How Cayde Built a Fitness Career on Her Own Terms
Growing up in country NSW, Cayde played everything—netball, cross-country, athletics, swimming. An ACL injury and a move to Melbourne nudged her into the gym for the first time. A hard-pushing semi-private PT (shout-out to James at Fitcentre) set the standard for what great coaching feels like, and with a PT/osteopath husband in her corner, she soaked up everything she could—eventually stepping on stage for two bikini comps and discovering how much she loved the process of learning.
When COVID hit, the online Cert III & IV became both a focus and a lifeline. She blitzed it in about 10 months, starting with her husband as a “dummy client,” then coaching family and friends interstate via Zoom. What began with training her mum expanded to sisters, cousins, and friends-of-friends until she was supporting ~20 clients around Australia, three to four sessions a week. The wins were physical and personal—one sister lost 20 kg and gained a new level of confidence, and Cayde saw firsthand how coaching can deepen relationships. For her, connection is the point: know the person, then build the plan.
Post-lockdowns, she explored gym options and even considered yoga training, but life—and later motherhood—made the path clear: online coaching fits best. It’s flexible, creative, and accessible for women with limited time, space, or equipment. She’s proof that you can train anywhere with a smart program—one client even did PT on a fishing boat. Today, she offers two streams: Be Bold (online programming + coaching) and Balanced (programming, check-ins, one-on-one sessions, and nutrition advice. She also does 1:1 PT around Melbourne’s Bayside—dog-friendly, kid-friendly, life-friendly.
The most rewarding part? Watching mindset shift alongside strength. She loves helping women give themselves grace, stay consistent, and stop mistaking “slow” for “failing.” Motherhood pressed pause on both of her careers, which was hard—but it sharpened the qualities her clients need most: patience, empathy, perspective. That lived experience now anchors her niche with mums, prenatal and postpartum women.
Cayde’s philosophy is simple: be the kind of coach you actually are. You don’t need to be a 6am hype machine; if you’re quieter, honest, and steady, own it—your people will find you. Clear boundaries and expectations keep relationships healthy, and authenticity keeps clients long term. If you’re thinking about studying or switching careers, start because it brings you joy. Build on the side while you work, tell people you’re studying (your first clients often know you already), and block out the noise of comparison—someone else’s Year 10 isn’t your Day 1.
If she could give her past self one piece of advice, it’s this: don’t get caught up in what everyone else thinks. Stay in your lane, keep learning, and back your choices—even if progress feels slow. Consistency compounds.
Five quick takeaways
Connection beats perfection.
Consistency > intensity.
Authenticity attracts aligned clients.
Boundaries are caring.
Your path is valid—full-time, part-time, or passion project.
Inspired by Cayde’s path? At Women’s Fitness Education, our Certificate III & IV in Fitness includes four women’s-health courses (pregnancy & postnatal, menopause & perimenopause, pelvic floor & prolapse essentials, menstrual-cycle essentials) so you graduate job-ready and confident. Prefer the full conversation? Find this episode of the Women’s Fitness Education Podcast to hear Cayde’s story in her own words—real, honest, and refreshingly down-to-earth.
