Heidi

 

Heidi Dening was born in Sydney, NSW, and together with sister Katryna, she grew up happily under the guidance of her loving parents, Barry and Helen, who always supported and encouraged Heidi’s love for sport, community spirit, and the great outdoors.

 

She completed a Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) and a Graduate Diploma of Education (Physical Education) before enjoying nine years as a secondary P.E. and Health teacher educating students in Sydney, London and Vanuatu. She successfully taught them how to move more, eat better, enjoy life and improve their self-confidence. Heidi then took a leap of faith hoping that her skill, experience and passion for changing people’s lives could be turned into a prosperous business venture.

 

Starting as a one-woman-band in 1997, working from her garage with $200 worth of dodgy second hand equipment, Heidi went on to develop a highly successful fitness company in one of Sydney’s best suburbs with a large and impressive team of trainers and support staff.

 

Her exceptional leadership skills, her genuine ability to inspire others to improve themselves, and her dedication to her community has built Jump Start into a booming enterprise that continues to set the highest of benchmarks that other PT companies in this country rarely match.

 

Heidi is the recipient of a 2011 Australia Day Merit Award for her service to the Personal Training industry and for her support of disadvantaged schools in Vanuatu; she is also a widely-read author; sought-after public speaker; and renowned success coach.

 

All this has earned Heidi the acknowledgement of being Australia’s most successful businesswomen in the Personal Training industry!

 

She is also a true philanthropist, dedicating her time, energy and resources to disadvantaged children in Vanuatu. Her focus is on raising the literacy levels of communities in remote areas, as well as ensuring that girls get fair and equal opportunities in education, sport and life. To date, she has supplied over 1300kgs of reading books, plus literacy & numeracy resources to 2 remote schools, and given dozens of children and teachers travel, education and sport sponsorships.

 

Heidi lives life to the fullest in the northern suburbs of Sydney with her adored Irish husband Ken and their dog and 2 cats. In her spare time she runs along the beach or through the bush, wines and dines with friends and family, and plans her next off-the-beaten track travel experience. With a personal mantra of, “Having no fear, I go forward with joy!, Heidi wakes up every morning excited about what challenges & successes the day will bring!

 

Professional Associations and Committees

• Founder and Director of the Jump Start Foundation - providing life-changing opportunities through education. 2010 - present.
• Personal Trainer Round Table for Executives 2005-present: Member
• Mal Emery's Platinum Plus and Think Tank Marketing Coaching program
• Australian Bankers Association 2006-2009: Small Business member
• Toastmasters International - Chatswood Communicators Club- 2008-2009
• Australian Businesswomen’s Network - Member 2007-2008, and Mentor in the ABN Mentornet National Program
• Business Chicks - 2008: Member
• North Sydney Streetscape Committee 2004-present: Member
• Neutral Bay Chamber of Commerce 2006-present: Member
• Personal Trainers Council of NSW 2003-2006: President; 2001-2003: Acting President
• FitnessNSW 2001-2006: Board Representative; 2002-2004: Marketing Committee
• Vanuatu Round Island Relay Australian Coordinator 2001 - Present
• Health and Fitness Retreat - Lord Howe Island - Coordinator and Retreat Leader

 

Awards and Recognition

• The Australia Day Merit Award 2011
• Personal Trainer Round Table for Executives - Star Performer 2009
• The Entrepreneurial Civilian Award of Honour - 2008
• Fitness Professional of the Year - 2008, 2007, 2006 - Finalist
• Personal Training Business of the Year - 2008 - Finalist
• Recognised as Australia's Most Successful Businesswomen in Personal Training Industry
• Author 'Health and Happiness' section of Lifestyle Trader - a great magazine for entrepreneurs
• Book - Switched On Health Professionals - Australia's Leading Health and Well-being Experts - Chapter 1
• Book - Career Girl - Get The Job You Love - Chapter 2
• Presenter
  • The Mentor Club - Getting Your Mind Into Gear
  • JobCAMP '09
  • Magnetic Marketing - Platinum Plus Coaching Group
  • Careers NSW Conference 2009 - Wellbeing in the Office
  • International Womens Day - Accenture Convention - Healthy Body: Healthy Business
  • Australia & New Zealand Anesthetist Convention - 2008
  • Australian Businesswomen’s Network - Webinar Series - 2008
  • FILEX 09, 08, 07, 06, Sydney, NSW
  • Regional FitnessNSW Presentations to Port Macquarie and Dubbo - 2007
  • Network 06, PT Summit, Brisbane QLD
  • Netfit 05 National Fitness, PT and Lifestyle Convention Auckland, New Zealand
  • Network 04 PT Summit Jupiter’s Casino, Gold Coast
  • Personal Training Business Course: Presenter since 2002
    

Corporate Speaker
Topics include: -

• Unleash The Power of Your Habits. Transform Your Life and Enjoy Business Success Like You Never Have Before!
• Your Health - The #1 Priority
• Success Rituals
• How Health Attracts Wealth
• Wellness and Wealth - The Only 2 Pieces of the Puzzle That Matter!
• 5 Quick Ways to Better Health - An Exercise Guide
• Healthy Body: Healthy Business
• Careers in the health, Wellness and Fitness Industry
• Healthy Eating & Exercise Habits
• Wellness Initiatives For Busy Executives
• Using Exercise to Manage Stress
• The 7 Secrets to Living Longer

• Other Speaking Engagements

• Beecroft View Club
• Randwick TAFE
• Northbridge Rotary Club
• Pennant Hills Rotary Club
• Inner Wheel Committee

Experience

• Outdoor Personal Training and Company Director since 1997.
• Every job in the company from cleaning to instruction to finance to management.
• 9 years teaching Physical Education, Dance, and Health in High Schools here in Sydney, London, Vanuatu and Africa.

 

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment Australian Institute of Fitness - 2005
• Certificate IV in Fitness - Australian Institute of Recreation - 2002
• Certificate in Personal Training - Australian Fitness Network - 1997
• Graduate Diploma of Education (Physical Education) - Deakin University - 1995 - 1996
• Bachelor of Physical Education (Physical Education) - Australian College of Physical Education - 1988 - 1990

Special Interests

Helping professionals make long-term healthy choices with their exercise, well-being and nutrition.
Showing clients how exercise can be part of their daily lives as something they enjoy.
Encouraging clients to participate in fun runs/trots/walks.

Other Interests

• Travel
• Photography
• Fine dining enjoyed with Tasmanian Pinot Noir's and old, oaky Chardonnay's!
• Scuba diving.
  

A Moment with ... Heidi Dening

What was your childhood ambition?

To win Wimbledon

What do you love most about your job?

I love it most when I see clients who haven’t known each other before they came to Jump Start, get together for a coffee (with skim milk of course), or organise to meet on the weekend for a walk together. The building of friendships in this great community is what makes me smile.

If you weren’t a Personal Trainer, what would you be?

A photographer for National Geographic.

What job have you had in the past that is very different to what you do now?

At College I used to test spencers for the CSIRO in a humidity crib after riding an exercise bike! Were they prickly? Were they damp? Were they stuffy? Such importatnt feedback!!!

What is the strangest thing you have ever had to do at work?

A client and I made a bet that when he finally could jog up the Cremorne Point hill all the way, I would go into McDonalds and eat whatever he bought me! Funnily enough, the day he did this he just happened to have $50 in his pocket!

Apart from keeping fit, what are your favourite pastimes?

Wining and dining with my hubby and girlfriends.

Name 2 people, dead or alive, that you would invite to a dinner party and why?

Nelson Mandela and Brad Pitt – 2 different dinners – 2 different frocks!!!

What is your ideal holiday location?

Any tropical island

What is your favourite movie?

Grease

Who do you find inspiring?

Jump Start trainers who continually get up at the crack of dawn to help people achieve their long term health goals, even when those same people complain and snarl and even sometimes swear!!!!!!!

My favourite way to exercise is…running on a beach about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, and then straight into the ocean for a body surf.

Most people don’t know that I…got caught smoking in the girls’ toilets when I was 13yrs old.

Before I die I want to…speak conversational Spanish.

My guiltiest pleasure is…. eating Connoisseur ice-cream straight out of the carton!

My most treasured possession is…a photo of my Dad and I after running in Vanuatu. He hugged me so tight and looked so proud of me.

I wish I hadn’t…got caught up in over-indulgence while at College which lead me to being overweight for years!

I am happiest when…. I am with my family.

It’s not fashionable, but I love…. spending a day on those red tourist buses when travelling to a new destination.

If I could live anywhere, I’d choose…anywhere that meant I could wear strappy, pretty sundresses all year round.

My last meal would be…fresh king prawns, avocado and chilled buttery chardonnay.

I relax by…having leisurely Sunday brunches with my hubby, pots of tea, and the papers.

If I wasn’t me, I’d be…. Steffi Graf.

My favourite saying is…Having No Fear, I Go Forward In Joy