Julie McConnell

EHP Holdings is the umbrella company for some of the fitness industries best loved sports supplement brands including EHPlabs and Blessed Plant Based Protein and energy drink OxyShred Energy. In this role I was responsible for customer experience and operational strategy across both sports supplement and technology brands.

• Strategic advisor: Acts as a strategic advisor to the CEO, providing insights and recommendations on key business decisions and initiatives. Support, coach, and drives the CEO in their role as EHP Holdings continues to scale.
• Project management : Manages and coordinates special projects and initiatives on behalf of the CEO. Coordinate short, medium, and long-term strategy execution.
• Executive team whip: Helps set the agenda and manage regular reporting cadence across the global senior leadership team.
• Communication liaison: Builds a system of communication and reporting to ensure teams are accountable to revenue targets and KPIs. Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external communications, including stakeholders and senior executives.
• Financial: Reviews performance and profitability of all business units to ensure that required EBITDA margins are achieved and all costs are managed appropriately.
• Corporate development: Represents the CEO and company in partnership and business conversations and help prepare key documents for partnership/investment meetings.
• Performance and culture: Ensures a culture of excellence thrives throughout the company. Identifies opportunities for improvement and operational efficiency, implementing changes as needed to drive organizational success. Manages and mentor staff, providing leadership and guidance to ensure optimal performance and professional development.
• Risk Management: Assess risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize potential negative impacts on the organization.
• Crisis Management: Plays a key role in managing crises and other high-stakes situations, working closely with leadership to develop and implement effective response strategies.

EHP Holdings is the umbrella company for some of the fitness industries best loved sports supplement brands including EHPlabs and Blessed Plant Based Protein. In this role I was responsible for customer experience and operational strategy across both sports supplement and technology brands.

• Spearheaded the development and implementation of a customer experience strategy that resulted in a 34% increase in customer satisfaction ratings and a 23% improvement in customer retention.
• Led cross-functional teams to design and optimize customer touchpoints across multiple brands and channels, including website, mobile apps, social media channels
• Implemented customer feedback mechanisms and data-driven analytics to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborated with product development teams to ensure customer needs and preferences were incorporated into product design and development processes.
• Established a customer-centric culture throughout the organization by promoting customer feedback and embedding customer-centric practices into daily operations.
• Member of C-Suite Executive Team.
• Voted in the top 10 places to work in Australia in our business sector.

Access FItApp is a technology company that creates some of the best global online training brands for athletes and fitness influencers. I manage 10 direct reports and a global team of 50 FTE with a P & L of USD $10,000,000.

• Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth.
• Formulated and executed strategic initiatives to improve product offerings.
• Directed technological improvements to improve efficiencies and scale new business growth.
• Developed innovative sales and marketing strategies to facilitate business expansion.
• Oversaw divisional marketing, advertising and new product development.
• Communicated business performance, forecasts and strategies to C-Suite.
• Devised and presented business plans and forecasts to board of directors.
• Managed growth and profitability of 6 brands.
• Managed diversity and inclusion program to celebrate World Pride in February 2022.
• Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.

Access FitApp is the technology division of EHP Holdings. During this period I significantly grew revenue and profitability for two global fitness brands www.wbkfit.com and www.laurensimpsonfitness.com to annual earnings of USD $8,000,000 with EBITDA of 42%.

• Led and managed all aspects of all app businesses, overseeing a team of 18 professionals and driving cross-functional collaboration to achieve organizational goals.
• Developed and executed strategic plans to drive user acquisition, engagement, and monetization, resulting in a 100% YOY increase in app downloads and revenue.
• Implemented data-driven decision-making processes, leveraging analytics tools and market research to identify trends, optimize user experience, and inform product development strategies.
• Built and nurtured strong relationships with key stakeholders, including app developers, partners, and athletes, to drive business growth and secure strategic partnerships.
• Oversaw the development and launch of new app features and updates, ensuring seamless user experience and high-quality performance.
• Developed and executed effective marketing strategies, including digital advertising campaigns, social media engagement, influencer partnerships, and content marketing initiatives.
• Monitored and analyzed competitive landscape and industry trends to identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation.
• Managed fitness events in Australia, USA & Canada in key markets.
• Implemented effective user acquisition and retention strategies, including referral programs, loyalty programs, and personalized engagement initiatives.
• Conducted regular performance evaluations, provided feedback, and mentored team members to foster professional growth and enhance productivity.

The online training division of EHP Holdings oversaw the creation and development of two global app based businesses. I was responsible for a P & L of USD $5,000,000 and 6 direct reports and a global team of 30 staff.

• Defined the strategic direction for app development initiatives and ensure alignment with business goals and market trends.
• Oversaw the entire app development lifecycle.
• Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including marketing, UX/UI, and QA, to ensure seamless integration of app programs with overall business objectives.
• Developed and managed the app development budget, tracking expenses and optimizing resource allocation for maximum efficiency.
• Implemented best practices and agile methodologies to improve app development processes and increase productivity.
• Fostered a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the team, encouraging creativity and exploring new technologies and trends.
• Monitored and analyzed app performance metrics, user feedback, and market trends to identify areas for enhancement and drive future app updates.

EHPlabs is a global sports supplement brand founded in 2012.The primary objective for EHPlabs is to assist people with their health & fitness goals and to maximise their physical performance and recovery. I managed a team of 25 FTE and 5 direct reports.

• Develop and implement customer experience strategies, programs, and initiatives to enhance overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Recruit and manage a team of 20 customer experience representatives, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure consistent service excellence.
• Analyze customer feedback and data to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes to optimize the customer journey.
• Spearhead the development and launch of a new customer service platform to streamline customer experience across brands.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing and product development, to integrate customer feedback into the product improvement process.
• Conduct regular training sessions on customer service best practices and ensure the team's adherence to established service standards.

12wbt is one of the most successful online fitness brands created. Michelle Bridges one of Australia's Biggest Loser Trainers created the company and it has enjoyed incredible success. I helped the business scale their customer experience and increase community engagement during a period of phenomenal global growth.

• Managed a team of 20 customer experience representatives, overseeing day-to-day operations and ensuring prompt and efficient resolution of customer inquiries through all online channels.
• Implemented a customer community program to improve customer loyalty and efficiency.
• Conducted regular customer surveys and analyzed data to identify trends, areas of improvement, and opportunities for enhancing the customer experience.
• Developed and executed training programs to enhance the team's customer service skills and product knowledge.
• Collaborated with the marketing team to create targeted customer communication campaigns, resulting in improved engagement and retention rates.
• Liaised with product and app and website development teams on new feature sets and programs.
• Product tested 10km advanced running program.
• Conducted customer feedback sessions to identify user experience on new app development.
• Member of Senior Leadership Team.
• Voted as one of Australia's Top 50 workplaces.

NSW National Parks is division of the Department of Environment in New South Wales. I was a key member of the leadership team that delivered a major digital transformation program across the tourism division of NSW National Parks. This included a new website, apps, mapping technology, online accommodation and experience eCommerce.

• Recruited & managed digital production, content and customer experience teams - 30 FTE.
• Project managed Salesforce CRM & Sitecore CMS procurement and implementation of eCommerce solution acquisition and implementation.
• Developed customer experience strategy across voice, email, website and social media channels.
• Developed social media strategy including risk management process for new social channels.
• New website build project management.
• Created a digital roadmap plan and monitored, managed and delivered the development of a large program of work through robust program and project management methodologies.
• Developed and deployed agile project methodologies to ensure the successful delivery of all projects in the program of work schedule.
• Developed quality and assurance testing framework to ensure the quality of all projects.

Intercontinental Hotels Group IHG is one of the world's leading hotel companies with over 6,000 hotels. I was responsible for Operations for Global Reservations and Guest Services and held roles in Sydney and Manila. In the Philippines I was responsible for 250 FTE and I had 5 direct reports. I was also a Master Coach across the Asia Pacific Region, responsible for training Team Managers on staff coaching.

• Developed and implemented strategies to achieve operational objectives and exceed service level agreements (SLAs).
• Optimized workforce management processes, including forecasting, scheduling, and real-time monitoring, to ensure optimal resource utilization.
• Implemented performance metrics and regularly tracked and analyze operational data to identify areas for improvement and drive performance enhancements.
• Led and motivated a diverse global team, providing coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback to enhance individual and team performance.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including quality assurance, training, and IT, to implement process improvements and system enhancements.
• Developed and maintained strong relationships with stakeholders, ensuring alignment of operational goals with customer expectations.
• Project managed transition of ANZ & South Pacific operations from Sydney to Manila.
• Asia Pacific Team Manager Performance Coach.