Behind the Scenes: Our Big Week in Victoria
I'm not usually the one writing these. That's Kate's department. But after the week we just had in Victoria, I have a few things I need to share, from the person behind the scenes.
So here we go.
A couple of weeks ago, Kate and I jumped on a plane to Melbourne. We had one night there before heading out into Country Victoria where the real adventure began.
First stop: Avoca, in the Central Highlands.
We drove a couple of hours out and met the wonderful Courtney, a DediKate member and absolute legend of a human. She'd arranged for us to head out to her husband's family farm to shoot some content.
It was chilly. It was beautiful. And it turns out there is a plant called 'marshmallow weed', and we may have filmed in front of a rather impressive patch of it. We did briefly wonder what Courtney's husband would think. Then we decided the shot was too good and pressed on 😂
In Person Workout Love!
Back in town, Courtney had organised a group of local women to come along for a live, in-person workout with Kate. I've spent a lot of time watching Kate on camera. But watching her lead a room full of women through a 20-minute HIIT workout? That is something else entirely. She was beaming. Absolutely in her element.
The energy in that room was electric, everyone got a sweat on, then stayed to chat, connect, and share. Some of those women were already DediKate members. By the end of the session, there were a few more. This is exactly why we do what we do.
Where's the cutlery?
That evening we headed to our accommodation. I'm going to be diplomatic and say it was... cosy. What I will say is that we went to make dinner and discovered there was not a plate, a bowl, a fork, or a spoon to be found. Not one.
Cue a frantic text to Courtney, who — without missing a beat — had me around at hers to borrow bowls and cutlery within minutes. Heart of absolute gold.
Spitting Llama's and Great Content!
Next morning, Courtney had also arranged a few friends to join us for a photoshoot for a very exciting challenge that's going to be launching in September/October.
What I can tell you is that at some point during that shoot, a llama decided it had seen enough of us and we all found ourselves hurdling a fence (including our 5mth pregnant photographer) to escape a very spitting, very unimpressed animal. I cannot say more than that about the challenge itself, but do stay tuned, it is going to be a good one. (The llama, hopefully, has moved on.)
Then we loaded up the car and drove to Birchip, in northwest Victoria.
This is where we met Sam from @sarestore1. Her store is a gem, and Kate absolutely loved rummaging through it, she may have tried on a few things and even had a dress renamed after her! We also streamed a live Instagram workout right there from the shop floor. So many people joined in. Watching women from all over Australia (and beyond) tune in to a workout being filmed in a store in a small country town, that's the DediKate magic, right there.
The next morning we were back out to Sam and her husband's farm for more content. The wind had other plans. The sun moved. We refilmed. Then refilmed again. This is the part they don't show you on Instagram, but it's also the part I genuinely love about this job. You make it work, and then it looks effortless.
BTS in photos...
Next up: Harrow
The incredible Sardi (another amazing DediKate member) had put together a Thriving and Menopause with Exercise evening with Kate and about 20 women from the local area came along. Kate did her presentation, got everyone moving, and then we worked our way around the room talking to every single one of them.
This was a personal highlight for me. A big part of my role at DediKate is email support, I'm the person on the other end of those messages about memberships and programme questions and life. Getting to stand in front of those women and actually talk to them in real life? That was a privilege I didn't take for granted. We welcomed some new members that night and I walked away genuinely emotional about it.
Now. The 5:30am departure.
We needed to get back to Melbourne early, so we were in the car before sunrise. Pitch black. Thick fog. Slow going on narrow back roads through the middle of nowhere. We narrowly dodged more roos than I can count.Our heart rates were absolutely through the roof and I can tell you that is an experience I will not be forgetting any time soon.
We have since made a pact: next time, we leave when the sun comes up.
Back in Melbourne.
First up, a collab I genuinely cannot talk about yet, but I can tell you it involves an incredible Australian female founder and a promo that is dropping very, very soon. Kate and I walked out of that meeting absolutely buzzing. She has the most remarkable energy, this woman. Calm and purposeful and brilliant.
Watching Kate, who inspires me every single day, develop her own little founder crush in real time was honestly one of the highlights of the week. Watch this space. 🤐
And then — dinner with Sally
That evening we had and delicious dinner with Sally (another inspiring DediKate member) on Flinders Lane and, well... We may have been a little too excited about the collab we'd just come from. We may have let a few details slip.
Sally, if you're reading this: your lips are sealed. 🤐
More Female Founder Love!
Then we spent a morning with Cherie and the team at @thedigitalpicnic, who look after all of our Meta ads. Kate took a group of their staff through a low-impact in-person workout (a little taste of what's behind the ads they manage), got them all moving, had everyone smiling. Cherie is the kind of founder who makes you feel better just by being around her. Walking away from that I felt genuinely inspired.
We even snuck in an afternoon off. Kate and I walked into the mall, exchanged approximately one look, went our separate ways, and had a glorious hour and a half doing exactly what we each wanted. The crowds got to us eventually, but those 90 minutes were well earned.
Cup Filling Trip of the Highest Level!
I have been part of Kate Ivey Fitness for a while now (as a member and BTS). I have watched Kate show up, consistently, generously, and with every bit of herself, for women all over NZ, Aussie and now around the world. This trip was a concentrated version of that. Every event, every room, every woman who decided to give DediKate a go: she gave them everything.
My job is to make sure she can do that without worrying about the little details right down to the borrowed cutlery at 8pm in country Victoria. I love every bit of it.
Kate wrote in her post that I was "always one step ahead." I'll take that. It is genuinely the best compliment I could ask for.
To everyone who came out to meet us, hosted us, organised events, joined a workout from your living room (some in PJs) or a store in Birchip, or cheered us on from somewhere around the world, thank you. You are exactly why we do this.
And to Kate, it is a privilege. Always.
— Diana
P.S. If that week cemeted anything in me, it's that the DediKate community is something pretty special and it's growing every single day. If you've been thinking about joining us, consider this your sign. Come be part of the movement. You won't regret it!
