Six things I learnt in 2018

When you solo travel, which I did on a last minute warm weather running trip at Christmas, I find you fall into “reflection mode” with the masses of thinking time you have; in my case on my long runs and during general R&R on the beach.

It felt like I blinked and 2018 was over but with another passing year I continue to learn a lot and make tonnes of mistakes, but most importantly surround myself with lots of inspiring people and take on exciting new challenges!

This year was definitely the year of Fiit (or Fiiiiiiiiiiiiit) as my friends call it – building the foundations for what I hope will be a generation–defining business. But I’ve had a lot of fun along the way as well… I scratched my festival itch with trips to Madrid, Ibiza and in London, enjoying the abnormally warm weather. I met 25 relatives I’d never met before in Melbourne, became a God Parent, rowed at Henley, did the Hackney Half & Berlin Marathon and competed in my first strong man competition!

Here are six things I’ve learned along the way...

#1 Surf when the surf is up

I was lucky enough to spend some time with Patrick Pichette, the ex–Google CFO, and he talked about his career and how he was a workaholic, but towards the end of his Google career he realised how important it was to spend time with friends and family as they won’t be around forever! His friend in California who was a big surfer lived by this motto – you can’t plan when the big waves will break. I think being spontaneous and following your gut is so important and something I positively encourage with my team. If you get an opportunity to do something mad or crazy and you won’t be dropping anyone in it at work, go for it!

#2 Yep! I’m still addicted to the start up drug

It’s been a year since I wrote a blog on this and I still feel very lucky to be working at such a fast paced, high energy company like Fiit. With every hire we make, I warn candidates that start-ups aren’t for everyone – it’s a completely different beast to a large established business and often requires a very different skill–set. One of our advisors told me an analogy which I think sums it up perfectly. The stages that a company go through can be likened to Commandos, the Army and Police Force. The Commandos are the first into battle, they will do whatever it takes to succeed – they are an agile unit that are adaptable but decisive in action and move quickly. The Army are then called into secure the area and provide more heavyweight support and stability. Finally the Police Force are there to maintain and manage civilians with a structured set of laws and regulations. I’m definitely a Commando. What about you?!

#3 A team with purpose doesn’t get sick!

One thing I love about Fiit is our mission is about motivating the world to move – to live longer and be happier. Because we feel so strongly about this we launched a free version of Fiit in November - Fiit got Free! I believe this purpose runs deep through the business in every team member – It certainly makes it very easy to get out of bed! One stat that has taken us by surprise this year is how few sick days we’ve had – one, possibly two across our 30 strong team, which could be down to all the fitness we’re doing but I think it’s more to do with the fact people really give a shit about what they do but more importantly why they do it!

#4 Fitness is so hot right now!

The saying ‘fake it till you make it’ has been said a lot in the office over the last 18 months – as newbie founders into the FitTech space, it’s inevitable. But as we see the market grow, the innovation that is happening and the investor interest in this space, I’m excited to see what role Fiit is going to have in this sector. Earlier in the year, I wrote a trends blog on my 5 big bets on digital fitness and i’m intrigued to see how things pan out but one thing is for sure –we will see more innovation in the next 3 years than we’ve seen in the last 30 years.

#5 Work–life balance take two!

When I set Qubit up I was in my late–twenties and an inexperienced founder. I think when you’ve not done it before you substitute experience for working long hours and possess a relentless drive to succeed. Off the back of this your work–life balance takes a massive hit. I exercised less; drinking was an easy way to escape from the stresses of work, and relationships took a hit! At Fiit I think we have got the balance a lot more right. We still work hard – start ups are ‘always on’ and you could work 24 hours a day and not get through your to–do list, but I think we work a lot smarter with better prioritisation and more focus.

#6 Breathwork takes my breath away

My business partner, Sammi, called me one morning after his first breathwork class. There was pure ecstasy and excitement in his voice. Three months later we introduced Breathwork onto Fiit led by an amazing breathwork specialist, Richie Bostock. I personally try to do this three times per week and it’s having a really positive impact on my training and state of mind. The media are also predicting breathwork to be the new yoga and meditation in 2019 as we learn more about the benefits. You can read more about the benefits of breathwork in this blog or read articles in the Telegraph, Women’s Health or The Daily Mail (if you dare).

To finish I thought I’d share a great film my team put together on Fiit in 2018 – afterall no year–in–review blog is complete without a killer, feelgood montage!

Finally, I’d love to hear what things you learned in 2018? Comments are good!

If you are interested in trying Fiit, it is currently available through smartphones, tablets and TVs. To try Fiit on iOS you can use my referral code getfiit.tv/p8icypm to get 1 month free of Fiit Premium or just try our free version. Would love your feedback!?

Ian

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