Celebrating A milestone
Nearly 13 years ago, on December 16 & 17, 2006 I sat in a conference room in The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills for the Million Dollar Body (now known as Team Beachbody) Founders Meeting with 40 other people and the Beachbody corporate team; some the OG, many new faces coming to hear of a new opportunity. I had been a Beachbody customer since 2003, but the company had launched as a fitness infomercial company back in 1998. Wow. The 1900’s. ;) I had coached for free - through any new programs - several rounds - for four years. I kept notebooks of my strangers-turned-friends info next to my computer so I could really get to know them on the Beachbody message boards.
When my friend Carl Daikeler asked me to help him turn this free community into a business model, to be honest, I was very hesitant to earn money for something I had loved doing for free for so long. Seems funny now, because who doesn't want to find a way to earn a living for their family while doing something they're passionate about, but at the time, I was very protective of what I'd been building; a community and a culture within the boundaries of this strange new message board system.
As I sat there in The Four Seasons, uncertain as to what it would turn out to be, I committed to Carl Daikeler that I would help him create what he envisioned. I committed to stay true to myself and my beliefs in the process, and to serve people with love respect, and NEVER to make it about a sale.
It's funny now, but as they talked about all the customers that would be assigned to us - what we now know as "leads" - I raised my hand and asked innocently, but conscientiously, "Can we ever turn off receiving the customers assigned to us if we feel like we can't adequately support them?" The seasoned network marketers laughed openly and shouted out, "We'll take hers!" They thought I didn't get it. I knew it was THEY that didn't get it.
If Beachbody - soon to be called the Million Dollar Body Coaching Network - then eventually changed back to be called what we know as Team Beachbody - was going to fly, we’d need customers to stay. And people stay when their life is changed. Lifers, like me. People who found a place to grow, and who felt supported as they work through the "WHY" of their unhealthy state; such a vulnerable, raw place.
From my experience, most people I had coached didn't just put on 40-150 pounds because they like dessert. Most people were carrying around public evidence of a private struggle. People who have, for a variety of deeply personal reasons, unhealthy associations with food - food as reward, food as celebration, food as consolation, food my friend, food representing love, or connection to a loved one. Typically, in order to right those associations and put them back in their proper balance, these brave people I’ve worked with have had to peel back and painfully address the WHY of their weight, and not just the food. In order to heal and move forward; many of the people I’ve been blessed to walk the path with perhaps are acknowledging some of these things from their past for the first time. It takes time to develop that kind of support system. And getting 20-50 new customers added to my already large group of friends every month, who with the dawn of the network became "customers" - I knew there was NO WAY we could "bulk serve" people. Not really. We’d need a team.
I remember our CEO Carl Daikeler telling me privately before the network launched: "Traci, this business will require forgiveness." I thought it odd at the time. I now see the foresight he had. It HAS required forgiveness. Of ourselves. Of others. Of our past. Of the company itself. Here we were, a bunch of imperfect people committed to going the distance to leave this world so much better than we found it by loving and serving others.
For me, its never been about network marketing, though this system certainly has blessed my family and countless others beyond belief. For me, it was a cause to join. A movement to champion. To help people pick up the tools to save themselves from old, unhealthy, harmful habits. And to feel safe enough to do so in a private group of strangers who become friends in the glorious process. To live a life by design and teach others to do the same; not centered around ourselves, but around serving and helping our fellow man and woman; of leading by example by becoming the best version of ourselves. And then breaking down our process to show someone else that it’s possible, and HOW.
Now, 13 years later, I have changed and grown so much. I have learned so much about my strengths and weaknesses as a leader, and served countless people alongside of an amazing group of my growing team. People who desire to grow and serve and add value to people as well. Not too long after our founders meeting we went back to our Beachbody.com roots and renamed the network Team Beachbody, and we have added many new trainers and workouts and products to our product line over the years. Social media was born in the process, and we're finding our way amidst the "show and tell all" world that honestly takes a certain piece away from the close knit authenticity we used to have. But we're learning. We have soared and grown, and there have been bumps and bruises; sometimes its felt like we've lost our way, but always - ALWAYS - its been my heart’s goal to continue to rally a team to keep the CULTURE to what the roots of this company grew from; people helping people; sacrificially and with heart and soul. By leading themselves and then leading others from what they’ve learned.
In the last 16 years since I’ve been with this company, and through all the changes, I've messed up and I've had success. Mostly, I've learned. I've learned that people everywhere, and in every age and stage of life desire to be seen, and to be a part of something bigger than themselves and to do so with others. To leave an impact that makes a difference. This summer we’ll celebrate the company Beachbody’s 20th Anniversary. We’ll work out together, we’ll hear inspiring stories of overcoming, we’ll celebrate those who have decided to take back their health and wellness, and we’ll reflect on all that we’ve learned and how far we’ve come. And after the fireworks blaze, and the music and laughter dies down, we will hug one another and board planes back home to continue finding and serving others, and building our teams. Because unhealthy habits and obesity is holding too many people back from living their great lifestory…and we have tools and support to help them reclaim their health. One relationship at a time.
If this connects with you, we have a spot for you. We can’t do this alone - not with excellence! And on this team we have chosen to live in relentless pursuit of excellence!
***If YOU would like to join TRACI’s team, click on the JOIN THE TEAM button above, fill out the application and book a call with her! She’s looking for you!***
