The Pursuit of Love - By Steve Claydon and Darcy J Smyth (Directors at Why Bravo) 105 “Have a Crack: From AFL Oval to App Store” with Ryan Clarke
Former AFL player Ryan Clarke joins The Pursuit of Love podcast to unpack his shift from professional football to tech entrepreneur. After 97 games with North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans, Clarke took a year off to travel—only to discover how difficult it was to access a gym without locking into a membership. That frustration sparked the idea for Gymgoer, a fitness app designed to give travellers simple, contract-free access to gyms through day, week, or monthly passes.
In this episode, Ryan talks about raising $400,000 in funding, launching Gymgoer in October 2024, and rolling it out across Melbourne and key holiday destinations. He opens up about the steep learning curve of building an app with no technical background, the mindset shift from athlete to founder, and why solving your own problems often leads to the best business ideas. His message to young creators and entrepreneurs? Back
yourself and have a crack while you can.
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