The Beginning of Les Mills

Les Mills was started in 1968 when Les and Colleen Mills opened a gym in Auckland. They were well known since both had represented New Zealand at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Their son Phillip who also represented New Zealand discovered American style aerobics while studying in the U.S. He applied this expertise in New Zealand with great success.

In 1984, the company went public and was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, but was bought back in 1989. Through sheer dedication, Les Mills created some group fitness programs that revolutionized the fitness world.

It expanded rapidly, leading to the establishment of “Les Mills International,” which franchised its fitness clubs globally.

They currently coach millions of people in fitness programs and have 13,000 gyms in 80 countries. They produce fitness DVDs, which are released in all their clubs after three months of trial periods and then simultaneously to mass events on YouTube.

Les Mills

The videos also include training sessions for teachers and instructors and management training. People working for Les Mills must be loyal to Les Brand values because all Les Mills representatives, associates and employees represent their company brand in their respective capacities in all the clubs.

Les Mills is a world-class organization that has hired the best creative agencies in New Zealand to promote its gyms and clubs.

According to Phillip Mills, CEO of Les Mills, you should put yourself and your money into the game. He fulfills his commitment in financial and emotional terms. Besides representing the brand, fitness instructors deliver personal experiences to their clients.

Because the instructors are the ones the customers look up to, they are the most obvious representatives of those participating in their fitness programs. Instructors produce the group fitness with participants.    

Leadership

The leadership of Les Mills is in the capable hands of Phillip Mills, who has a vision of providing people with experiences that will change their lives permanently.

He is in the vanguard of the global fight against obesity. He has co-authored the well-known book “Fighting obesity – A Practical Guide to Personal Health and Global Sustainability” which was published in 2007.

This book details the association between physical fitness, national health systems, and global sustainability. Les Mills has been named as the New Zealand Services Exporter of the Year by the New Zealand Trade Enterprise.

Phillips has also awarded the Ernst & Young’s New Zealand Entrepreneur of the Year in 2004, and the following year, was nominated for the same Ernst and Young award in Monaco