Built with Heart: How Aida Created a Safe Space for Women to Thrive
When you walk into Boss Fitness today, it’s hard to imagine it all started in a garage—with a few Kmart dumbbells, a borrowed heater, and a big vision.
In this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast, I sat down with Aida, the founder and head coach of Boss Fitness—two thriving women’s-only gyms in Melbourne. She’s been in the industry for 15 years, and her story is packed with lessons in resilience, risk, and what it really takes to grow something from the ground up.
It Started in Her Sister’s Garage
Aida didn’t begin with a business plan or a team. Just passion—and a casual set-up in her sister’s garage. She ran boxing and bootcamp sessions for friends and family, squeezing in classes after her full-time job in sales.
With just enough space for about 12 people, it wasn’t glamorous. But it worked. People kept coming. They brought their friends. The sessions grew—and so did Aida’s sense that this could be something more.
From Corporate Life to Community Leader
As the classes became more popular, Aida realised she couldn’t keep doing both. So she left her job and took the leap: opening her first studio in Kularoo.
The setup? Bare bones. Minimal equipment. A blue couch she saved up for. No signage, no ad budget—just word of mouth and a commitment to showing up. She even slept on that couch some nights in the early days, using that time to figure out what sessions would work and when.
Today, that same couch is still in the studio. It’s a reminder of how far she’s come—and of the personal sacrifices that built the foundation of her business.
A One-Stop Space for Women
Boss Fitness has come a long way from garage sessions. Now, it offers:
Functional training (bootcamp, strength, upper/lower, full-body)
Hot room classes (hot strength, hot cardio, hot yoga, hot Pilates)
Reformer Pilates
Personal training (1:1 and 2:1)
Fully qualified childminding services
Sun & Moon Café—serving smoothies, coffee, and healthy food
Aida has created a truly inclusive, women-only space. Many of her members—particularly women from Muslim backgrounds—feel comfortable training at Boss Fitness knowing they can remove their headscarves safely in a private space. That’s the kind of intentional, thoughtful leadership that runs through everything she does.
Building a Team (and Future Coaches)
Across the two studios, Boss Fitness now has over 50 staff. But Aida doesn’t just hire coaches—she trains them. Every new team member goes through a three-week onboarding process that includes shadowing classes, practical mentoring, and hands-on support.
She often hires newly qualified trainers and supports them to build their skills from day one. In fact, she’s developing a structured mentorship program to help new graduates bridge the gap between certification and coaching with confidence—covering everything from cueing and programming to setting up an ABN and using a microphone effectively.
Real Advice for Real Trainers
Aida didn’t always know this was the path she’d take. She thought she’d be married with kids at 22, studied accounting (even though she hated maths), tried criminal justice, and worked in sales. She didn’t imagine owning two gyms—or running interviews while breastfeeding her newborn.
But what’s clear is that she made it work. Not because it was easy, but because she cared deeply.
Her advice to future trainers? You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be passionate, committed, and willing to grow. And don’t take it personally when clients come and go—because they will.
What matters most is that you keep showing up, listening, and learning.
The Moment It Sank In
One of the moments Aida shared in our chat really stayed with me. She described sitting on the curb outside her Kularoo studio, looking up at the new signage after expanding into a second warehouse. The sign was bigger, bolder—a symbol of everything she had built.
She just sat there and took it in.
It was a quiet, powerful reminder that even the biggest businesses often start with the simplest things: a couch, a community, and someone who believed it could work.
Inspired by Aida’s journey?
At Women’s Fitness Education, we’re here to support you as you take your first steps into the industry. Whether you're studying your Cert III & IV or looking for mentorship once you're qualified, there are pathways and people ready to support you.
