WA Gym Owner of The Year Nominee
Meet Amanda:
Nominee Name: Amanda Munrowd
Business/Organisation (if applicable): Roar Active
Contact Email: amanda@roar.com.au
Q&A – part 1
My leadership approach as Co-Founder and CEO of Roar Active has evolved a lot over the past 12 years. In the earlier days, I thought leadership was mostly about driving outcomes and building the business, but that view has been re-shaped, and now I see it as creating the environment where great people can do their best work.
I often describe my role as being the thermostat for the business. My job is to help set the culture’s temperature. The energy, the standards and the sense of purpose start with leadership, so I try to show up in a way that brings positivity, clarity and momentum to the team.
I am very people-focused in my role and spend 50% of my time in meetings, collaborating and supporting projects and decisions, and the other 50% of my time in clubs, training, in our shared offices, or at team workouts and events. A big focus of mine is making sure our team members are in roles that not only align with their skills but also that they enjoy, where they can grow, have fun, and look forward to work each day. I have learnt that when the team feels fulfilled and supported, they naturally create better experiences for our members.
I make a conscious effort to stay connected to the team and the community. I am not an ‘off-site’ CEO or a ‘just show me the profit line’ gym owner. Coming from Texas and the hospitality industry, I know the names of our 300-plus team members matter to me. I spend a lot of time walking the clubs and talking with staff and members to be present on the floor.
The philosophy I live by and breathe into our culture is 1% better. I am always looking for ways to improve, both personally and as a leader. That mindset flows into how we build the business. Over the last couple of years, I have spent a lot of time strengthening our leadership foundations and business practices so that when great people join Roar, they have a fantastic experience from day one and continue to grow while they are with us. Ideally, when someone leaves Roar, they walk away with more skills, confidence and experience than when they started.
At the same time, I feel a great responsibility in keeping a strong focus on the future. Part of my role is constantly thinking about what is next for our industry and how we can continue to innovate. Whether that is new training concepts, recovery spaces or community experiences, I want Roar to keep raising the bar and bringing new ideas to the fitness landscape in Western Australia.
If you asked our team how they would describe my leadership, I hope they would say that I genuinely care about them as individuals, that I support them while still encouraging them to take ownership of their roles and that I bring energy, humour and a bit of fun into the week.
As a gym owner, there are so many metrics we track to understand whether the business is performing well (currently tracking over 130 in our recently built custom platform for metrics) With what we do being a heavily geared service business, success is not just revenue growth, it is ‘are our members staying?’, ‘are people joining us through word of mouth?’ and ‘how do our members describe us to their friends?’
If I had to narrow it down to the most meaningful indicators, I would focus on member retention, team retention, Net Promoter Score and facility usage and capacity.
Member retention is one of the best indicators of whether we are delivering real value, as the real test is whether people stay with us at Roar. If retention is strong, it means our members feel supported, enjoy the environment with us, and believe their membership is worth continuing. It also reflects consistency in our service, programming and overall experience inside.
Team retention is equally important and one that I am directly responsible for. I am proud to say we reached 1.8% attrition in Q2. The people are the ones delivering the member experience every day, so a stable, engaged team is a major indicator of a healthy gym. When staff stay and grow with the company, it usually means they feel valued, supported, and able to develop their careers, and, in turn, this creates stronger relationships with members and a more consistent culture across the clubs.
We also track Net Promoter Score as a simple but powerful measure of how members feel about the brand. NPS gives us a regular pulse check on the basics that matter to members, such as club cleanliness, equipment upkeep, the friendliness of our team, and the overall experience when they visit. A strong NPS tells us people are not only satisfied but willing to recommend Roar, which is one of the strongest indicators of brand strength.
Another important metric is usage and capacity across the clubs, mainly looking at how often members visit each week, the occupancy levels of our classes, and how different spaces within the facility are being used. High usage shows that members are engaged and building habits around their training, and high capacity indicates where demand is or where adjustments are needed.
When these indicators are trending in the right direction, it usually translates into strong overall business performance. High retention, positive feedback, and active member usage create a stable and growing community that supports revenue growth and allows us to continue investing in our clubs, experiences, and opportunities for both our members and our team.
Over the past 12 to 18 months since stepping into the CEO role, I have spent a lot of time shaping the employee experience at Roar. We have used insights from our eNPS surveys and direct feedback from the team to identify where we can better support people and help them grow at Roar.
One of the biggest areas we invested in was building a structured onboarding experience. New team members at Roar now move through a clear journey that includes pre-start, day one and their first 90 days with the company. Our goal is to ensure they feel confident, supported, and connected from the beginning. As part of this, we built a learning platform with onboarding modules as well as an internal AI knowledge base with hundreds of articles that staff can access whenever they need guidance or support.
We also place a strong emphasis on connection and communication early in someone’s time with us. During their first week, new employees spend significant time with their manager and team to help them settle in and understand how the business operates. They are assigned a new starter buddy and visit all the clubs, meeting the various teams and attending the classes we offer across the clubs.
We launched a new initiative 12 months ago called ‘Discovery Day’, which is a new starter orientation day that I personally host, where I share the story of how Roar began, where the business is today and what we are focused on for the future. We also talk through our values, how people can access support and the behaviours that shape our culture. The goal is to set a good tone for these new team members and also get them acquainted with some familiar faces early on.
Beyond our onboarding, I am proud to say we maintain a consistent meeting rhythm across the company to support development and communication. Managers run regular one-on-one meetings with their team members, we host monthly team training sessions, and we run annual Performance and Development Reviews. We intentionally changed the name from Performance Reviews to emphasise that these conversations are not just about evaluating performance but about supporting personal growth and career progression.
Within each club and department, the Manager runs weekly team huddles to keep everyone aligned and at a leadership level, we host monthly leadership meetings.
Companywide, we run a quarterly ‘Common Ground’ where we share updates on the business and our future plans, as well as food, physical activity, laughs, and celebration of our employee of the month winners.
Our team enjoy regular learning opportunities both internally and externally. We recently brought in a Perth-based training provider to run a workshop on AI and ChatGPT to help our team improve their knowledge. Each department runs specialised training relevant to their area, and our Head of Performance runs monthly leadership training days, inviting anyone interested in leadership.
Alongside all of this, we have internal support ticket systems for marketing requests, operational ideas, and technical help, and we send staff on external training courses and workshops to ensure our thinking and training stay relevant.
With so many knowledgeable people in the Roar brand, we are focused on ensuring knowledge is shared, people can grow, and everyone has someone in their corner for support every day.
Roar has grown to include many services and subbrands, but what I love most is that there are clear cultural traits that run through every part of the business, from the gym floor to the kids’ classes to RFX, and across all our teams.
The culture at Roar is often described as feeling like a family. I use that word intentionally. Many of our team members have moved to Perth from other parts of the world, and Roar has become more than just a workplace for them. It becomes a place where they feel connected, supported and part of something. We care about each other in a very genuine way, and we show up for one another both professionally and personally.
At the same time, while culture is often described in buzzwords and feel-good terms, Roar also has a culture of growth and accountability. We do not compete against each other, but we do challenge ourselves to improve and raise the bar together. We’ve made feedback intentionally a normal part of our environment, even when the conversations are difficult, because everyone understands that the goal is to help each other grow.
Belonging is a big part of the Roar culture. We celebrate wins together, and we support each other through the tougher moments. We want people to feel that they are part of something meaningful and that their contribution matters.
Our culture is about high standards, it’s about caring about each other, it’s about ownership and continuous improvement. When someone is not showing up as their best self, we feel responsible for addressing it directly and helping them get back on track.
Energy is another defining part of our culture. We often say ROAR IS A FEELING. We want Roar to be the best hour of someone’s day, and that starts with the energy our team brings into the environment. Positive vibes, encouragement and genuine support are part of how we operate every day, both on and off the gym floor.
Ultimately, the culture at Roar is built around growth, pride and community. People who work here tend to be hardworking, passionate about what they do and committed to improving themselves and the experience we provide for members. It means something to be part of Roar. There is a shared sense of pride in what we are building together and in the impact we have on our community.
Roar is very actively involved in the broader fitness industry through education, events, partnerships and community initiatives. As an established brand for 12 years with large-scale sites, we have the privilege of partnering with many organisations and events supporting the WA fitness community.
One major way we contribute is by supporting the development of new professionals entering the industry. At our Bibra Lake location, we host Fit College, where new Personal Trainers complete their qualifications and gain practical experience inside a real gym environment. This helps bridge the gap between education and the realities of working in the industry, and it also helps Roar attract the best of the new wave of trainers coming into the industry.
We regularly open our facilities to other fitness brands, coaches and educators to run workshops, launches and development events. Over the years, this has grown to include Les Mills training launches, strength workshops with Sebastian Oreb, seminars hosted by well-known Perth coaches such as Dan from Team Ecto and Richard Collins from Physique Code, CrossFit certification workshops, group fitness development sessions and Pilates education events throughout the year.
Roar has become a venue for major fitness events within Western Australia. Each year, we host our own CrossFit competition and a range of community-driven fitness events, including charity initiatives such as Breast Cancer Awareness fundraisers and 24 Hours for Heroes workouts. These events bring together athletes, coaches, charities and community members through fitness.
Partnerships also play an important role in our industry engagement. We work with a wide range of brands in the health and fitness sector, including Fitness Passport, LSKD, Leelo Active, Elite Supps, Nutrition Warehouse, True Protein, FitAid, and several sportswear companies. Within our clubs we also partner with allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and chiropractors to support the broader health of our members.
One area of our partnerships we are most proud of is the grassroots stuff within the local community. We sponsor and collaborate with a number of local sporting clubs and organisations, including football, soccer, baseball and swimming groups. These partnerships allow us to support participation in sport and physical activity across different age groups and communities. Some of our current sponsorships this season include the Jandakot Jets, the Kardinya Suns, the Forest Lakes Magpie Teeball Club and the Perth Football Club.
From a personal leadership perspective, I stay actively engaged with the industry through ongoing learning and networking. I am currently a member of the Perth CEO Institute and regularly attend major fitness expos in Australia. I also make a point of visiting other gyms and studios, both locally and internationally, to learn from different operators and stay close to emerging industry trends. Over the past 2 years, I have visited clubs and fitness businesses in places such as Dubai, Singapore, Bali, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the United States.
Looking ahead, our new purpose-built event space at Bibra Lake will allow us to host even more industry events, competitions and education opportunities, further strengthening Roar’s role as a hub for the fitness community in Western Australia.
Q&A – part 2
Innovation is why Roar was born, to bring something different to the Perth market that felt aligned with the big Texas gyms I grew up going to.
In 2014, when Cam and I started building Roar, we did this with our hands and from our own vision. We wanted to stand out and offer things that traditional gyms didn’t. We pioneered the concept of infrared sauna spaces in gyms, a pole fitness studio combined with a gym and the much-loved duo of Reformer Pilates studios within a gym membership offering.
Innovation has been something we have actively pursued at Roar for 12 consecutive years. Rather than viewing it as a one-off project, we treat it as an ongoing process of improving the experience for members and staying ahead of where the fitness and wellness industry is heading.
One example is the development of our performance training concept at our Cockburn facility. We designed and launched our own Strength and Conditioning program within a purpose-built immersive training space. This allows members to access structured performance-based training that sits alongside traditional gym offerings.
Within our recovery spaces, we also introduced Perth’s first purpose-built snow room. While ice baths have become very popular through contrast therapy, we wanted to explore alternative approaches that still provide cold exposure but in a different environment. The snow room gives members a dry recovery option and has become a unique feature within our wellness offering.
We have also focused heavily on innovation through our membership model. Roar was one of the first gyms in Perth to introduce a Premium pathway style membership that brings multiple disciplines together within a single ecosystem. Members can access Reformer Pilates, Strength and Conditioning, HYROX-style training, CrossFit, Olympic lifting, sauna, and recovery facilities, all within one integrated membership structure.
Over the past year, we have continued to expand the wellness side of the business by introducing services such as red-light therapy, cosmetic injectables, IV treatments, and spray tanning. These additions support the broader lifestyle and wellbeing goals many members now associate with their fitness routines.
Technology and artificial intelligence are a major focus area for us. We started our AI strategy work early last year and have since developed many custom AI systems internally, including our lead management tool, retention-tracking software, and personalised member-journey automation pathways. These systems help us better understand member behaviour and improve how we support members throughout their time with Roar.
At our Bibra Lake location, we have recently completed a five-year development project – ‘The Roar Arena.’ This purpose-built event space will allow us to host large-scale fitness competitions, workshops and community events, strengthening Roar’s role as a hub for the fitness industry in Western Australia.
A recent innovation at our Bibra Lake club is The Oasis recovery space, which opened in October 2025. The facility offers both traditional and infrared saunas, ice baths, ice showers, a snow room and lounge areas. The most innovative feature is our custom-built magnesium- and vitamin C-infused ice baths, featuring an automated ice delivery system, designed to provide a more consistent, elevated contrast therapy experience.
Speaking broadly about innovation, I believe the Bibra Lake site itself represents one of our most innovative projects, often referred to as ‘The Disneyland of Gyms.’ The facility spans approximately 6.5 acres and offers such a wide range of health, fitness and lifestyle offerings within one single location, so much so that we find our members spending hours per visit with us. Roar Bibra Lake members have access to a large gym floor (soon to be 1500sqm+), a dedicated performance training space ‘RFX’, purpose-built and immersive group fitness and spin studios, a 16-bed reformer Pilates studio, an outdoor recovery area ‘The Oasis’, indoor and outdoor pools plus a kids slide and poolside dining, kids swimming and fitness programs, a full martial arts studio with 2 training floors, a restaurant, a playground, an onsite creche, allied health services and dedicated education spaces. The only thing missing at Bibra Lake is a bedroom suite for myself!
Our goal with innovation is to consistently create world-class environments, dynamic and premium spaces, and an empowering and fun atmosphere to help people train more and train better.
Without our members, we do not have a brand, so their experience is at the forefront of everything we do at Roar. We prioritise member experience by consistently listening, improving and ensuring that every touchpoint with the business reflects the standards we want to be known for.
We actively seek feedback from members through surveys such as Net Promoter Score and through everyday conversations in the clubs. This feedback helps us identify what is working well and where we can continue improving our service, facilities and programming.
The experience begins before someone even becomes a member. From the moment an enquiry comes through, we aim to respond within one hour. Prospective members can either join online immediately or book a time to visit the club and meet a team member for a tour so they can experience the environment and understand everything available to them.
Once someone joins Roar, we focus heavily on helping them get off to a strong start. Every new member receives a complimentary session with one of our Personal Trainers called a ‘Purpose Session.’ During this session, we discuss their goals, walk them through the gym floor so they know how to navigate the space and guide them through a first training session so they can experience what it is like to work with a coach.
During the first 30 days, we provide ongoing tips and guidance to help new members build momentum. Our team also keeps an eye on attendance, and if a new member is not visiting, we reach out to offer support and encouragement. The goal is to help people build early habits, so they feel confident and connected to the club.
A major part of the member experience is the quality of our team. We place a strong focus on hiring people who genuinely enjoy helping others and who align with our culture and values. By bringing the right people into the business and continuing to invest in their development, we ensure knowledgeable, passionate professionals across every area of the club support members.
Our Personal Trainers and coaches are a key part of this. We prioritise ongoing education and upskilling so that members have access to highly capable trainers who can meet them wherever they are in their fitness journey.
We also place a strong emphasis on group training. We actively encourage new members to try classes because we find it is one of the fastest ways for people to build consistency, meet other members and feel part of the community.
Lastly, we believe the environment plays a huge role in member experience. We are constantly reinvesting in our clubs to ensure they are spaces people genuinely enjoy spending time in. Cleanliness, equipment quality, layout, energy and atmosphere all contribute to whether someone looks forward to coming back. By continually improving our facilities and creating engaging training environments, we help ensure Roar remains a place members want to return to week after week.
I am proud to say we spend a lot of time on business practices and what that looks like in real life. We build our spaces to be safe and inclusive, and we also empower our team to make decisions in the moment, backed by support, so they can do the right thing by the member in any given scenario.
We focus on ethical business practices by ensuring transparency and fairness in everything we do. We have clear policies we’ve developed around safety and member experience, and we train the team to ensure everyone is confident and across those policies.
When mistakes are made, we focus on solutions or how to improve moving forward, and we constantly question and challenge our own way of doing things to ensure we are being fair and staying relevant.
We regularly encourage feedback from both members and staff, and we create quarterly initiatives based on that feedback to ensure it gets actioned and not lost.
As much as ethical behaviour is about policies, we focus on hiring the right people, giving them the support and empowerment they need and then trusting them to do what matters most.
During periods of challenge, leadership requires transparency, openness and presence. When things are not going to plan, the last thing I want to do is disappear into a boardroom and avoid the conversation. Our approach is to acknowledge the situation clearly, communicate often and focus on supporting both our members and our team through the process.
A recent example was migrating our member CRM software to a new platform. As with many large technology changes, there were unexpected challenges during the transition. During that period, we significantly increased our communication with members, so they understood what was happening and what to expect. We placed notices throughout the clubs, sent direct communications and ensured updates were shared regularly.
At the same time, we increased floor staffing so members could easily find someone to speak with if they had questions. Having visible, accessible staff during that period was critical to helping members feel supported.
Equally important was supporting our frontline team. They were the ones dealing with most members’ questions and frustrations each day, so we made sure they were well-prepared. We provided clear internal communications, scripts, and in-person training sessions so that staff felt confident in explaining the changes and helping members navigate the transition. The team handled the situation extremely well, reinforcing the importance of communication and preparation during times of change.
Another challenge we regularly navigate involves large construction and renovation projects across our clubs. Because these projects involve local councils, regulatory approvals and multiple external contractors, timelines often shift despite careful planning. When delays occur, we address them openly. We provide regular updates to the team and discuss progress during our quarterly company meetings so everyone understands where projects stand and why changes may be happening.
I believe resilience in business comes from staying calm, communicating honestly and continuing to move forward even when things become complicated. By keeping our team informed and involved during challenging periods, we maintain trust within the organisation and ensure everyone stays focused on delivering a great experience for our members.
I am incredibly proud and honoured to be considered in this category, and I would like to thank Mayank, the sponsors and the HFAA awards team for creating this initiative last year. Recognition like this highlights the impact the fitness industry has on people’s lives and communities.
Over the past 12 years, Roar has grown into a strong, bold and passionate brand, but that journey has not been without its challenges. There have been sleepless nights, setbacks and moments of questioning whether we were on the right path. What has carried me through those times has been resilience, perseverance and a belief that what we were building could positively impact the lives of others.
Through that journey, I have grown significantly as a leader. My confidence has been built by consistently showing up, facing difficult decisions and proving to myself that I can handle the hard moments that come with building a business. While I have played an important role in that journey, Roar has always been built alongside an incredible team. Today, the brand supports more than 15,000 members and over 300 team members, and I am incredibly proud of the community we have built together.
One of the things that matters most to me as an owner is being present in the business. I am not someone who sits behind a desk watching numbers on a report. I spend a lot of time in the clubs, training, talking with members and supporting the team on the floor. Staying connected to the daily energy of the business helps ensure we never lose sight of the people at the centre of what we do.
For me, this award represents more than business growth or the number of locations a gym has. It represents the impact a gym can have on its members, staff, and community. Seeing people gain confidence, improve their health and build friendships through the environment we have created is what makes it all worthwhile.
Being recognised as Gym Owner of the Year would be a very meaningful acknowledgement of the journey we have had and the impact Roar has on the people.
As a mother of three, I am also deeply proud to raise my children within this environment and within the fitness industry. I care deeply about the future of the industry and remain committed to continuing to contribute to it in ways that support people, strengthen communities, and help others live healthier lives.