Dugard (18:29.196)
What's some of the things that, has he said anything that's made you go, and it might've been a little bit, not hard to take, but just like, that's really good feedback, and then you've been able to implement it moving forward.
Emma Bunting (18:44.13)
Yeah, probably the getting information before if he does a trial like the pre-exercise questionnaire information. Like if I get it late, then it gets passed to him late potentially just before the client's coming into class. So there's been times like that where he has not had enough information to onboard someone, but he's kind of, you know, he's done it anyways in a really good way. So for him, he wants me to be a bit more organized in passing him the information, which is, which is fair.
Jen Dugard (19:13.973)
Absolutely.
Emma Bunting (19:14.082)
but also I'm used to doing it all myself. So I've got the information. I can't need to pass it on a little bit quicker. there's a lot of...
Jen Dugard (19:19.606)
Yeah, that's, yeah, it's those systems and things that you get and you realise where you become the roadblock. I do that all the time.
Emma Bunting (19:25.73)
Yeah. But that's the things that I want to work on too in the business that I know that I need to improve when I want other people to come in and help.
Jen Dugard (19:37.559)
Yeah.
Does he have a, so they would email the form to you? Does he have a motivate mom's email address? I wonder something that could solve that really quickly is if he had a motivate mom's email address and he was just CC'd in all communication and then that would go, that would then, yeah, absolutely.
Emma Bunting (19:44.343)
Yes.
Emma Bunting (19:52.226)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (19:56.118)
Yeah, takes the pressure off. Yeah, he gets his shit away. Yeah, yeah, I'm trying to find a system that works. That could be an answer. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (20:04.928)
it could because then you don't actually have because otherwise you've got to upload it somewhere you've got to do something or he's got to have access to your email address which you might not want but if he yep
Emma Bunting (20:08.845)
Mm.
Emma Bunting (20:12.918)
I started putting it into the app, like the PT Mate, typing the notes in the client notes, but that's relying on me sitting down and doing the notes, but it's maybe where I just need to be a more.
Jen Dugard (20:20.694)
Yeah, either that or you need a virtual assistant that that is part of their job when a new client comes in, then the notes go into the app.
Emma Bunting (20:29.164)
That sounds like a good plan. That's the kind of thing that I need to think about and work on with inside the business. Like what are things like that that I could get help with?
Jen Dugard (20:30.337)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (20:35.809)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (20:39.672)
Yeah, and you are at that point where even if it's five hours a week that a virtual assistant is just helping with the admin, because once you grow into more more locations, then the admin multiplies, Yeah. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (20:41.334)
Yeah.
Emma Bunting (20:47.15)
Mm.
Emma Bunting (20:53.676)
Yeah, like, yeah, it has, you know, with the trial bookings and lead follow ups and all the things is kind of multiplied now. And it's like, okay, I've got to make sure that they all go on the right spreadsheet and what location are they for? It's trying to just map it all out and not confuse everyone. Yeah. Mm hmm. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (21:07.586)
You
Jen Dugard (21:11.926)
Yeah, and keep track of the follow ups and all that kind of thing. What are some processes that you got in place before Adam joined you to make? Yeah.
Emma Bunting (21:22.04)
to him in his new location.
Jen Dugard (21:25.3)
Yeah, well, yeah, and to help you integrate him into Motivate Mums.
Emma Bunting (21:29.774)
Yeah, so I kind of created a new spreadsheet for Palmwoods and like made that it's separate location. So any new trials and any new leads that were coming into the new location will be managed on a separate spreadsheet and he has access to that. So would then go in, upload all the information to the spreadsheet and make sure that that was all updated.
Jen Dugard (21:36.045)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (21:53.582)
We have four nightly meetings, which is great, which we introduced because it was just, we needed that communication. It, a little bit. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Communication was not great, great at the job, but we just, we didn't communicate that well with each other.
Jen Dugard (22:01.272)
Was there a tricky communication there? We've got to talk about the hard stuff, right? So you've got great feedback loops happening now, but what was it like beforehand?
Jen Dugard (22:19.574)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (22:22.094)
and something had to be put in place to allow us to have that fortnightly catch up. So we do a fortnightly zoom and monthly face-to-face we get together and we do a workout together and then we throw some ideas around. So which I think works really well because it's good to have that zoom but then when we do the workout we do a workout together and then we bring some ideas about the business or what could be improved or any feedback or anything like that that we can discuss and I think doing the workout it kind of opens up
you just feel a bit more relaxed and yeah. So yeah.
Jen Dugard (22:55.276)
Yeah, absolutely. And then training him, like you had trainer like a manual to support him.
Emma Bunting (23:04.203)
Yep. So when he joins we provided by EJ. Yeah, I went through the manual and altered it to suit my business and sent him the manual and week by week exactly what we were going to be focusing on. know, so week one is come to class, very basic. We go through whatever we're going through that day. And it was like step by step we do.
new learning each, each week and then start to put it all together. And by the end of his three months or start of the three months, he was starting to take the warm up and the cool down in the classes. And then I would sit and give him feedback after the class, which was always taken really well. I must admit. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (23:52.152)
I like I used to have, and this is terrible, I used to have a form and I used to have all these dot points and I'd tick them all, give them points out of 10. And it was scripted, these are the exact words I want you to say, and you did not say that word from where. Oh.
Emma Bunting (24:00.92)
I couldn't do it.
Emma Bunting (24:05.644)
Yeah, which... Yeah. I mean the script is good because at least you've got alignment with what you want to say but I couldn't do the... I couldn't do the... the take. I mean I definitely wrote things down.
Jen Dugard (24:14.146)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (24:18.582)
The ticks! It evolved! I mean you have to, I thought like you know scores out of 10, scores out of 20 gives them a quantifiable way. We should get Mellie and Mags on because I know that they got put through it. Well maybe not Mags so much but Mellie certainly did. And they're great trainers so hey.
Emma Bunting (24:30.627)
you
Emma Bunting (24:36.832)
Yeah, well, yeah, well, that's it. Yeah. I mean, it's a good idea. I wasn't as harsh as that. Yeah, it's still giving a lot of feedback as well. I wrote everything down. The wording used, you know, the welcoming in the names. He didn't know all the names, but it was making from everything I'll give him feedback on. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (24:46.914)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (24:56.416)
Yep, yep. And so you launched Palmwoods, it's you know three quarters full we can say now, and then you launched, what's the third, fourth location? Cool, and tell us about that process.
Emma Bunting (25:10.702)
Kulin Beach.
Emma Bunting (25:14.848)
I wasn't... I knew I wanted to launch a fourth location. I wasn't sure where, when, how or who with. And then there was a trainer approached me. Wasn't a trainer at the time. She was getting into the fitness industry and she wanted to know if I had anything available. And then that sparked an idea of me to launch Coulomb Beach because I know that it's an area that where between here and Noosa where there's not a lot.
of training, especially not for moms and no outdoor fitness. So that was kind of the spark of that. I don't know if it was a good time to launch because I still trying to fill palm woods, but it just felt right. And I just felt like I wanted to launch a fourth location. The location excited me because the location of next to the beach and the potential of it. that went to, that was the start of this term, which I ended up launching.
Jen Dugard (25:51.512)
Hahaha
Emma Bunting (26:12.93)
by myself in the end, along with another trainer who is now working with me.
Jen Dugard (26:21.216)
Let's talk about with very much respect. you know, this, I want to open this conversation because one of the biggest things that held me back in my business and I know that I've heard it come out of your mouth before is working with other people is hard and it is hard. I think you've done a much better job of it more quickly than I did. Like I got scared after a little amount of time and then I've spent many, many years just going, I can't work with people. And then really having to do a lot of self-reflection and a lot of
I guess personal development to one change that belief and to look at where my strengths and weaknesses are around working with other people but the reality is when you work with other people as it doesn't always work out the way that you want it to be or the way that you think it's going to be. What were some of the challenges that kind of came up with bringing on another the other trainer and
you know, we both think she's awesome and we're not going to name names and we want this to be a respectful conversation. But how did it feel when, let's phrase it better, how did it feel when you realized that you didn't think it was working or you didn't think it was going to work?
Emma Bunting (27:35.596)
Yeah, I suppose that was right at the end of the training. Like we spent four months together training and I am always willing to give. I believe in anyone who is willing to put the work in. And that's definitely what she did every week, twice a week, days show up to do the training and sit down and to my house and whatever I asked really, she was there to do the training. And it was right at the end of the training that I realized that we actually wanted different things out of that role.
Big reflection for me would be better communication at the start of that journey. So it would be sitting down with the training, trying to understand a bit more about what they want. That was probably the biggest thing for me because I'd gone along in this journey and I think at the time I didn't want to let too much be too open because I didn't know how that role was going to work. It was an idea of mine and I just kind of went with it.
So, you we didn't look at the contracts until the end of the four months, whereas really, I think you sit down at the start and discuss what is it they actually want? What are you looking for? So that's a big reflection for me. And yeah, it was a horrible feeling because you spend so long with someone and then you realise it's not gonna work and it feels a bit yucky. I don't wanna let anybody down, but I also understood that it just wasn't the right thing.
for me or the business.
Jen Dugard (29:07.32)
Hmm. Yeah, I think it's hard. I think hearing, you know, don't want to let anyone down. They've put effort in. You've put effort in. Was there a bit of a like, oh, I've put all this effort in. I'm sure there was the same on her part as well. Okay, interesting.
Emma Bunting (29:21.26)
I didn't actually feel like that. I didn't feel like, I've wasted this time. I felt like I had to go through that. Not go through it, that sounds awful. I had to go through the pro- yeah the process of that to then end up where I am. So it didn't feel like a waste of time at all.
Jen Dugard (29:26.187)
Awesome.
Jen Dugard (29:30.038)
Yeah. Experience it. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (29:40.322)
That's really cool. Yeah. I think as well, I mean, I've definitely felt like it was a waste of time. Not a waste of time. Okay. Again, I'll reframe because it's never a waste of time, is it? It's more how do I stay level when these ups and downs come my way and they're going to come our way in business and they're really going to come our way when we choose to work with other people because
Emma Bunting (29:56.631)
Hmm.
Jen Dugard (30:07.594)
It doesn't matter what the intention is when someone comes into something, things can change. You can realize it's not a good fit. Values can be misaligned and any relationship can end. And then how did it feel for you when you have now taken on the classes yourself?
Emma Bunting (30:15.278)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (30:29.486)
I think it actually felt good that I had the capacity to do that. Otherwise I'd probably be in panic mode and would know what to do. the fact that I had the capacity to take on the classes, I was actually excited to launch a new location myself. Didn't do either palm wood, so I thought, okay, this is a chance to launch in Coulomb. So now, yeah, run the two classes a week there. And it's been a really good opportunity to get into that.
Jen Dugard (30:35.35)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (30:45.325)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (30:59.084)
that market, meet the mums, meet the local businesses, local physios. Like I'm getting out there with the flyers, you know, after class to the mothers groups too, which I'm not sure would that be happening if there was another trainer there. I don't know.
Jen Dugard (31:05.783)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (31:13.208)
It'll be interesting. It will be interesting to see how quickly Coolum takes off in comparison to Palmwoods when you're in it versus not being in it and just see what learnings you can take from each one. Yeah, I think one of my biggest learnings has always been how do I make sure that my business is process driven to the extent that if anyone leaves somebody else, of course, they're to need some settling in time and whatever it may be. But how do we
Emma Bunting (31:19.373)
Mm.
Emma Bunting (31:23.628)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (31:42.924)
How does the next person relatively seamlessly come in and pick up? And that's for anyone thinking about growing their business in any way, whether it's bringing in an admin person or adding another trainer in or anything like that, people will leave. Even people that come in with the best intentions situation. It's just happened to me. She's still with me. She finishes up in a couple of weeks. When she first came on, I was like, I need someone or my vision is that someone's gonna be with me for...
Emma Bunting (31:47.502)
Hmm.
Jen Dugard (32:10.68)
the next couple of years and three months in because of personal circumstances, she's decided that it's not right for her. But we've had open conversation the whole way, everything that she's done and then prove, I'm like, cool, she's actually come in and done some really fucking cool work and she's process driven that. So the next person can come in and support and how ironic that the next person coming in is the person that is supporting both our businesses moving forward, one from a training perspective and another.
Emma Bunting (32:28.686)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (32:35.202)
Hahaha
We're all intertwined.
Jen Dugard (32:39.128)
announcements to come later, but she's a very wonderful human that is stepping into both of our businesses. I know it's like one little hopefully happy family, but even that though, it's like, and even more so when you know people, when you go into a relationship, what are the many ways that this can go wrong? Like, let's sit down, let's have a coffee together, let's figure out how we get out of this relationship.
Emma Bunting (32:48.174)
That's alright.
Emma Bunting (32:53.762)
I don't.
Emma Bunting (32:59.086)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (33:08.66)
when we like each other and then you can maintain that relationship.
Emma Bunting (33:13.952)
Yeah I think it's so important, especially if you're taking on someone you know or a friend or working alongside them you've got to have those you've got to those chats to understand each other and you have your personal life and your business and it's got to, ours intertwines a bit but at the same time you've got to have those boundaries which are super important and respect for each other.
Jen Dugard (33:38.284)
Yeah, absolutely. I remember when Rach, she's gone on to open her own studio now, but we did know each other or we do know each other well and we'd have friendship conversations and we actually had conversations on different platforms. So it was WhatsApp for work and it was Messenger for just chats. And that was just a good way to differentiate what was going on. Yeah, yeah. And you've got some big financial goals. Tell us.
Emma Bunting (33:59.01)
Yeah, yeah, it's a good idea.
Jen Dugard (34:07.094)
as much as you want to tell us about those goals and how you've been tracking towards them over the last couple of years.
Emma Bunting (34:14.7)
Yeah, so my goal was to earn $10,000 a month and that's what it's been for quite some time. Like I want to up that, but I'm not, I'm not there consistently yet, but every year I'm earning more and more, which is super cool. At least I'm tracking in the right direction. So, I reckon this year I'll be a lot more.
Jen Dugard (34:30.541)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (34:39.874)
than I was last year. I think it was 70,000 at the end of the last financial year. So hopefully this will be, hopefully 19th, that would be nice. I keep, last year I added a few things and the year before into the business that would add extra income, like the family fund day, extra little get togethers, know, breath work and ice baths and those little things that would add an extra bit of income. And I've not done this.
This year, my sole focus has been on launching the locations and bringing on trainers.
Jen Dugard (35:13.624)
you
Jen Dugard (35:18.978)
Yeah, and when you think forward to when you're ready to, you when the locations are tracking a little bit more, then you're now, you've now got more people to put into those one-off events, which technically should bring in more additional income, which is pretty exciting.
Emma Bunting (35:31.607)
Mm.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd love to run them but I think this year I focus on the growth of the classes and then see what else next year.
Jen Dugard (35:41.312)
Yeah, yeah. And with more financial, with more income comes more responsibility to make sure you're putting away GST, tax, super ideally, even profit. What is your system? Because I know that this is a spot that people, trainers specifically, get into trouble with. They don't have financial systems, they don't have...
different bank accounts, like what is your system and how often do you do it to make sure that you don't get caught with any random tax or GST bills and things like that.
Emma Bunting (36:15.68)
Hmm So I use zero now which I have done for about over 12 months, which has been super helpful for me to see my financials And but I've always had the bank account So I've got my business bank account then the personal bank account and then I've got probably five others after that and each week I will go in and I will take out my GST super sorry GST wages
I scrape off some savings for my holidays and then I've also got a bookkeeper now which has been super helpful so she's really helped me especially with taking on Adam so I you know every week the I pay him through payroll and gotta make sure that I put money away for his super and pay AYG as well so trying to be organized every week and go in and do it on a Friday
and just kind of filter all the money out.
Jen Dugard (37:15.298)
Yeah, have you been caught out? At all? With your bells? Have you? Like...
Emma Bunting (37:18.188)
Nope. with the taxis, yes. No, well, you know the story. Not with GST though, I'm pretty on top of that. Yep.
Jen Dugard (37:26.24)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, good, good. I had a conversation with another trainer the other day and she'd been, she's been doing a great job and she's been guesstimating her GST based on what she thought she'd earned from the previous years and turns out she's earned more. So then obviously GST and she's like, fuck, I've got this extra bill. So on one hand, it's really good because she's got the extra bill, but it just highlighted the need to make sure that it's.
Emma Bunting (37:40.174)
Hmm.
Jen Dugard (37:55.732)
specific not ballpark and doing it weekly like for anyone listening that doesn't have at least you know five I'd say five bank accounts associated with their business that might might include the account your personal account that you pay yourself into. Let's have a look at that let's figure it out because I couldn't make my life work without those accounts.
Emma Bunting (37:57.687)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (38:21.014)
and really making sure that you're putting away tax and super and GST and all of that stuff.
Emma Bunting (38:26.102)
Yeah, because even the accountant sent over the GST bill that's due next week, I think next week, 26th of May. And I'm like, okay, the money's there, because I've been putting it away, so can just pay that. Yeah, it does.
Jen Dugard (38:31.608)
Yeah. Yeah. How good does it feel like to just pay your... I mean it's shit that it's going to taxes and GST but it's like I'm all organized I've got that money there.
Emma Bunting (38:42.582)
yeah yeah and it feels good to just be able to go okay that isn't my money i've paid it
Jen Dugard (38:49.046)
Yeah. And you've done some price rises to account for GST and things like trainers are always scared of price rises. Tell us about your experience and why you did it, how you did it, and then how it was received.
Emma Bunting (38:55.735)
Yep.
Emma Bunting (39:03.692)
Yeah, so when I was in Sydney, my classes were $20 a session and it stayed like that for two years and I was going to increase them in Sydney, but then we decided to move. So when I launched on the Sunshine Coast, I kept it at that lower rate to try and get known in the area, the clients. then was it two years ago? I did the first increase.
which was from 20 to 25. That was a peak one. And that was going to include the JST. So I told everybody that was the reason, but then realized that year I was under the threshold. So then the next six months I upped it by one dollar. So to kind of help cover the JST, which has been...
Jen Dugard (39:34.04)
That's a big one. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (40:00.15)
receive well but in the second prize try I actually bought everybody a branded t-shirt out of that prize prize as well yeah which worked out really well
Jen Dugard (40:01.687)
Yep.
Jen Dugard (40:07.32)
that's cool. Well, you know, you're just paying them to advertise for you.
Emma Bunting (40:14.03)
Yeah, but that's it. Yeah. And everybody was well, that was well received by everyone and, and no one, no one said anything. now I'm not clear. No, no. Yeah. Hmm.
Jen Dugard (40:22.786)
Did you lose anyone based on your price rise? No. That's very rare. I think trainers sit for so long worried about price rises, but it's very, very rare. And you know what? I think then if you do have the odd person that truly can't absorb a price rise, you then have the capacity to be a human and look after that person if you choose to, because you've made sure that your business is looked after and your family's looked after as well.
Emma Bunting (40:51.734)
Yeah, which I've done in the past before, the old person, yeah.
Jen Dugard (40:53.536)
Yeah, yeah, awesome.
Jen Dugard (41:02.402)
had another question for you.
Jen Dugard (41:08.086)
And it's totally gone.
Jen Dugard (41:14.08)
I need a pause.
Emma Bunting (41:15.918)
Was it the last question or was it the...
Jen Dugard (41:19.166)
No, it wasn't!
Jen Dugard (41:27.768)
I don't know what it was.
Jen Dugard (41:32.044)
That's really weird. My brain just went completely blank. All right, is there any?
Emma Bunting (41:36.718)
we're talking about price rises and
Jen Dugard (41:40.664)
Priceraises, financials, we've gone through the bucket, like where you put your money, we've gone through raising your prices. Oh, that was it. That was it. All right, so we'll come back in. So that cut at 41.18 and we're going back in now at 42. Let's say 42.10 once that clicks over.
Emma Bunting (41:48.982)
or you mentioned the holidays thing. Is that it? There we go.
Jen Dugard (42:09.942)
So, and what has building your own income or, I mean, increasing your income and building your business meant for you on a personal level?
Emma Bunting (42:22.732)
Yeah, so I have definitely been transferring money more regularly and more of it weekly into my personal bank account, but also been contributing to the savings account as well. So I've got my own savings account and that's been paying for, it's in the school holidays when I take time off, I will do something with the kids for a week or we'll go on holidays. And I've been paying for either the holiday or the spending money for the holiday, on how much the holiday is.
but it feels good to contribute and actually go okay I've got the spending money I'll do that or I'll buy the flights or you know having the money there ready to do it feels really good
Jen Dugard (43:05.976)
It means you've got more choices, right, as a family. Yep.
Emma Bunting (43:08.514)
Yeah, yeah, definitely. The more I can see that it makes such a difference, just me earning more in terms of, yeah, having more choices, doing things with the family, having more disposable income. So it's a good driver. It's a good, yeah, yeah.
Jen Dugard (43:18.189)
Mm-hmm.
Jen Dugard (43:28.492)
Yep, absolutely. Yeah, and do you pay yourself the same amount each week? How do you do that?
Emma Bunting (43:34.06)
Yes, I try and pay myself the same amount each week. It went up to a thousand dollars a week, which when I first started it was virtually nothing because I wasn't earning enough. But over the years it's got more and more, which is good.
Jen Dugard (43:36.705)
Yep.
Jen Dugard (43:50.24)
Yeah. And then do you, so you talked about like savings into like a holiday fund. Do you do that on top of that weekly pay? So that comes out of that's profit that you're pulling out of there as well. Yeah. Awesome. And are you putting away super? Yes. Good. Right answer. Well done. Good job. Good job.
Emma Bunting (44:00.982)
Yep. Yep. I am. Super. Yep. Yes. Yeah. I've actually got some in the cart that I need to send over today.
Jen Dugard (44:12.298)
Yeah, nice. I love it. And if I asked you what you stand for, what would you say?
Emma Bunting (44:21.73)
What do I stand for within Motivate Mums? Helping new mums return to exercise. Like that is my main mission and my main purpose within the business. And it's been the same from the start and it still is the same. Helping new mums return to exercise after having a baby.
Jen Dugard (44:24.279)
Yeah.
Jen Dugard (44:42.53)
How do you, like what I love about that statement is it's helping new moms return to exercise. It's so specific. A lot of trainers then struggle with, well, not all my moms are new moms. Like, does that matter? But you stick with that phrase and that demographic. And I know not all your moms are new moms. So how do you, number one, reason or not get worried that that doesn't speak to all moms?
Emma Bunting (45:00.654)
Mm.
Emma Bunting (45:09.858)
I think people are wanting the community, that's what, so yeah, it speaks to new mums and I've got so many mums who are not new mums, who've got kids of all ages, but it's the community that drives them towards, I think, Motivate Mums. It's the, the ethic, the mission that I've got and it attracts like-minded mums, so.
They are quite often I will get the question, I'm not immune, can I still come to class? And I'm like, absolutely, because it's so good to have a range of women at different ages and stages. So I will always market, I say that right now, but my mission is to always market to new moms. But as my business evolves, we've now got the early morning classes. So there is options for moms of different stages.
Jen Dugard (45:44.514)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (46:01.09)
to go into a different class and train for an event or train with the partner on the weekend or whatever it may be, but I'm still gonna market to new mums. But I can see why people get scared of that. Because I have been in the past when I was just starting the business for that reason, what if I scare away mums who could potentially train with me? But I know that really focusing on your niche does make you stand out as a point of difference.
Jen Dugard (46:30.264)
Absolutely, and it's always that that's your target and then you've got this circle that comes around it So there's you've got your mum's and then you'll have another circle around that which you've got your dad's and your friends of and you you know all those people But you still aim at that one person every single time Yeah, nice With their motivate mums t-shirts
Emma Bunting (46:48.3)
Yep. Yep. Which, you know, it still attracts the dads that come in and train on Saturday mornings and... Exactly! Yes! Yeah.
Jen Dugard (46:59.2)
I wonder if you got like a cool catchphrase for the...
Emma Bunting (47:03.18)
I just got my first Motovet Dads t-shirt printed. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (47:05.93)
Okay, I was just wondering whether it's like I'm part of the Motivate Mums fan club or do know what I mean? So was like a different dads motivating mums like that that would be kind of cool or something that spins it the other way because we really know all the mums are actually fitter than the dads. Like what could you say?
Emma Bunting (47:12.439)
Yeah.
Emma Bunting (47:16.206)
Yeah, that's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (47:23.948)
Yep.
Jen Dugard (47:29.048)
See what I mean? Like dad's chasing motivate. Like that's maybe a bit weird, but like that kind of something funny. Yeah.
Emma Bunting (47:33.27)
yeah I should think of something because it's yeah and I think it would attract more dads as well
Jen Dugard (47:42.048)
Yeah, and it's that real and you're good at that community piece, like having the social things and bringing people together. you know, it's one of your like superpowers is being that like the gatherer of the people and the parties and all the rest of it. I love it. I love it. And if there's trainers listening and they, you know, they're either on a journey or they want to start a journey that aligns with, you know, the working with mums.
Emma Bunting (47:44.814)
Hmm.
Emma Bunting (47:51.854)
Hmm.
Jen Dugard (48:11.544)
working with women's space. What piece of advice could you give them from your experience?
Emma Bunting (48:18.754)
The biggest thing I think when you say that would be to lean into the things. And I know that's very broad, but it's from the start of my journey, I've said yes to a lot of things because, and yeah, some stuff has made me scared or feel scary or I don't know the people or it makes me feel anxious, but leaning into learning and networking and communicate with other people within the business.
and learning things, you know, like being part of the Mumsafe team. It's that connection and networking and collaboration with other trainers and be willing to spend the money, be willing to spend the money on your business and your business development because you also never know where it's going to lead you. It's like you go to these events, just never know who you're going to meet or talk to, what you're going to experience. Something just might click that particular day that might spark an idea.
Because when you work for yourself and by yourself, you can get lonely. So the more you can get out there, the better.
Jen Dugard (49:22.7)
I love it. Lean in. Get out there. Go be part of the community. It makes so much sense. Yeah. I don't think it could be any clearer. Absolutely.
Emma Bunting (49:24.078)
leaning yeah does that make sense
Emma Bunting (49:32.386)
Good. I'm a big believer of saying yes, say yes if it scares you.
Jen Dugard (49:38.264)
And that's one of the things that you've consistently done, right? Like every single time you've had an idea or I've suggested something, I mean, obviously it's got to align with what you're doing and all the rest of it, but there's never a moment. It's either a no, that's not what I want to do. Sweet, cool, let's move on. But there's never a moment where you back away from a challenge, even when it's uncomfortable. Yeah. Thank you, for.
Emma Bunting (50:00.46)
No. Yeah.
Jen Dugard (50:05.624)
joining us today. Thank you for joining us back in 2023 and for all of the cheerleading that you do inside MumSafe. I know that you're an inspiration to many, many of the trainers in there and you're always willing to, you know, someone's got a problem. It's like, I'll help, I'll jump on a call, I'll do all the things. So, you you're not only leaning within your own business for your own development, but you do the same for other people and you're consistently bringing that along for the ride. So thank you and thank you for.
but it may be part of the journey.
Emma Bunting (50:35.918)
Thanks Jen. Thanks for creating the space where I can be.
Jen Dugard (50:38.424)
Have a beautiful afternoon, I'm Oto Otoyusen. Bye.
Emma Bunting (50:42.414)
Talk to you soon. Thank you.
