Kic, Australia’s number one grossing digital wellness app with more than 5.5 million workouts completed, today announced the appointment of Jane Martino as Chief Executive Officer. Martino, co-founder and chair of mental health platform Smiling Mind, will lead Kic’s strategic evolution from fitness app to comprehensive wellness ecosystem.
Co-founders Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith will continue their deep involvement in the business, focusing on strategic direction, brand leadership, and community engagement, and in their roles as hosts of the popular KicPod podcast.
The leadership transition coincides with Kic’s strategic repositioning around a broader wellness offering that extends beyond movement to include mindset and ritual-based content, in-person experiences, and new product lines – all unified under the brand promise to “move together through life.”
Expanding Beyond Movement
Under Martino’s leadership, Kic will accelerate its transformation into an integrated wellness ecosystem, responding to requests from its community of more than 2.5 million engaged members across all its touchpoints. The expansion includes enhanced app experiences incorporating mindset features, the launch of Kic Studio for in-person experiences, and a consumer product range.
“Throughout our 10-year journey with Kic, we’ve spoken to thousands of community members about the impact Kic has had on their lives. One theme always stands out: building confidence within themselves. This is something we are so proud of,” said Laura Henshaw, co-founder of Kic. “While movement will always remain at the heart of what we do, we are incredibly excited ten years on to now expand beyond our original concept into mindset, giving our community even more support on their journey.”
Henshaw emphasised the natural evolution of bringing Martino into the CEO role: “This new chapter represents a major opportunity to build deeper connections with our community, extend our reach, and strengthen Kic’s position as a leading wellness brand in Australia and beyond.”
Co-founder Steph Claire Smith shares this vision for Kic’s evolution: “What I love about having Janey step into this role is that she brings such depth to the wellness space – someone who truly understands that wellness isn’t just about the physical. My own journey has taught me how connected our mental and physical wellbeing really are, and Janey’s expertise in that space means we can support our community in ways that feel authentic and real, which is core to Kic’s DNA.”
Proven Leadership in Wellness
Martino brings extensive experience in scaling wellness businesses and creating meaningful community impact. Through Smiling Mind, she has introduced more than 9 million Australians to emotional literacy skills and preventative mental health tools. She also founded Kintsugi Way, focusing on mindset and coaching, and has served as an advisor to Kic for the past two years.
“Kic has always been about focusing on how the community feel about themselves, and centred around the fact they are enough,” said Jane Martino, incoming CEO of Kic. “Through my work over the past 13 years in mindfulness and mental fitness, I am more focused than ever on how people can use the power of the mind to transform how they live and feel.”
“The past two years as advisor to Kic, I am convinced Steph and Laura have created one of the most human-centred wellness concepts in the world and it is an honour for me to be able to bring my skills as an operator and entrepreneur to our broader strategy for Kic.”
Strong Growth Foundation
Kic has demonstrated remarkable growth and community engagement, with 55,000+ monthly active users across 121 countries and 9.5k five-star reviews. The platform has achieved 30% year-on-year app revenue growth and maintains a top-quartile customer lifetime value to acquisition cost ratio, positioning it strongly for its next phase of expansion.
The company’s influence extends beyond digital metrics to what has been dubbed “the Kic effect” – the ability to drive significant commercial outcomes for partners, including selling 15,000 units in 30 minutes in a recent collaboration and generating 70% week-over-week sales increases for partner brands.
Founded by Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith, Kic is Australia’s leading digital wellness platform with a mission to empower people to feel truly connected with themselves and more powerful together. With more than 750,000 downloads globally and a community spanning 121 countries, Kic combines movement, mindset, and community to help people build confidence and create sustainable wellness habits.
About Jane Martino
Jane Martino is co-founder and chair of Smiling Mind, Australia’s leading mental fitness app, and founder of Kintsugi Way. She has extensive experience in scaling wellness businesses and has served as an advisor to numerous early-stage companies in the wellness space. Through her work, she has impacted the lives of more than 9 million people, introducing them to tools for emotional literacy and mental fitness.
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