Nicole Bryant

Meet Nicole Bryant, Director of High Line Active, a leading Sports Medicine and High Performance Clinic in Richmond, Melbourne. With roots in AFL, triathlon and trauma care, Nicole found her way into motorsport after helping a Supercars driver overcome an in-car injury, a moment that sparked a decade of blending elite sports science with race-car ergonomics and performance coaching.

Today, she’s a trusted expert to athletes, organisations and motorsport professionals, known for her sharp clinical skill, innovation and honest leadership. In this interview, Nicole opens up about building High Line Active, the challenges of running a modern health business, navigating a male-dominated industry and what motorsport must do to genuinely welcome more women.

Explain your business to us?

High Line Active is a Sports Medicine and High Performance Clinic in Richmond, Victoria. We provide health and human performance services to men and women of all ages, athletes and organisations. We have onsite Physiotherapy, Strength and Conditioning, Sports Dietetics and Sports Psychology. We also design performance programs for organisations and deliver corporate keynote education with innovation drawn from our work in motor racing. 

How did it begin and how have you intertwined motorsport into your work?

My involvement in motorsport began through Supercars where a driver was getting leg numbness in the car and sought my Physiotherapy expertise to resolve this injury. From there I've become a specialist in athlete development, performance and driver ergonomics. I had a background in high performance sport work being AFL and Triathlon plus a combination of corporate health experience and acute hospital trauma management so when the motorsport opportunity came along I had all the key skills to integrate. 

What are some of the challenges you face in running your own business?

The main challenges running a business I find are changing government regulations, changing compliance, market changes, managing staffing and HR regulations plus being in Victoria post covid many businesses are still recovering from the financial setbacks at that time and transitioning to other growth areas.  

Do you have a mentor, if so, how do they create value and assist your progress? Yes I have a number of mentors. They are all experienced in different areas whether senior level management, governance or team building or marketing. In recent years drawing on experts around me has become even more important to more strategically guide the growth of the business. 

What are the most important traits to look for when hiring a new employee?

Honesty and integrity are essential to me and the values of my business. And it's tricky to gauge this in the hiring process with AI resumes and through initial interviewing. Candidates stand out to me if they embody ultra professionalism paired with kindness and empathy.

How do you handle failure and setbacks within the business?

I'm not very good with failure, I'm inherently stubborn and will always find a solution. However, I'm learning to redirect faster and move in positive growth directions. Identifying the right business partners sooner and letting go of less productive people and projects has been a game changer. 

Has there been a pivotal moment in your career? Something positive or a challenge you experienced.

Probably the start of High Line Active 10 years ago now. I took the plunge leaving employment behind to work in the business full time. It was definitely scary relying on myself to generate all the income. But you have to back yourself and continue to believe in your vision and the services you provide.  

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?

"Play the long game' from Nadine Armstrong. And I play it over in my head often. Especially during minor setbacks or periods of frustration. 

What is your advice for a female trying to build a business and get started in automotive/motorsport?

Make sure you know you have a thick skin and that you are prepared to work incredibly hard. Accept that the industry is very male dominated and changing slower than other industries. Find like-minded male colleagues and learn from them. Build relationships with male and female allies and make sure you help them build their careers and businesses too. 

What can motorsport do to make itself more appealing to women?

Motorsport content needs to be more inclusive towards women and to move away from the standard representation of the male fan and male home mechanic in my opinion. 

I developed corporate keynotes and corporate health programs that align motorsport high performance initiatives with executive individuals and teams. There has been significant interest and engagement in these programs. I think that's partly because I'm a woman talking about working with professional male athletes in this male-dominated world, but also because of the personal behind-the-scenes insights I share. This kind of content is inclusive to men and women equally. Genuine inclusivity is welcoming, and it needs to embody many forms.