CONNECT WITH US
Cart
MOBLE Pty Ltd
CONNECT WITH US
Cart

Could not find "Newsletter Signup Short"

UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL AND CREATE GENUINE VALUE IN YOUR BUSINESS

Explore our tailored business solutions and leadership programs to take the performance of your team and organisation to new heights

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
PROGRAMS
Have a question?
CHECK OUR FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD

Webinars, eBooks, Insight reports on Finance and HR Strategy, Culture, Change, Digital Transformation and more...

WEBINARS
DOWNLOAD
Have a question?
Home Blog EP#90 - Building a Fitness Empire with Benjamin Lucas
5May

EP#90 - Building a Fitness Empire with Benjamin Lucas
By Claire Wescombe | Blog, PR, business owner, small business, ceo | 5 May 2025 |
🎧 LISTEN ON SPOTIFY 🎙️ LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS
Ben is the Owner and Director of Flow Athletic. After playing professional rugby league for the Cronulla Sharks, Ben founded Flow Athletic in 2013, bringing a unique mix of strength, fitness and yoga to the marketplace that hadn't been seen before in Australia.
In this episode, Brad and Ben discuss all things professional rugby, moving into business, scaling and growing in the Australian market - and much more


From Footy Fields to Fitness Floors

Ben was a natural athlete, excelling in rugby league, rugby union, basketball, and athletics. He eventually focused on rugby league, playing juniors and seniors with the Cronulla Sharks, before stints in Queensland and Auckland. But in his mid-20s, faced with the choice between continuing as a “fringy first grader” or building a future beyond the field, Ben chose the latter.

While still playing, he started personal training—squeezing sessions between morning and evening footy commitments. He earned his certification in 1997 and gradually transitioned into full-time personal training around 2004. What started as a side hustle became his full-time passion, rooted in a deep love for fitness and a unique ability to connect with people of all ages.

Ben’s journey from PT to fitness entrepreneur accelerated quickly. He opened his first studio in Mosman, Sydney in 2005. Within 18 months, it was running 800 sessions a week in a 117 sqm space and generating nearly half a million dollars in profit. “There wasn’t much competition back then,” he recalls. “It was hard to even find a gym.”

But success brought new challenges. Expanding under a franchise model helped him grow to three studios and 2,000 sessions a week. Yet, it also boxed him in creatively. “It wasn’t purely about the money,” he explains. “I wanted to build something that reflected my own values, my own brand.”


The Birth of Flow Athletic

The turning point came in 2010 when Ben began running and practicing yoga—originally as mental therapy and recovery from football injuries. That’s where he met Kate Kendall, a magnetic yoga teacher whose classes were so packed they had to turn people away at the door. Their mutual respect and complementary skill sets sparked a powerful idea: why not combine yoga and strength training under one roof?

In 2013, Flow Athletic was born. Their vision was clear: a one-stop wellness hub that blended strength, cardio, and flexibility. “If we were just a yoga studio, I’d still tell clients to do strength work. If we were just strength, I’d send them to yoga. So why not offer it all in one place?” Ben says.

Flow quickly set itself apart. It wasn’t just the beautiful fit-out (which won awards), or even their innovative programming—it was the culture. The average career length in the fitness industry is 1.8 years. At Flow, it’s 7.5. “We train our team well, we pay them well, and we treat them like family,” Ben says. “And when you have staff who care, you retain clients longer, too.”


Designing Deliberately for Real Life

Ben and was deliberate in every aspect of Flow’s design. From the customer journey to the program structure, everything was tailored for their mature 35+ demographic. They created the “Flow Philosophy,” which encourages members to do one yoga, one strength, and one cardio session each week. Members can also receive tailored programs via 1:1 hero sessions to address specific goals like fat loss, injury recovery, or bone density.

This thoughtful, comprehensive approach has resonated with members and made Flow a standout success in an overcrowded market. “I’m a fitness consumer too,” Ben says. “I know what good feels like. So I built a place I’d love to train in.”


Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Ben’s story offers a goldmine of insight for business leaders:

  • Start small, but think big. From wiping sweat at Healthland to owning an award-winning studio, Ben grew by staying ambitious and grounded.

  • Culture beats churn. Paying staff well and treating them like family helped Flow build a team with longevity—and that’s gold in service-based industries.

  • Solve a real problem. Ben didn’t just open a gym—he solved the problem of fitness fragmentation. One membership, three modalities, one wellness experience.

  • Be a student of great experiences. His advice from Tony Robbins—observe what the best are doing and apply it—continues to shape his approach.

Recent

Categories

/ NEWSLETTER

Outperforming thoughts straight to your Inbox! And never miss out on our upcoming learning sessions and programs.

/ ABOUT

/ POLICIES

/ CONTACT

© Copyright 2021 MOBLE Pty Ltd  | +61 2 9194 4900  |  Privacy  |  Websites with MOBLE