WORDS BY ERICA NEWTON, MYFIRSTGYM CO-FOUNDER
As we put away the Christmas tree and got out the party poppers, Dan and I had a rather serious conversation about 2024. We talked about things that had happened around the house, our kids’ milestones and of course, MyFirstGym. We’ve hit a few goals this year, but there was one thing we didn’t see coming.
Tangible high-five moments in 2024 included:
· Total Classes Ran = 49,927 classes ran in 2024
· Total Member Visits = up 8.2% on 2023
· First ACT Club Opens in Mitchell
· First International Club Opens in Cayman Islands
From its conception, MyFirstGym was always about inspiring movement in children. We wanted it to ease the pain points other parents like us felt. So, we created a one-stop shop for our kids’ physical health that was affordable, simple to use and convenient. What we didn’t bank on was the incredible community that would come with it.
Everyone craves community. We choose schools, places to live and even which AFL team to support based on whether we think the community will be good or not. Hanging out with likeminded people working toward a common goal is ingrained within us.
At MyFirstGym, each club is a community itself: at the head is a team of coaches and staff who are experts in their fields. They are passionate about kids’ physical fitness and most of all, are just great people. Our families are similarly awesome. They love their children and want the best for them. They support other families and join in on MyFirstGym events with some pretty serious gusto (the MyMovementBuddy doesn’t lie!) And then you have the children in each class doing their best, encouraging each other and moving more and more and more.
Interestingly, the clubs aren’t just individual communities either. Each one, whether it’s Victoria’s Thomastown or Queensland’s North Lakes, is a juncture point making the whole stronger, tighter and more supportive.
We see this community in the growing number of clubs, in the children re-enrolling year after year. We see it in the smiles of parents and the care and passion of our coaches. We see it with our franchisees at our annual conference, zoom calls and the way everyone pitches in to solve a problem. Sure, inspiring movement is at the forefront of everything we do, but the MyFirstGym community on both the individual club and global level, has become an inherent part of why this gym for kids works so well.
Covered in broken tinsel, surrounded by packets of yet to be exploded streamers, Dan and I were overwhelmed with gratitude. We’ve worked hard to get MyFirstGym off and running, but we now know that this is just the start. We would like to thank everyone who has come on the MyFirstGym journey with us. Your support of our family business has created something truly amazing! And stay tuned: the best is yet to come.
Wishing you all a fantastic 2025 filled with love, family and a high score on the MyMovementBuddy app!
Cheers,
Dan and Erica Newton