‘I brought up the business on our first date’: Pilates power couple on mixing love with business

From the first date, this fitness couple knew they wanted to go into business together. They share their secrets to a happy relationship and a thriving business.

Morgan Budd and Michael Delaney for Couple Goals

Within a year of meeting, this Kelvin Grove fitness couple had moved in together and started a business. Morgan Budd, 32, co-founder of Power Moves and pilates instructor and Michael Delaney, 35, co-founder of Power Moves and festival owner, reveal the highs and lows of their four relationship.

MICHAEL

How did you meet? Hinge.

What was the first thing you noticed about Morgan?
Her hair colour and hot bod.

When did you first know it was love? When we could have open conversations about tough topics.

What was your most standout date? Morgan organised for us to head out to a light show tour for our third date at a pop- up venue down near South Bank. Let’s just say, soon after we arrived, we realised we could have probably put on a better light show if we’d stayed home and then ran around the house after a few wines turning all the lights on and off. Suffice to say, we left after about 10 minutes and pivoted the date to dinner, but it remains a funny story.

What is the most romantic thing she has ever done for you?

It’s the small, everyday type things for me, like when she tries new recipes and surprises me with them.

What is the secret to a happy relationship? Being able to have hard conversations and talk openly about the things that you’d rather avoid, and get through it together. It’s all about understanding each other, and communicating alternative perspectives. That’s what is really the foundation of a happy relationship for me.

Morgan Budd and Michael Delaney of Power Moves.

Who puts the bins out? Me, every time.

What is the thing you argue the most about? Definitely work. Working together on (pilates yoga studio) Power Moves and being in a relationship is definitely no easy feat, especially because we kind of take ownership of different parts of the business, meaning that sometimes we can clash heads over conflicting priorities. At the end of the day, we can usually turn it around into being a good thing, because our views, while differing, both have positives and negatives that we can pull from to find the best solution.

What do you find the most annoying about each other? When Morgan says the best time to have Power Moves HQ meetings is in the mornings, but then two days later she tells me that she operates better in meetings during the late afternoon … then another two days later, she says lunch times are the best for her. You can see what I am getting at, ha!

Who does the most cooking?
Me! I hope she reads this, he he.

What is the trait you like most about her? She can brush the small things off and
get on with life, she doesn’t hold grudges and, most of the time, communicates her issues rather than silently expecting me to figure them out. She is a fantastic communicator.

When were you the most vulnerable in your relationship?
Definitely when I proposed, and the speech that followed.

How do you think having children will affect your relationship? Stay tuned, we’re expecting our first bub in August.

Morgan Budd and Michael Delaney run Power Moves together

MORGAN

How did you meet? Hinge! Way classier than Tinder.

What was the first thing you noticed about Michael? His height and his tattoo.

When did you first know it was love? When we had our very first argument, and it was so easily resolved, more quickly and respectfully than I have ever experienced with anyone.

What was your most standout date?

One of our very first. We took a day trip down to Byron Bay, went for a walk to the lighthouse, and then spent the day at the beach. It was just a really easy, fun day.

What is the most romantic thing Michael has ever done for you?

When he proposed with a Pinterest board-type picnic on the beach in Noosa.

What is the toughest thing you’ve had to overcome together in your relationship?

We have a bit of a habit of doing everything, all at once. We had only just moved in together (which is always such a big transition for any relationship), and within a few months, we were already starting the fit-out for the West End Power Moves studio. I’d originally brought up the idea of Power Moves as a concept and a business on our very first date, and he was super encouraging of the idea, and it kicked off the whole process of the business, to our lease being signed for the first space just over a year later. Going from living separately and not working together, to then living together and working together under a very high pressure and high stress environment (anyone who has had to do a fit-out will know!), was super tough, but we quickly discovered how to best work together, and came out the other side with a lot of respect for each other in not only the relationship, but also in business.

What is the secret to a happy relationship? Always making the time to go on dates, no matter how tired or busy you get.

Who puts the bins out? Mike.

What is the thing you argue the most about? The first thing that comes to my mind is disagreements about work.

What do you find the most annoying about each other? When I’m trying to chill and switch off, and he keeps talking to me about work late into the night!

Who does the most cooking? Me!

What is the trait you like most about him? He puts all of his effort into everything that he does, whether it’s planning dates, work, doing things around the house and I absolutely love that.

How do you think having children will affect your relationship?

We’re expecting our first baby boy this August … so watch this space.