By Tia Cristy
Born in London, made her mark in New Zealand, and moved on to follow the infamous American Dream – is the only way to introduce the self-proclaimed ‘Trouble’ maker and matriarch of health and wellness, Emma Barry.
Emma is the Founder and ‘Chief of Trouble’ at Trouble Global, but as a child, she once had visions of being New Zealand’s leading defense lawyer. But after a heart-wrenching awakening,
she admits she ended up in the industry she was destined for.
“I ended up going to Physical Education School in Dunedin. It was known (back then) as a party school,” she laughs as she recalls what were probably the last non-PC days of university, “If I told you what we got up to, we’d be arrested immediately but we had a hell of a time!”
After graduation, she admits most people in her graduating class had no plan actually to become Physical Education teachers, but for the next 25 years, she embarked on an incredible adventure. The group fitness giant Les Mills, then dominating the fitness club scene in New Zealand, scooped up a fresh-faced Emma Barry and she was fortunate to become a founding member of the international division for the company which has since grown its footprint to over 100 countries.
Emma was part of the ‘Famous Five’ – the initial master trainer team to take the highly acclaimed Bodypump and the fleet of other Les Mills group fitness programming to the world. She remembers how it was living on the road in the early days with bumpyflights in seats in the back near the bathroom, staying in terrible 2-star hotels with no wifi, communicating with our boss Phillip Mills via ‘fax’ – yes fax!’ and successfully promoting and selling what some would call the ‘impossible’ product – predesigned programming.
“(You know) All the pioneering stories you hear about, right,” she smiles, “It was tough and exhilarating, and exhausting and wild – we were making it up as we went but, God, I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. We were so young and dumb and full of it.”
America Dreaming
When she returned to New Zealand from the grueling road, she transitioned from the creative side into People and Culture as the head office grew to over 100 people. When Les Mills centralized the distribution of their products in the US, Emma joined the 20-strong team to do so, based in Southern California.
She cuts herself off, “The U.S. is hard to crack!”
In the early days, she assured me that they had to do it the old-fashioned way – generalists doing it all –marketing, training, teaching, selling, promoting, and doing television appearances. They were the all-in-one team, encompassing all the critical roles to make the magical things happen. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was an extraordinary learning experience. Like all businesses that mature – we became more specialized over time.
“We didn’t have the power of celebrity. We didn’t have Jennifer Aniston. We didn’t have Chris Hemsworth. We didn’t have a huge marketing budget to throw at it like Peloton. We had one simple job. To inspire clubs and leadership teams with enough passion and excitement to keep the fires burning until we returned three months later with refreshed programming and education. We grew organically – one class, club, or fitness chain at a time.”
We would go around every market, supported by local trainers performing ‘Quarterlies,” big events to showcase new classes and education that culminated in social events infused with a lot of alcohol. In the old days, our slogan was “Go Hard or Go Home.” Things are a lot more dialed down and healthy now, but you get the vibe of founder passion.
After the stint in the States and returning to New Zealand, Emma entered herself and her family into the Diversity Lottery for U.S. green cards. She tells me that she practically forgot about it as seven years passed. She continued to grow her family, and then, one day, she answered her phone. Emma was convinced that the American woman on the other end was scamming her when she announced that Emma and her family had won the green card lottery. Emma had one year to move to the United States.
Becoming a California Girl
With visions of the American Dream, Emma moved her family to sunny California.
“When you’re a young and naïve New Zealander, you don’t realize it’s the most expensive place to be and with wildly different values. New Zealand being more of a welfare state means your taxes actually pay for health, education and support your needs in life. In California you pay taxes and then pay again for all of those things. And, just because we speak the same language, it doesn’t mean we are the same. In some ways, we couldn’t be more different.”
The Barry/Parore family has lived in the U.S. for ten years. According to Emma, the experience has been all things.
“It’s been simultaneously the most amazing and expansive experience as being the hardest and most heart-wrenching in other ways. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows… It’s a tough, tough market.”
During her time in the U.S., Emma had the honor of working for Equinox for several years – known as one of the sexiest clubs on the planet, with about 100 clubs at the time and their slogan says it all: It’s not fitness. It’s life.
“I learned so much. I learned the power of brand,” says Emma, “…They are leading edge. Or in their words “category of one.” Emma also worked with many startups. “Some businesses literally think you land in the US and start printing money,” – they have delusions of making it quickly in the U.S., it is a rude awakening for many, but she has the experience and grace to keep them realistically grounded while facing the challenges that come along with it.
“I do what I want”
Over the course of the past six years, Emma Barry has immersed herself in the dynamic realm of consulting, a journey marked by global engagement and a penchant for unorthodox yet effective approaches. Her extensive experience in this domain reflects a commitment to transcending conventional boundaries and seeking opportunities on a worldwide scale.
Pandemic aside, Emma operates on a global scale embracing the intricacies and challenges of navigating diverse markets and cultural landscapes. Acknowledging that her methods may not always adhere to conventional norms, she unapologetically champions an approach that resonates with her unique style and preferences.
“I get easily bored,” she confesses. “When things go consistent, I’m out.”
She chuckles as she says it but assures me that she does respect when a business becomes stable and repeatable, but she’s not the person for it. As she chuckles and elaborates on her preference, Emma paints a portrait of an entrepreneur who values the ever-changing landscape, where adaptability and forward-thinking take precedence over the comfort of routine. In doing so, she invites all of us to appreciate the beauty in the diversity of approaches within the business world, where stability and repeatability coexist within uncharted territories, each contributing to success in its own distinctive way.
Let’s Get Futuristically Physical
As fitness races into the modern world, it embraces lifestyle more than ever. Health and wellness now include fitness, mental health, well-being, and self-care as a staple of health. It’s imperative to encompass the entire body into a healthy regimen fully. Companies all over the globe have implemented the mindset that if you love life first, then fitness will happen.
As Emma’s energy is infectious, I had to find out what this passionate globetrotter had coming up in the near future for her work schedule. She ran through a list of events like moderating, speaking, consulting, cheering, etc., making me question how many hours are in a day.
“I’ll be doing about eight to 10 of the big events this year, … IHRSA, Connected Health and Fitness, PerformXLive, FIBO in Cologne…”
Emma has become the go-to consultant for any wellness luxury brand to get the upper hand in a competitive industry with a Rolodex to die for. She is consistently up to date with trends and technology that are needed when it comes to finding better ways to get healthier. So many new
products are hitting the market, and technology is allowing these products to become even more convenient. Today, wearables are getting smaller and more compact, but they can store a vault of information nowadays. If you want to keep track of your health, you can slip on a watch or a ring that can store your vitals while also encouraging you to stretch or breathe. A.I. is also finding a permanent place in this health and wellness world, and Emma is on point with it all.
“I keep one foot in technology and one in the real human connection,” she tells me, “I spend most of my time connecting partners and working with Emma aims to bring innovation while working her magic to catapult companies to the next level of theirjourneys. She has introduced Smart systems into clients’ worlds to help consumers get healthier options.
However, as companies strip their staff numbers, they’ve become more reliant on technology, and her superpower becomes a guiding force, ensuring that amidst the surge of automation and digitization, the essence of genuine human connection is preserved.
I Can See Clearly
I asked Emma what her grand vision is, especially when it comes to her persona of being ‘Trouble,’ and she emphasized, ‘Good trouble – I exist to inspire everybody to be explosively bold. I connect brands and catalyze efforts to accelerate the health and fitness agendas in the world.
Emma takes a moment to acknowledge everything she engages in. It’s a part of her routine to think about her actions and beliefs each day, questioning the reasons behind her beliefs and how time shapes them. Additionally, she dedicates a specific time each week to connect with her family, who are spread across different countries, through Zoom. During our conversation, she occasionally delves into political discussions.
Reflecting on the state of the world, Emma expresses a pragmatic view, noting that, given the current global circumstances, attempting a revolution in the US would be pretty challenging.
“(With all going on in the world), we couldn’t have a Revolution if we tried,” she says. “People don’t agree on enough of one thing.”
She points out that there’s a lack of widespread agreement among people,
emphasizing that unity on significant issues appears to be hard to achieve in today’s society.
As she shares her perspective on various global issues, it becomes evident why some might label her a ‘Trouble’ maker. I found that Emma doesn’t shy away from asking the tough questions in the business realm that others may fear posing. Her inclination to tackle challenging inquiries head-on showcases her commitment to addressing the world’s complexities, inviting the elephant to the room, especially when it means challenging the status quo.
“We are on the wrong side of obesity, anxiety and the reliance on medicating our way through life” she says. “The numbers are increasing.”
She speaks with passion and empathy as she asks excellent questions into the air and confesses that in her daily reflections, she wonders why her beliefs are what they are. Do they come from her parents? Do they come from experience? And do they still serve her today?
She tells me how her father always told her to ‘Search for the truth’ as a child. Both parents modeled a strong work ethic. Hence, it becomes evident how her personality was born.
This dedicated family woman beams as she talks about her children and family and the significance of the family connection. Emma talks about the importance of generational talks and how we need to have more of them with our families.
In New Zealand with current economic pressures, generations are struggling to own a house, so taking part in generational talks can help us do it better. Her lips draw down as she talks about the struggles of the increasing homelessness epidemic as well as the gluttony of information that children are forced to ingest daily. As we travel down the rabbit hole of world issues, it comes full circle that making a difference starts in our homes first. The moral is to talk with your children and parents as often as possible and find elegant solutions to challenges.
What’s on the Menu?
Our conversation moves on to daily eating habits. While being known as a renowned fitness guru, I wanted to know if the great Emma Barry follows any fad diets or has a specialty program that she advocates.
“I like to eat seasonally and fresh,” she says. “I enjoy the occasional steak and I adore seafood.”
She admits that she currently has intermittent fasts, and her regime shifts as her body moves through the decades.
“It’s a personal journey,” says Emma, and as my nutrition guru-friends say – experiment with what works for you and follow the basics – eat real food where you can, nutrient-dense, avoid high sugar/high-calorie fillers, don’t eat too late, eat mindfully.
Our eating habits are a personal investment, and we both agree that people don’t understand the importance of investing in our health through diet until we lose health.
“I look at the kids in the mall drinking those Frappuccinos, packed high with the calories, and they don’t even know,” she sighs. “They are drinking those things three times a day.”
We shake our heads in tandem.
Natural vs. Western Medicine
Another thing we have in common is a strong belief in the balance between homeopathic and modern medicine. Emma’s father was a pediatrician, and her husband is a naturopath. She testifies that modern medicine has helped keep us alive; however, we also embrace natural practices like setting our body clocks according to circadian rhythm starting with morning sunlight, wearing blue blockers for screen time, contrast therapy (cryotherapy and infrared sauna), regular blood panel work to address any imbalances. I love how she expresses how our lives should exist with vitality. Our healthcare should be balanced because we don’t live in a one-size-fits-all world.
Another visit from her ‘Trouble’ maker side is when she tells me she doesn’t just accept things solely at face value. Just because someone says we must do ‘this’ because it’s healthy, Emma emphasizes that she needs to know all the reasons behind it. In her father’s words, she searches ‘for the truth.’
She expresses that she is tired of everything being so extreme and binary. Although her brand might make you think ‘extreme,’
she truly believes in moderation. She implores us to see that we have focused too long on the extremes, and she would like us to take the time to remember our sameness to eliminate all this division. Emma reminds me that it’s essential for us to have open minds for growth.
Flow Like Water
As our interview winds down, I recall throughout several parts of our conversation, ‘Water’ had become the theme as she spoke about hydration and flow – “drink water so your body can flow like a stream rather than sit still and stagnant like a pond,” and shared that a wise woman recently told Emma her character trait was water. That being said I’ve concluded Emma Barry is like water. She flows. She is powerful. She can make her way into the smallest openings, bringing abundant influence and impact. And in combination with the persona of ‘Trouble,’
Emma can break things down and return them to a natural state of beauty. She isn’t a feminist, nor an activist. She believes and honors the fact that she is here in the position of power today, thanks to the men and women who helped shape her from the beginning. She owns her curiosity and has made an entire career from her ability to ask the tough questions, along with assisting companies to discover the answers.
In the wise words of Emma Barry, the ‘Trouble’ maker of Emma knows that within chaos, there is a kaleidoscope of hope out there. And Emma Barry cuts through the proverbial ‘crap’ to help clients make their dreams happen.
Trouble Global, who is helping clients grow daily…
“If we could all achieve our dreams, it would be a far better place so go out there and raise a ruckus.”
