Adam Bailey is a dynamic entrepreneur at the helm of three distinct companies, each reflecting his commitment to health, fitness, and business innovation. As the Director of Genesis Health Clubs, formerly known as Bailey Fitness Pty Ltd, Adam has overseen the growth of a chain of ‘big box’ Health and Fitness Clubs to promote a healthy lifestyle and fitness.
In addition to his role at Genesis Health Clubs, Adam serves as the Managing Director of Pursuit Martial Arts, a rapidly expanding chain with eight locations in Western Australia and Victoria. His vision extends even further, as he’s set the stage for expansion into Queensland, showcasing his strategic and ambitious approach.
Furthermore, Adam’s entrepreneurial spirit has led to the founding of Super Phat, an exciting new venture in the world of combat sports equipment. Although this company is still in its early stages, with a launch date set for November, it reflects his continuous drive for business diversification.
Today, we sat down with Adam to get valuable insight into his entrepreneurial journey, so you can take a page or two from his book if you’d like.
Q. Can you tell us about your journey in building Pursuit Martial Arts into a thriving chain? What inspired you to start this venture?
Adam: It was nearly accidental, to be honest! I was competing at a high level in sports. So, working for myself was my only option, as no employer in their right mind would let me travel for months on end. One thing led to another, and I opened a small gym. There, I created my own training space by bringing over a trainer from Thailand to look after me while I focused on the fitness of others. That first gym grew from 200 members in 300 square meters to 2000+ members in 1500 square meters as we expanded.
Q. What do you believe sets Pursuit Martial Arts apart from other martial arts academies or gyms?
Adam: Well, I worked in Commercial ‘Big Box’ Health Clubs over the years. Those are amazing venues where staff were audited on look, feel, and presentation. There was hyper-focus on the layout and location of every bit of equipment, so close attention was paid to every detail, including where the paper towel dispensers were located. Martial Arts clubs, on the other hand, were ‘spit and sawdust’ smelly gyms on the back streets of industrial zones. I wanted to bring them to Highstreet and create a high-end space based on that hyper-focused approach, where mums are comfortable bringing a child where women feel safe, and the men aren’t rock apes.
Q. What challenges did you face in scaling your martial arts business, and how did you overcome them?
Adam: I was in the position of having 4 clubs, and life was good. The clubs were profitable, but I was working hard. The biggest challenge was deciding if I really wanted to go big. My goal is 30 clubs, but there’s a lot of red tape that comes with that, including hiring people, accounting, compliance, etc. Now, I knew I had the ability to grow the business, but my passion is martial arts.
Martial arts is what I want to focus on: the product itself. I don’t want to be doing OHS audits and navigating the ‘wonderful’ world of HR. So, I’d say that was the most challenging part for me. I overcame that by searching for a business partner. I eventually found a partner in Belgravia Leisure (Australia’s largest privately owned fitness and leisure company) and sold them 50% of my business. Now, I can focus on what I do best, and we both play our roles.
Q. Transitioning from a successful career in combat sports to entrepreneurship is quite a leap. How did your background in sports shape your mindset as an entrepreneur?
Adam: I actually think competing at high-level sports is very, very similar to running a business. I felt that same intrinsic drive, shoving me out of bed each morning to achieve my goal, the highs of winning, and the despair of losing. So, I think sports and business can be the best and worst pursuits in life, depending on which side of the ledger you are sitting on. Combat sports have taught me everything I need to know from a mindset perspective, and I think that’s essential to both endure and thrive in business.
Q. What specific skills or lessons from your sports career do you find most valuable in your role as a business leader?
Adam: There’s a saying that I love, which I’ve overused for years, it goes: ‘What is done in the dark, comes out in the light.’ Picture this: you are in a boxing ring in front of thousands of people. Your family and friends are in the front row, and on the other side of the ring is a bloke flown in with one objective: Render you unconscious.
Your preparation and discipline will be on display for all to see under the bright lights of the boxing ring. It will either show all of the times you slept in and didn’t do your road work, or it will show the extra work you put in. In other words, it will showcase the skills you sharpened or the corners you cut. Business is no different… the Profit and Loss report is that boxing ring, so you have to do the work if you want to see results.
Q. As a former World Middleweight Muay Thai Champion, can you share some of the key lessons you’ve learned from your combat sports career that are applicable to business or life in general?
Adam: Those who played sports and did it consistently did so because they were deeply passionate about it. The goal of one day getting that belt was all I needed. You need to find that thing in business and in life that’s inspiring enough to get you out of the warm covers at 4:30 a.m., when it’s pitch dark and freezing cold, to do the work.
Everything hurts less when there is a massive intrinsic goal. When you really want something, it’s a lot easier to get back up and keep boxing when things don’t go your way. Apply that rationale to business. It will beat you up at times, but you will always find a way to get back up if you’re super passionate about the product and the process.
Q. In the world of combat sports, resilience and discipline are crucial. How have these qualities played a role in your success as an entrepreneur?
Adam: I’m not going to sit here and rattle off quotes about #stayonthegrind and #hustle. However, all cringe aside, they’re 100% right about that. I used to think that when I reached the position I’m in today, I would be on golf courses at 10 a.m. on a Monday and have holidays all year round. But it doesn’t work that way. Business is like fitness. If you aren’t on it on a daily basis, it’s going to slip away pretty quickly. It’s kinda hard to get and easy to lose, so resilience and discipline are a must.
Q. Many entrepreneurs grapple with self-doubt and Impostor Syndrome. Have you experienced that, and if so, how do you overcome it?
Adam: This is the main difference between individual sports and business. There is no public scoreboard or ranking system in the business world. All we do is compare our sorry old selves to our amazing competitors. There is no road map to entrepreneurship. I like the saying, “It’s like jumping out of a plane and trying to figure out how to build the parachute on the way down,” because it rings true.
Entrepreneurship can be lonely, but we have to go easy on ourselves. No one expects you to know everything. You’re only an imposter if you don’t identify your weaknesses and work on them. You’re allowed to suck at something new, you just shouldn’t suck forever if you want to make something out of it.
I think those feelings of dissatisfaction radiate from areas in your business that you don’t want to look deep into. We all have those tasks that just seem too big to tackle, so we kick them into the shadows, but they always come back to bite us. So, roll up your sleeves and get comfortable with the grind. When the cash flow is there, you’ll be able to hire someone else to do those things for you.
Q. Can you share a specific instance when you felt like an “impostor,” and what strategies did you use to push through that feeling?
Adam: One of the instances I experienced impostor syndrome was when competing on my first-ever Australian Team. Mentally, I thought I did not belong at that level, and to make matters worse, I drew the World Champion from Russia in the first round. I was so nervous I couldn’t eat or sleep! I had placed my opponent on such a high pedestal I barely threw any punches in the first round. The negative voice in my head was going crazy. But at some point in the second round, I realized I was in the ring already, so I might as well go down swinging. And swing I did. There was a lightbulb moment late in the second round where I nearly knocked him out. He was human, after all, and I realized I did belong. Unfortunately, I lost the fight 2 rounds to 1, but I came back 6 months later and dominated the division at the World Championships. That was a huge turning point in my career as I realized the difference between a National Champion and a World Champion was more belief than a skillset.
Q. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who may be facing adversity?
Adam: Take responsibility and a big breath. The sun will rise tomorrow. Your mates will still be your mates, and your mum will still love you. The world is not ending. There is a way out if you keep your head cool and play with the hand you have to the best of your ability.
To keep up-to-date with Adam, connect with him on Instagram.