Hello Gympass!

As I shared last week, I've left LinkedIn after 9 remarkable years with a company and people I truly love and admire. So why leave such a wonderful company? Because there's something amazing on the horizon……..

Yesterday was my first day at Gympass (and my kids and wife treated me to a Gympass dinner)! What's Gympass you ask, and why would you leave LinkedIn to work for a "Gym Company" in the middle of a global pandemic? I thought you'd never ask......

First of all, Gympass is much more than a "Gym Company". Gympass is a wellness company that is providing millions of employees around the world access to the world's largest fitness network, but it's more than just fitness. Gympass is empowering companies to offer a broad range of wellness options to their employees. Think fitness, nutrition, personal training, mental health & therapy, meditation, financial wellbeing, smoking cessation, etc. etc. etc. It’s a blended platform that allows users to access these amazing benefits virtually and (when it’s safe) in person as well.

If you’re saying, “Wow, that sounds amazing, how do I get that at my company?” Just shoot me a note and I’ll help you out :). If you’re saying, that’s great, but still, why are you leaving LinkedIn? Remember that post you wrote about the great food and access to the top of the Empire State Building? Well, if you’re really interested in the “why”, read on.

I joined Gympass for many reasons, but there are three that stand out:

1: Mission: Early in my career, I learned something about myself…..I’m great at selling things I believe in and I’m terrible at selling things I don’t. I’m a passionate person and I love to share my passions with others. LinkedIn enabled me to do that for almost 9 years. In Gympass I found a company with a mission (Make well-being universal, so everyone can be happy and healthy) that I’m passionate about. I've seen first hand the amazing benefits of physical activity, mindfulness, and mental health, as well as the devastating effects of inactivity and lack of access to well-being resources. We’re making the world a better place, one member at a time. I can get behind that.

2: People: I’ve been talking with the good folks at Gympass for over 18 months. Cesar Carvalho, Livia Martini, Marco Crespo, Thiago Pessoa, and many others. These are amazing leaders who care about their people and customers, and who have built a remarkable company through an inspiring set of values: A talented team working together to achieve amazing results in the right way. Equally inspiring is the way they’ve weathered one of the wildest storms imaginable. Try to envision running a business that provides access to thousands of gyms that suddenly shut down….indefinitely. Their remarkable transition to a digital wellness company over the past 12 months has been nothing short of miraculous. I’m very excited to jump on this train!

3: Growth: Now don’t get me wrong, Gympass is growing rapidly and I’m thrilled to be part of it (great investors, exciting wellness partners, and excellent customers). That said, the growth that got me most excited was the #growthmindset kind of personal growth that I’ll experience along with those I work with. I’m a perpetual learner and always want to push myself to learn more. Gympass is offering me an opportunity to learn SO MANY new things and to share some of the lessons I’ve learned with others who are anxious to grow. How could I say no to that?

So there you have it.

Is it a risk? Undeniably.

Will I miss LinkedIn? Absolutely.

But will I learn a TON? Without a doubt.

Is it the right move? If I learn a lot and help others do the same, all while doing something that matters……it is 100% the right move. #growthmindset #happyandhealthy