About
You don't need another motivational speech. You need systems that work. Paul helps founders build leverage through acquisition, execution, and disciplined growth.
NICE TO MEET YOU
I'm Paul Meldrum
I’ve spent the last 21 years building in the trenches of fitness, coaching, and service-based businesses — not just training people, but constructing systems that work in the real world.
I’ve worked with thousands of clients and business owners across transformation, performance, and operations, and I’ve been recognised with industry awards including Personal Trainer of the Year (05/06) and the Clinical Excellence Award from the Australian Sports Kinesiology Institute for both results and applied education.
Ascend Collective exists to give trainers, coaches, and business owners one place to master education, acquisition, and execution — so they can build real businesses with real revenue and real control.
Redefine Your Hard
The more hard things you do the easier life becomes. I fyou look for the harder option, its probably right.
Brick By Brick
Build daily. Small wins daily equal huge outcomes. Success doesn't come in a spurt, it grows. Every action and decision counts.
Job's Not Finished
Don't celebrate early. You don't deserve an award for showing up. You aren't a dog. Rest at the end.
"Awesome team of people to work with who genuinely care and seeing you succeed."
- Eden Jorgensen
"I had an ultrasound on my leg, and the sonographer was saying how my legs are just muscles and skin but no fat. I'm like, thanks to my trainer."
-Â Client
"Body fat dropping down and weight gone up same as muscle."
-Â Client
meet the ascenders
Leah WheelerÂ
The Hormonal Coach. I’m not just a coach who learned this from a textbook, I’m the woman who believes every woman deserves to understand her body, reclaim her energy, and stop apologizing for taking up space — physically, emotionally, hormonally.
I coach women who’ve been dismissed, burnt out, and told their symptoms are “just part of getting older.”
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Six Raul Rabanal
After graduating with my MBA, I was hit with over 100K in student loan debt. Not exactly the way I expected to start my new career! But with smart financial decisions and a little hard work, I was debt-free in a year and well on my way to early retirement.
Now I use what I've learned to help people just like you find financial freedom. I’ll show you how to earn more, save more, and put your money to work for you with smart investments.
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Tori Maxwell
My passion is helping women over 40 feel strong, supported, and confident in their bodies — especially through the changes of perimenopause and menopause.
I’m a 56-year-old personal trainer and coach who came to the fitness industry after many years in the corporate world, driven by a desire to do more meaningful, people-focused work. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to work with industry leaders including Les Mills and Ultimate Performance.
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Nic Bergmans
I’ve spent my entire life in health and fitness and coaching. I know nothing else and they’re the only jobs that I’ve had my first job as an eight-year-old was coaching the under four soccer team which is kind of ironic cause I’m still coaching to this day. I was an athlete a high-level athlete. I made my way to England for a couple of years played some really high-level stuff against some really big names, but ultimately it wasn’t to be. I mean I’m 5 foot eight and I was trying to be a goalkeeper. I mean let’s get Real.Â
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Andrew Knox
I cut my bodyweight in half — no surgery, no gimmicks. I used to weigh 180kg. I lived on junk food, drank heavily, and felt completely stuck. On the outside, I was the “jolly fat guy.” On the inside, I was lonely, unhealthy, and miserable. My turning point came when my dad — my hero — was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s and dementia at just 58. Within six months, he didn’t even recognise me. That moment forced a hard truth: if life can change that fast for the worse, it can change for the better too. So I stopped chasing extremes and started focusing on one thing — getting better.
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Michael Hoffmann
My name is Hoff. I’ve played sport my entire adult life. Training, competing, pushing limits — that was who I was. At the end of 2023, at 35, my body told me enough was enough. Injuries piled up, recovery disappeared, and I was forced to step away from competitive sport — something I loved and had built my identity around. By the start of 2024, things hit rock bottom. I could barely lift 30kg. The body I trusted no longer felt like mine. I was someone who prided himself on hard work. On pushing. On finding another gear when things got tough. And suddenly, that gear was gone.
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