#12 :: Well-being For Employees and Families During a Pandemic, with Lindsay Johnson - FitPros

What does well-being mean at your company? For Lindsay Johnson and the FitPros team, supporting their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic has meant supporting their employees in whatever ways necessary. Learn how she led her team to support thousands of families during this tumultuous time and the techniques she uses for coping with change.  

FitPros: https://www.fitpros.com/

Recorded on 12.08.20

TRANSCRIPT

Laurie Pillow: You guys welcome back to the 100 CEO Project podcast. Today, we're excited to be talking with Lindsay Johnson. She's the CEO of FitPros. This is a workplace wellness company that serves clients like Square, Twitter, Wix, Eventbrite, United Airlines. It launched just in 2016, so they've had a fast explosion. The coolest, one of the coolest things that they're doing is not just bringing fitness, not just physical fitness to the workplace, but rather five pillars of fitness to include the physical, emotional, social, financial and a form of professional fitness. So I'm not going to get into that. I'm going to let her talk to you about it. So without further ado, Lindsay, thanks so much for joining us today.

Lindsay Johnson: Thank you so much for having me. Awesome to be here.

LP: So before we get into some of the things that you'd like to share as a CEO of your own company, could you give us like a quick synopsis of what inspired fitness in these five pillars in the context of the workplace?

LJ: Well, what inspired it truly was my own experiences. I mean, I worked in the corporate world for over a decade, more in the marketing capacity. And I was unhealthy, unhappy, and I had no idea where to look for well-being. There's a ton of fad diets out there that, you know, I would certainly try this, try that. But nothing ever stuck. And so the inspiration really came from me uncovering my whyand really how that was such a needed thing. And in the workplace just seemed like the most obvious place to do that, because people spend the majority of time with work.

2:30

LP: Right. So Lindsay, you guys offer workplace wellness programming. Can you talk to us a little bit about number one, why do companies want this? You know, what's motivating them to say, yeah, I need this. And two, what types of results, preferably measurable, are they getting from the programs that you guys offer? 

LJ: Yeah. I mean, the why I think that they're more in tune and listening to their employees these days, because especially since COVID, so many people are struggling with work-life balance, caregivers have so much so much to juggle. And so I think that employers are really listening to what their employees are asking for and needing and how to support them. So back in the day, I think that employers thought it was easy just to throw a yoga class on at lunchtime. And that's, that's a wellness program. It's not. I mean, that's a, that's great for people that want to get up and physically move and stretch. Yes, it's needed. But there's so much more to it. People need to be supported mentally, socially, and financially, and professionally, and all the ways and so I think that is, is definitely something that that companies are stepping up to. And so and then to your point with, with measuring. It really backs up to how employers are, are listening to their employees and finding out what they want. So I think, you know, it has to start from square one of, are they serving their employees to ensure that the programs that they're offering are what they need. And then you'll see more attendance when people are really engaged and know that that will impact their lifestyle needs. And so, um, you know, moving along well-being is very hard to measure. And the biggest thing that we have to measure off of is engagement. And so what falls into engagement is really ensuring that the message is spread throughout the company. So internal marketing and promotion has been one of the biggest struggles I would say, over the years is trying to, you know, we're kind of a third party, we're a little bit removed from HR. And so the best that we can do is give HR the tools to internally promote and so you know, some of the things that we'll do is write email chains that they can then use, you know, four weeks before, two weeks before, a week before that, an hour before, and so they can send that information out to their employees. Internal fliers, we've got a design team that'll help them internally promote. And so, you know, there's so many things that go into being able to track ROI. And it can't just be, you know, throw something out there and, you know, start a yoga class in two weeks and expect people to show up, they have to want it, they have to need it. And then they have to know about it. So. So to measure engagement, you've got to do all these other things. And that's where FitPros comes in and supports companies. 

LP: That's huge. You know, it's always about how to get that, how to transmit the message, and uncover what people's beliefs are around any form of wellness in their life. Because if we don't know that then,nah, right? No, you should eat the apple. Why?

LJ: Exactly. Yeah. Well consider the apple that I need Why do I need it?

5:56

LP: Super. Could you share maybe a couple of the most exciting programs, ones that have really made impact and, heck, yeah, we want to hear if there's something cool that might have happened at Twitter or Wix, if you want to share and can share?

LJ: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Um, you know, with COVID, things have changed quite a bit. So prior to March, you know, we were 99% on-site wellness. And so we would bring the gamut of programs into companies. When we were on-site to give you some examples, I would say, doing self defense workshops at companies, one of which you just named, I won't name it, but that they did it for their women's group. And, you know, we had 50 women in a room, learning how to defend themselves. And, you know, their headquarters is here in San Francisco in a very scary part of town. And so so many people left that room saying, Wow, I don't you know, I don't feel, I feel safe, leaving the office at, you know, dark. And so that was really, really rewarding to hear. We've done oh, gosh, with a construction company. We had a gentleman in the room, after the therapist gave a mental health talk, a gentleman in the room said, my son is being bullied at school. And I've taken him to therapists, I've taken him to school counselors. And I didn't know I didn't know what I could say to my son to help him to get through this, this bullying. And so after that one hour mental health workshop, he said, he stood up and he was just like, I know what I want to say to my son now and I was in tears. I, you know, of course, other things came out of that, but it was so moving how you can impact people in such a deep way that they then take into their home life, into their circles, into their network. And that's really what well being is, is to me and into this company.

7:58

LP: Tremendous. And that leads me into the leadership program that you launched this year in 2020, which is FitPro Kids.

LJ: Yeah.

LP: So and this is specifically for the children of the employees of the companies whom you're serving? 

LJ: Yes

LP: What are some of your most successful programs for kids, especially knowing that you launched this right in the middle of the pandemic? What are the needs you're hearing from the parents? And what are the needs that your hip and in the know counselors are hearing from the kids?

LJ: Yeah. Well, like you mentioned, we did launch FitPros Kids in February, we've been working on it for nearly a year, year and a half. And it really evolved to be, ultimately - our ultimate goal is to really get into the communities we want to be, you know, working with, with underserved communities as well. But we knew that starting in the workplace would be the most effective way. And so, um, so we had prior to March, we designed programming for on-site camps. And so we would have three day, five day camps where kids could come in and we'd have a full day of holistic programming from physical fitness to, to mental health and, and like we, the mental health coach would more talk about kind of like the situations that kids endure, you know, whether it's bullying or whether it's just insecurities and helping normalize that. You know, I personally had gone through a lot of those struggles myself and just had to learn so much as an adult and had I learned those things at a young age, I think things could have shaped a little a little different. And so that's really where this comes from, is wanting to give children the tools to empower them to to make them feel, to help them feel good. And, and so that is, when we're allowed back on-site, that's what we'll continue to do. 

And then once COVID hit, we decided we were like, how can we still keep FitPros Kids alive and still offer programming to families because that's, kids are home from school, they need to be supported, they need things to do. And so this year we launched, we're doing things like puppet shows. And the puppeteer is, is, you know, educating kids on all the things I just mentioned, the range of, of giving them tools of things to work with. We're doing magic shows, and the magician is hilarious for kids. Oh, he does it for kids. But then he throws in some great things for adults. And so it's very fun and family friendly. Kids family yoga, that's been fantastic. Oh, gosh, I watched a meditation a couple weeks ago. And the little boy had his eyes opened, you know, most of the time, he was like, Am I doing this right, and different things like that. So, to your point, you know, we haven't been able to really dive into FitPros Kids, as we as we hope to as we plan to, I would love for it to be a nonprofit and you know, go through all those hoops that we have to do to make it a nonprofit down the road, we have very high hopes for FirPros Kids. So right now we're doing the best that we can to support families while they're in these challenging times.

LP: Andrea, do you have something you want to hop in here?

11:40

Andrea Spirov: I was just going to shift over to the challenges that you mentioned some on the last call, because you went from 99% on-site programming to now doing most of the things virtual. Can you tell us about those challenges and how you overcame them?

LJ: Oh, yeah. Well, in, you know, March, early March, I was in the fetal position for a few days, maybe a week wondering what the heck we're gonna do. You know, we, we work with, I would say, you know, nearly 800 teachers and speakers around the world that, you know, we love giving them gigs to, you know, to perform their passion, and then also our internal team, you know, I just I didn't know how we were going to keep this alive. And my team, we put our heads together and just really had a virtual whiteboard session, and what the heck can we do. And so we took as many programs as we could virtually, and of course, you know, bumps in the road with that our teachers aren't necessarily equipped to do at home teaching, you know, they've got their bed in the background, and their dresser over here, and the lighting is not great. And  microphone. And so all of those challenges have been very interesting to work through. And it's still a work in progress, you know, eight months in. It's ever evolving, but we're getting much, much better at that. And, you know, our programming in particular. We took, gosh, I would say we had about 35 on-site wellness programs. I would say we took you know, our fitness classes, we launched several new I mentioned the magic shows, and the puppet shows, educational workshops, we can certainly do anything from nutrition to financial wellness, a diversity and inclusion has been huge. We've been supporting companies with coaching, so we're doing DEI coaching for executives, also just different levels of coaching, and supporting companies. And so, that and then we also, we also came up with two new products, one being a physical product, these are care packages. And what we did is we started calling around different fulfillment houses and trying to figure out okay, you know, how do we what items should we put in the boxes, what, what rates, how do we work with FedEx, and we've never done anything like that. And so that was such a roller coaster trying to figure out how to make it, how to make it valuable. And so what we decided to do was pair our care packages with virtual classes. So in the care package, we would put things like an exercise band, and we pair that with a fitness exercise class, we put oil and vinegar and an apron and pair that with a cooking class. Let's see a trigger point ball. Painting has been a really popular one where we would put a paint set and then the art therapists would teach people how to paint different things that are meaningful to them, and then they talk through it. And so that's been a really popular set, something we've never had before. So COVID has really given us the opportunity to start over. I mean, I truly feel like we've built a whole new business that I think will be here when we do go back on-site.

15:10

AS: My question on that would just be around what the response was to people shifting to virtual. Did you feel how employees were responding through this time? Because somebody's got to suddenly do Zoom school? Did they maintain their commitment to wellness?

LJ: Yeah, yeah, I think so. I mean, I actually would say attendance has increased. I mean, we, on-site wellness classes, like fitness classes, for example, would see an average of say, eight to 10 people would show up to a fitness class, sometimes less, sometimes more. But now I think we're seeing more 15 to 20. And that's for your, your, your mid-sized company, somewhere around 200 employees to 500 employees, they're seeing a good amount of people show up to you know, those are the fitness classes to the educational workshops, we've got hundreds of employees showing up. So I really think that it's just convenience, I think that you know, doing things virtual is is a greater convenience for people to make the time. And I think employers are certainly prioritizing it a lot more these days as well, because they know that their employees need it. I can't even tell you how many companies have called us up saying, our employees are begging for XYZ, how can we get this started, you know, tomorrow. And so it's been, it's been a whirlwind of just supporting them in whatever ways we possibly can. So when a company is, yeah, it was actually a company that came to us and said they wanted to do you know, possibly like a magic show. Can you help us out with that? Absolutely. We've got connections, we can we can help you out with that. And so I think that employers know that they need to get creative to support their employees too.

17:04

LP: You know, it's super interesting, it's fascinating to hear how you've pivoted in 2020, you've not had to scratch, scream, you know, ask for business, but rather, the world understands perhaps your value more than ever. So is there anything that we've not touched on, Lindsay that you want to share something that's really at the top of your brain? 

LJ: Yeah, I think, you know, final things I'd love to share, just coming from the CEO perspective is just don't give up. I mean, it's so cliche, but our perseverance is key. And just remember the why. I love going back to Simon Sinek’s message of the why. And that's really what got me started. And so I've had to, I mentioned I was in the fetal position, when COVID hit, I've had to go back to that feeling many times. And yoga and meditation personally to tap into, times are really hard, you know, times we've certainly we've disappointed clients, and that breaks my heart and you know, certain things, it's just been, it's been a roller coaster. And so I think that all of us that are trying to build something, have to just continue to dive into the why. And if it doesn't feel right, shift gears. If something, if you keep hitting a wall with something, try to let go, that's really hard for someone with my, I'll say, stubbornness, that's fine. To let go and know that I can't control everything. But it has, that, we have to, we just have to go with the flow.

18:40

AS: Can we expand a little bit on that meditation point? Because you just said that you use meditation and yoga as a tool for helping you achieve breakthrough results in your business, basically. And I'm curious what that looks like. Because a lot of people, myself included, have trouble using meditation as a tool.

LJ: Yeah, I think most people do. That's the thing is, we think that we have to shut off our mind. We think that, oh, I've got all these thoughts coming in, I can't be meditating. That's not true. I mean, just sitting and pausing, can be meditating. They've got, you can do walking meditations, you can do any type of meditation, I think it's just sitting with your thoughts, you know, is meditation. And so one of the things that really helped me get rid of the stigmas with meditation, I was thinking about and listening to all the very successful people that say they do it all the time, like Steve Jobs. You've got Marc Benioff, and so many other people that are so successful and just rave about how having those moments to just sit in their thoughts, help them be creative. And that's all we have to do in this leadership role is, is sit back and, and tap into our why, and then piece together the plan. And so for me when I first got into yoga, six, oh gosh, seven, eight years ago, and mind you, I'd never done it before because I thought it was woowoo and didn't understand it at all. But when I started it I actually didn't know she was a Kundalini teacher at the time. And Kundalini is very spiritual. And, and so once I started doing it, I was like, What is this? I have, I don't understand it. But man, practice, practice, practice practice. So once you continue doing something over and over again, it becomes a habit right, they say 21 days to make a habit. And, I had some just breakthrough moments. I saw visions, I saw all these things that really helped ground me. And I will say getting busy in our very busy lives that we are, I forget about that a lot. But as of recent, going through some personal things, I decided to try Kundalini again. And it just helps. It just helps recenter me helps me be a better leader for my team. And and just somehow clarity, clarity comes just by just sitting in the thoughts, let them come, let them flow. 

21:30

LP: I think this taps back into one of the last things you said, which is regardless of what's going on in the world and how it's moving, shifting, affecting your businesses go with the flow and have that perseverance and from what we've learned about you that has definitely allowed you to achieve some really cool stuff. So last question really fast. Best tip you have for people who are still literally stuck in the workplace or Okay, who are stuck at home, in a home office. Yeah,

LJ: Best tip for people stuck at home or in a workplace would be Move, move your body. So get up, just to stand up and stretch would be to step away from the computer. And even if it's to go into your bedroom, and, you know, fidget with something, fold your clothes, anything, don't sit at your computer for hours on end. Mind you, I have the same and I have to remind myself of that constantly. And that's that's just what we have to do. But we will feel better. So that you know, just just taking that time for ourselves, to move your bodies to take the mental break from just being in it all the time. And just knowing that life is a roller coaster; if we weren't facing challenges, then we wouldn't be moving. We would just be just settled. And and I don't know about you, I don't want to just settle, I want to continue facing challenges and grow. My motto is student for life, like keep it coming.

LP: Lindsay Johnson, this is terrific. Thank you so much for your insights, for your wisdom -  for keeping it real with us. For people who want to connect with you, not just with you, but perhaps want to contact your company. How do they get in touch with you?

LJ: Yeah, yeah, visit FitPros.com or email Hello at fitpros.com

LP: Awesome. Thank you again for taking time to talk to us.

LJ: Thank you very much. Have a beautiful day ladies.

LP: You too. Hey, guys, we hope you've enjoyed today's episode. And if you did, please share it with your friends and colleagues who also have to navigate this leadership stuff. As you can see, this project is about to be a mini masterclass in every episode. Best part. It's free. So if you like it, please do us a favor and take a screenshot, share it on social with the hashtag #100CEO. That way we can say thanks and share it in our stories. And finally, if you've got some insights you'd like to share and you're a CEO, we'd love to hear from you. You can find us at 100CEOProject.com, or on LinkedIn at the 100 CEO Project. Until next time, keep leading by example.

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Hosted by: Laurie Pillow, Andrea Spirov

Writing and research: Laurie Pillow, Andrea Spirov

Edited by: Laurie Pillow

Produced by: Laurie Pillow, Andrea Spirov