The Livewell Collective - December 2019

DECEMBER 2019

ITS OWN REWARD If I’ve learned one thing from Christmas shopping, it’s that the best gifts are the hardest to give away. I always know I’ve found a real winner when I find myself thinking, “What if I just keep this for me and find them something else?” Of course, I never do, but the temptation is always there. Still, it’s worth it — there’s nothing like the feeling of giving a great present. That’s something that I’ve really come to appreciate as a business owner, and you should, too. You see, as O2 has grown, we’ve looked for new ways to give back to our customers, including going in on some awesome giveaways. This sort of shopping is especially difficult for me — most of the gifts affiliate owners would want also happen to be right up my alley. For instance, at the Games this year, we gave away a HyperIce massage therapy device. With a price tag over $300, you can bet I wanted that miracle machine for myself — but I settled for just adding

On the next page, we go into a bit more detail on how and why giving away products can be a great move for your gym. But for now, I want to focus on my personal experience with this approach. I knew it was a great idea, but I didn’t fully expect how much I would get out of it on an emotional level. I’ve always enjoyed getting gifts for friends and family, but I didn’t know how well the experience would translate in business. Especially when you’re just starting out and just trying to make sales in the first place, the idea of giving things away can sound like heresy. But once O2 was established enough that we could start doing fun promotions and giveaways, I was amazed. I got the same warm, fuzzy feelings I get when giving gifts to loved ones. The same rules apply as with Christmas shopping. To get a great gift, it’s not about the price tag; it’s about knowing the person you’re buying for. I could drop $1,000 on some lavish present for my mom, but I wouldn’t see the same reaction as the year I got her a $50 gift that she really wanted. This can be a little harder to figure out on a business scale (you don’t know your members as well as your own mom, hopefully). But you do know they’re into improving their health, and that can be the perfect steppingstone. At the time of writing, we’re looking into gifts we can deliver to our subscription clients. You’ve given us the gift of your loyalty, and we want to find the right way to say thank you. I can’t disclose what this year’s present might be, but I’ll say that we’re hoping to make it something you can share with your members. After all, getting to know so many affiliates over the years, we’ve grown to recognize how much you care about your members and community. We want to give you something that lets you express that passion for service. Keep an eye out for the announcement.

it to my wish list. I’ve learned that as an entrepreneur, it’s far better to give to others than to indulge yourself. It was our top-selling affiliate who taught me this. O2 was flying off her shelves, and after enough She was literally giving it away. She welcomes each new member with an ice cold can, on the house. The results speak for themselves: That affiliate sells more than 50 cases of O2 a month thanks to loyal members who are familiar with the drink from the moment they step into the gym. She turned a $2 can into a gift that really does keep on giving. I was sold. orders, we just had to ask what she was doing to be so successful. The answer?

Happy holidays,

–Dave Colina Founder, O2

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3 TIPS TO MAKE EMAILING A BREEZE NO MORE SPAM

Emails are a time suck. As you read through the subject lines, you wonder how your time can be better spent. Kevin Rose, entrepreneur and founder of Digg.com, discovered an interesting way to limit the time he spends replying to emails, and it’s extremely simple. All you have to do is end all emails with “Sent from my smartphone.” Why does this make a difference? According to Rose, he found that people have different expectations based on whether emails are sent from mobile devices or computers. Presumably, any email that doesn’t include the tag “Sent from my smartphone” is sent from a computer with a full keyboard and your full attention. As it turns out, people don’t mind short, to-the-point emails if you reply on the go. The best part is that you can add the “Sent from my smartphone” from any device. You can add the signoff manually when you need a quick fix or add it to your signature. You no longer have to waste time writing paragraphs in response. Instead, you can limit your responses to single words or short phrases. This is helpful when you need to send someone a quick answer to keep things moving but you’re not interested in getting into the details then and there. In other words, you can buy

THE POWER OF GIFTS IN RETAIL

‘Tis the season of giving, which means it’s time we talk about one of the most simple, effective retail strategies out there: promotional gifts. Giving away merchandise for free may sound counterintuitive, but you’ll see that there’s a lot to gain through generosity. MORE THAN A DISCOUNT On paper, giving a great discounted price on big-ticket items can be just as generous as giving away smaller ones. But, psychologically, the two actions are very different. Ultimately, buying something at a discount still feels transactional. A gift, on the other hand, is a very personal gesture,

with a freebie. This lets them know you value their time spent at your gym. It’s gestures like this that create lifetime members. THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING We all know the feeling — a friend gets us a gift that we weren’t expecting, and suddenly we feel a deep urge to return the favor. Free merch may lead members to actively refer people to your

one that comes with no strings attached. For this reason, a small freebie can leave a lasting impression. MAKE MEMBERS FEEL SEEN We’re not saying you should just open the refrigerator and tell your whole gym to grab a can of O2 on the house. Rather, we’re saying you can use promotional gifts to recognize their achievements. For example, if someone’s boosted their attendance or finally completed a WOD that had been a challenge for them in the past, you could further encourage them

gym, sign up for more classes, or just become regular

buyers of that recovery drink you recommended.

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EMAILS!

yourself time until you can focus on a more thought-out response.

FROM CLEANING DUTY TO MANAGEMENT

HOW JOSH JOHNSON TRANSFORMED ROCHESTER SPORTS GARDEN

Leo Laporte, host of the “This Week in Tech” (“TWiT”) podcast, has another suggestion: Tell

Josh Johnson and the Rochester Sports Garden have literally grown together. Founded by his relatives when he was just 5 years old, Josh spent many birthday parties within this 50,000-square-foot athletic facility. As time went on, this affiliate owner would more than leave his mark on the family business. “I was 18 and going to Monroe Community College at the time,” Josh remembers. “That’s when I asked my uncle if I could work here.” While he was the owners’ nephew, he didn’t exactly get special treatment. “At first, I came in one night a week just to help out — cleaning bathrooms, stocking vending machines — exciting stuff,” Josh explains wryly. But this upstate New Yorker wouldn’t stay cleaning toilets forever. Josh worked his way through the ranks, running soccer leagues and taking membership payments until eventually, his uncle offered to make him general manager. “I was horrified,” Josh remembers, “but I said yes. The things that scare you, those are what you want to do.” So, he threw himself into the work of managing the Rochester Sports Garden, a huge facility containing two soccer fields, four basketball courts, and six batting cages. Despite all of this, the young general manager would find a way to bring something new to the table. The first change was the way the Rochester Sports Garden tracked information. “Three to four years ago, we were using old school pen and paper,” Josh says, explaining how they made the shift to trail- based platforms to save time and money. The next big shift came when Josh noticed one of his members doing muscle-ups. “I was like, ‘I could do that ,’” he recalls. “Turns out I couldn’t.” The member told Josh her secret: CrossFit. After joining a box himself, Josh fell in love with everything CrossFit had to offer. When it became clear that batting cages weren’t as popular as they used to be, he seized the opportunity to transform the space into a box within the Rochester Sports Garden. We wanted to know how Josh manages to helm such a huge, multifaceted operation. “I have a very good team around me,” Josh explains. “Some people say if you want something done right, do it yourself — no. You just have to find the right people.” To him, every team member, from coaches to those who clean the toilets, and his wife, Sarah, plays an integral part in maintaining the Rochester Sports Garden. Josh advises new owners to not be afraid to call out those who are not meeting expectations, saying “Hold to your core values, create a culture from the beginning, and stick to your guns.”

people you don’t read emails. Of course, you do read emails, but the world doesn’t need to know it. This is a great way to cut down on the number of emails waiting in your inbox.

Finally, set aside time to do an email purge. Look at the people and businesses that are sending you emails, decide which ones you don’t read anymore, and unsubscribe. Depending on the size of your inbox, this can take time, but it’s worth it. You’ll receive fewer emails, which means you won’t spend hours scrolling through your inbox, and that can save you time and money in the long run.

SIMPLY STEAMED SALMON AND CORN WITH DILL YOGURT

INGREDIENTS

• 4 (6-oz) skin-on salmon fillets (such as wild Alaskan) • 1 tsp kosher salt, divided • 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided • 8 oz haricots verts (French green beans), trimmed

• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked and halved crosswise • 1/2 cup plain 2% reduced- fat Greek yogurt • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped • 1 tsp lemon zest • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare a steamer with two stackable bamboo baskets in a large Dutch oven. Line baskets with parchment paper. Add water to Dutch oven to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil over high heat. 2. Sprinkle salmon with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place in one bamboo basket. Place haricots verts and corn in second bamboo basket, and stack on salmon basket. Cover and cook until fish flakes with a fork, 8–10 minutes. 3. Stir together yogurt, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp pepper. Drizzle sauce over salmon, corn, and beans, and serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Yield: Serves 4 | Calories 553| Fat 14g | Protein 51g | Carbs 58g | Fiber 17g | Sugar 8g | Sodium 591mg

Thanks, Josh!

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Page 1 O2’s Playing Santa Claus This Year Page 2 3 Tips to Make Emailing a Breeze Taking Advantage of Promotional Gifts Page 3 Simply Steamed Salmon and Corn With Dill Yogurt Josh Johnson on Delegation Page 4 A Better Way to Think About Motivation

SUSAN FOWLER’S ‘MASTER YOUR MOTIVATION’

A SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH TO ACHIEVING MORE

“You have the power to change your behaviors,” says Susan Fowler, “but to be successful in changing, you need an evidenced-based framework for motivation and techniques for applying it.” In her new book, “Master Your Motivation: Three Scientific Truths for Achieving Your Goals,” Fowler synthesizes her decades of research into a guide that provides such a framework. In the process, she overturns countless widely held myths about what motivates us.

Thankfully for the reader, Fowler defines an alternative framework for motivation. In what amounts to the book’s thesis, she states, “To master your motivation, create choice, connection, and competence.” When you measure motivation across these three factors, which are the result of rigorous academic research rather than folksy conventional wisdom, you unlock the power of motivation. It’s not hard to see how Fowler’s framework is much more actionable than traditional motivational techniques. Creating intrinsic motivation, especially for others, is a mug’s game, but defining choice, connection, and competence is much less ambiguous. If you have team members who you feel lack motivation, ask yourself if their jobs have these three essential traits. Do they have agency (choice) in their work? Do they generate meaning (connection) from what they do? Do they get a sense of accomplishment (competence) from doing something well? If you can’t answer all three of these in the affirmative, you can create a plan for increasing motivation that doesn’t involve empty metrics or meaningless rewards. If you or your team could use a proverbial kick in the pants, the solution might be to ignore those proverbs entirely. “Master Your Motivation” takes a refreshing look at what makes us strive for more. It’s a great addition to any leadership library.

Fowler believes the traditional carrot-and-stick approach to motivation (a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior) results from our perception of motivation as being either intrinsic or extrinsic. “Simplifying motivations into two types presents a conundrum when you aren’t intrinsically motivated,” she writes. “Your only fallback position is extrinsic motivation.” In other words, just by thinking about motivation as intrinsic versus extrinsic, you’ve already set yourself up to fail. To really motivate yourself and others, she argues, you need to think about motivation in different terms.

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