TAS STORIES: Katelyn Seary

On most days, it’s still dark when Katelyn wakes and heads out the door for a leisurely morning walk in her new bayside neighbourhood in Queensland. “Pretty much for the first hour and a half of my day is all about movement, sunshine and a nourishing breakfast,” she says. This morning routine has been a constant since her days as a personal trainer for corporate executives.

Katelyn’s decade-long experience in the health, wellness, and fitness industry, and her passion for helping others, naturally weave into her current role as Client Services Manager at The Association Specialists (TAS). Drawing from a diverse background that includes working for holistic dentists, chiropractors, naturopaths, ENT surgeons, and then going on to founding her own personal training business, she is attuned to the needs of her health-focused clients and their members, including the Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia and the Nutrition Society of Australia.

“I, too, was a personal trainer wanting to further my qualifications by taking nutrition courses, so I naturally think, ‘how can we make this process easy for our members?’,” she says.

Katelyn’s experience as a business owner means she understands the importance of systems and processes in streamlining or altogether eliminating manual work for her clients. “I love learning and finding ways to simplify tasks for my clients,” she explains, recalling a time when she managed to reduce finance reporting time by 30 minutes.

She admits to being initially surprised by the multifaceted nature of her role, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I enjoy being busy and the challenges that come with it. I love the variety of clients I get to work with,” she says reflecting on what drives her day-to-day. “Working with the TAS team has been immensely rewarding. I’ve never received the kind of support offered at TAS anywhere else. We prioritise learning as a team above anything else. We don’t have meetings just for the sake of having meetings, but to bring something to the table and learn from each other.”

“Working remotely can be isolating at times, but knowing that it’s perfectly acceptable to call one of the team members to say hi, check on each other and have a chat has been invaluable,” says Katelyn of TAS’ culture.

After a busy day, she unwinds by doing one of her favourite activities: riding her scooter down to the water and going on a 2km walk along the oceanfront. Katelyn’s fully embraced her “new places, new faces” mantra since relocating. She shares that she’s joined a local toastmasters group, a field hockey team, and have recently stumbled upon a weekly trivia night that she’s keen to attend.

When thinking about the next few years, Katelyn’s excited about her future at TAS. “Whilst continuing to help my clients in their day-to-day, I would love to devote some of my time to training coordinators, finding efficiencies, and maybe try my hand at marketing.”

Recently marking her one-year anniversary at TAS, she is grateful to have found a role that allows her to live out her passion for helping people through her daily work, and a workplace that encourages her love for learning.

Fast Four

• Drink of choice? Vanilla latte with almond milk
• Favourite city? Victoria Point, Queensland
• Dream destination? Rolling hills of Ireland
• Favourite quote? “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi