Parents – would you get more active if it was fun and you could bring your baby along? And not just leave them in a creche – but actually where they are most happiest – close to you? Kangatraining offers the best workouts during pregnancy, with your baby and later on, and are designed to include your baby too. We spoke to Kylie Conway from Kangatraining Australia to learn more.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
There were just no options in Australia for a workout you can do with your baby that is fun for both mum and baby and that is safe for postnatal mums. There were options that involved bubs being in a pram or on a mat on the ground or in a crèche but that doesn’t work for lots of mums and their koala babies! Kangatraining helps to eliminate the barriers often involved for mums looking a fun way to exercise.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Kangatraining started with just one instructor in Australia called Sarah Tarrant who trained in Germany to bring this amazing program here. Sarah started taking classes in Bendigo and with such an amazing program the word soon spread and there are now over 100 instructors across Australia.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Our biggest breakthroughs have been the impact on the lives of the mums who attend Kangatraining. We’ve had some great “business” wins: winning multiple awards and being on national TV several times. But by far our most exciting accomplishments are when we get a message from one of our mums saying that Kangatraining literally saved their life. Or that Kangatraining is what lead them to get help with their PND and was part of their recovery. This happens often and it means a lot to all of us.
By making sure babies and toddlers are correctly fitted in a suitable carrier means that mums can comfortably and safely wear their babies and children right up to preschool age and many do.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
This is an interesting one for Kangatraininers! We all chose a career that balances beautifully with family life! We can actually take our kids to work with us and choose hours that work for us. This doesn’t come without its challenges. As you can imagine, bringing your baby to work with you is unpredictable and tough at times. And we don’t have the security of a regular salary like a normal part time job. But on the whole our work and family life is well balanced.
