Tobi Pearce reveals new job after leaving Sweat last year

More than a year after departing digital fitness empire Sweat, Adelaide rich-list entrepreneur Tobi Pearce is taking a new brand to the world.

More than a year after departing digital fitness empire Sweat, Adelaide rich lister Tobi Pearce has a new job heading up a start-up with similar global ambitions.

The entrepreneur took to LinkedIn on Monday to announce he’d taken up the role of chief executive at EzLicence – an online driving instructor marketplace he co-founded in 2016.

It comes two years after Mr Pearce and former partner Kayla Itsines sold Sweat to US fitness giant iFIT in a $US150m deal.

Mr Pearce stayed on as chief executive at Sweat until March last year and has since spent his time advising and mentoring “the next wave of entrepreneurs”.

“I feel blessed to now be able to work on a new and very fun project within my own growing portfolio in the role of CEO at EzLicence,” Mr Pearce wrote on LinkedIn.

“Earlier this year I decided to step in to assist the absolutely brilliant team on their expansion internationally, the first stop being the UK late this year.

Sweat co-founder Tobi Pearce.

“We are a small and mighty team, hitting some very impressive milestones having generated over $35m in earnings for driving instructors in Australia, and are processing over 25,000 bookings per month.”

EzLicence allows learner drivers to find, compare and book verified driving instructors online, offering its service in major cities and towns across Australia.

Australian Securities & Investments Commission records show Mr Pearce’s Pearce & Co Investments is the company’s largest single shareholder, with a long list of other backers including co-founders Andrew Rawlinson and Simon Strode, and SA business leader Rob Chapman’s Chapman Capital Partners.

David Rohrsheim, who manages the $50m South Australian Venture Capital Fund, became a director last September.

Responding to a question posted on LinkedIn about the number of instructors available in South Australia, Mr Pearce said there was currently a severe shortage due to “arguably one of the most unnecessarily complex licensing regimes in the country”.

“This complexity amongst other market dynamics has created a chronic under supply of instructors,” Mr Pearce wrote.

“As a result of this we have been and are continuing to deepen our relationship with local training organisations to increase the volume of instructors here to help get more learners on the road safely.

“This is a core part of our strategy to improve the national driver community.”

Mr Pearce and Ms Itsines grew Sweat into one of the world’s largest digital fitness platforms, with a global following of more than 55 million women across its social media platforms.

He has been contacted for further comment.