Kayla Itsines reveals multiple careers in street interview, from Sweat fitness app to commercial real estate

She’s one of the most famous fitness figures in Australia and built a global business from humble beginnings, but Kayla Itsines says her empire is about much more than just fitness.

The 34-year-old personal trainer and entrepreneur, who soared to fame after launching her Bikini Body Guide e-book over a decade ago, spoke with Get Ahead on TikTok in a candid street chat near her Gold Coast home.

While many expected the mother-of-two to discuss only her top-selling Sweat app, Kayla surprised with details of the other ventures that underpin her business success.

“I’m most known for the Sweat app which is a women’s training app,” she said when asked about her day job.

“I also have a dog app called Dogit, which is a dog training app. I have commercial real estate – things like petrol stations, medical centres, residential stuff, and also getting into supplements as well, so a lot of things!”

The multimillionaire revealed her journey began in her parents’ Adelaide backyard. “I charged $1 a minute and only did 30-minute sessions, so $30 for 30 minutes,” she recalled.

“I was in my parents’ backyard and I released an e-book online, which I thought no one was going to buy, but it went absolutely viral, so that was called BBG.”

“Transitioned BBG into the Sweat app”. BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide, which is likely why Itsines just used the abbreviation. The term became controversial over time for seeming to promote a narrow and appearance-focused ideal.

Despite her achievements, Itsines said her family were initially hesitant about her career path. “I come from a Greek family and the best thing you can be in a Greek family is a doctor,” she said.

“Coming to my family as a personal trainer, that didn’t fly well with my parents. They supported me but my grandparents hated it. It took them about 10 years to come around, but now they’re very proud.”

Her determination paid off, Itsines ranked No. 34 on the Australian Financial Review Young Rich List in 2024, just behind Margot Robbie, and made headlines last year for buying back her Sweat fitness business from US giant iFIT.

Many assumed she would focus solely on the Sweat brand, but Itsines is diversifying. Her latest creation, Dogit, is a dog training app she developed with her husband Jae Woodroffe and his close friend, renowned dog trainer Leedor Borlant.

“Jae’s best friend (Borlant) is one of the world’s best dog trainers,” Itsines told Forbes Australia. “We both love our dogs, so we developed an app to help train them.”

The Dogit app, launched in 2024, includes training videos, behaviour advice, and a shop with accessories recommended by Jae and Leedor. Itsines also hinted at an upcoming supplement line, saying, “Being able to back that and have some really good professionals behind the business is going to be incredible.”

She may not share figures about her business, but Kayla Itsines has shown she’s as sharp in business as she is in the gym—and everything she touches seems to turn to gold.

“You’re going to ask me what I make, I’m not too comfortable saying what I make if that’s OK,” she told Get Ahead.