Steph! You’re a busy bee of late, so thank you for taking the time to hang out with INC! First & foremost congrats on the booming growth of Soda Shades! The brand is doing such incredible things, it’s a pleasure to watch! What are your top 2 or 3 styles at the moment?

Aw thank you! We’re having fun with it! My favourite styles atm are the Gemma, the all black Astros and a new pair… that isn’t quite out yet but I've been wearing them a bunch on my socials and people seem to be excited by them!

As well as Soda, you & Laura Henshaw are continuing to drive such a positive shift amongst the mindset of women with KIC. To you personally, what is the most rewarding part of the program?

Meeting the girls from the community is for sure the most rewarding part. When we get to meet them in person the girls can sometimes get quite emotional, and to hear that the program is some what making them love themselves more or live a healthier and happier life, is honestly the best.

With winter on the doorstep, it’s getting harder & harder to slip out of bed each morning & into runners. What’s your mental trick? Do you ever let yourself press snooze?

Of course! There are some mornings you just need that extra bit of sleep and that's okay! I think sleep is so important, so if I haven’t had enough and I wake up genuinely feeling exhausted, then I wont push myself to do a workout. I think we can all workout the difference between the feeling of ‘ahhh I just cant be bothered’ to ‘okay no I really need to rest’. BUT, if you are someone who makes 100 excuses up, I find these three things help me stay motivated. Lay your workout gear out by your bed the night before, so when you wake up you're reminded that it was your intention to get up and workout. Remind yourself you never ever regret a workout, and that the motivation will come once you get moving. Lastly, you don’t need equipment, you don’t need to leave the house, you don’t even need to get out of your pjs really! If you have a program like ours you can roll out of bed and follow along a workout video and get it out of the way without worrying about layering up and walking out to your car in the cold to get to the gym.

In recent weeks, what are some new exercises within the KIC program you’re loving?

I’m really loving following the strength and yoga workouts the most at the moment. Which is so funny because if you asked me a year ago, I never really included either style of training in my routine. I do love mixing up my routine and getting stronger and fitter in a lot of different areas so yeah, strength and yoga KIC sessions are what challenging me at the moment!

Which exercises are you still finding tough & wondering, “will this ever get easier?!”

Running hahah. BUT it certainly has gotten easier. I’m running 3 times a week now, and it challenges me so much and I basically hate it every step of the way haha. But I don’t hate it completely - I love the feeling after a run, and I love challenging myself and improving my time and distance etc.… its a total mind game.

During the colder months, it’s easier & more comfortable to workout inside. For those working out in their living room, can you tell us what equipment might help? i.e. the couch for step ups/a dining chair for dips etc.?

There's girls in our community who have invested in some very affordable equipment from places like Kmart, just dumbbells, a mat, skipping rope etc. But for those who choose not to, a couch or chair can be used for certain exercises like triceps dips or split squats for sure. We also have seen girls using watermelons, heavy books, full drink bottles and much more as forms of resistance!

You made a pledge to practice yoga once a week this year! Good on you! How is this going & what key benefits are you noticing?

Oh noooo, I was hoping no one was going to bring this up haha. Unfortunately I've been slack and its been more like once a month…BUT your question has now reignited my motivation to give it a crack haha.

In terms of your mental strength - what do you find gives you the biggest high in term of an endorphin rush?

I think whenever I do something that I’ve once told myself I could never do, I get that ‘I can do anything’ feeling… and its incredible. Whether its beating a running time or lifting a weight I never imagined lifting, its an incredible feeling when you can see yourself getting stronger.

Your work ethic is sublime considering how much you have going on. Who motivates you daily? Where do you find any extra “pick-me-up” when you’re not feeling 100% on top of things?

Josh and Laura are my two rocks that bring me back up when I'm feeling down. Laura's work ethic, organizational skills and her drive all motivate me to be the best business partner I can be. Josh just always knows exactly what to say and when to say it… he brings me back down to the ground if I'm ever floating away in a stress bubble. I think surrounding yourself with supportive people like that is the biggest pick me up.

You’re obviously a well known & adored beach babe! In winter, when you’re not beaching - what is Steph Claire Smith doing with her time?!

Watching lots of movies and eating a lot of popcorn haha!

What's’ next! You have the fashion & health world sorted. Any plans for the near future?

Marriage hehe. We still have so many plans for both Soda and KIC, but family plans are certainly in the back of my mind… I can’t wait to be a mum one day! Josie and Ryan’s baby Smith has got me feeling extra clucky!!!