The Lawn Shoot

It was a non-stop grueling three hours of shooting, including the new Power 90 Fat Burning workout with plenty of new inspiration from the 2005 Success Stories.

That is an Upside Down Dawn

"Wow" is all I could think as I took this 5:45AM photo. Storm clouds are threatening our shoot today. But it's almost worth it with a dawn like this.

Muscle... at Dusk

Cort, Bernie and the crew oversee shots of Aaron - 107 pounds lighter thanks to Power 90, and Jack who was crossing to get in position for his shots to show off his results -- 63 pounds lighter.


Aaron responded with a sprint and a leap to finish off the shoot, after being asked to "Frolick more".

Back to the Beach

The end of the day got a little overcast, but it was still warm enough to capture beach shots of Dawn, who has lost over 46 pounds, and Melanie who has lost 34 pounds with Power 90.

Fred's Turn!

Message Board hero Fred, who has lost over 105 pounds since starting with Power 90, gave a great commentary about the value of the community to help you succeed.

Heather and I were hanging on every word

Beautiful Way To Start The Morning

Melanie doesn't know I caught her stretching at 5:45 AM, but I understand why she was inspired. It was an amazing dawn.

Speaking of Dawn - here is Dawn following Tony for the morning workout. We're refining the moves for a new workout to add to Tony's line-up -- a major fat burning routine we hope to shoot Wednesday, if the weather holds.

Today would have been ideal. It was a spectacular morning in Kauai.

The last moments of sun

In the last moments of light the photo and video crew worked together to get the proof that these Beachbody success stories were for real; Laurie, Ralph and Cindy.

Good stuff. I am heading over to dinner to find out how the group that went on the hike today did!

Then to the beach for Video

Jon and the crew oversaw beach photos and video during that "Golden Moment" where you have around 20 minutes to get that perfect light before the sun sets.










Here's Tom who lost 37 pounds doing with Power 90 along with his wife Lisa (seen doing push ups with Tony yesterday). Tom used his new found discipline to also quit smoking - cold turkey - on day 45!

The After Shots - THOSE pants!

We started the day with interviews and after shots. Here's Laurie V, who lost 30 pounds with Power 90, and Ralph H who lost 76 pounds! Inspiring stories on that basis alone, but when you hear the real story behind the stats, they are truly remarkable success stories that will no doubt inspire another wave of success.

Late -Sunday Workout

Before dinner, Tony decided to get another workout in. Here Lisa is getting some tips on close-hands push-ups, and Tony drew a crowd as he lifted the stack in a bullish set of pull downs.

Heather at Work

Heather Church, who has been around Beachbody since 2000, has taken charge of the Hawaii trip again. Here she and Lesley are during the location scout, and Heather and Tony as they layout the structure of a new Fat Burning video we're planning to shoot on Wednesday.

Morning - Sunday

A beautiful morning got started with our customer/guests working out with Tony Horton followed by a light day of production prep.

The Week In Kauia - 2005

I'll talk about this in my chat in the VIP room tonight at 7:30 ET, but in case you want to enjoy the week we're about to experience in Kauai vicariously through this blog, below is our basic itinerary in Hawaii time.

I will send photos to the blog as often as possible so you can see what's happening. In the meantime, here's what we're planning:

Beachbody 2005 - Success Stories Itinerary

Saturday, October 15th
5-6:00 pm Tony Horton and the Guests meet - Mai Tai’s at the Point
8:00-9:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn

Sunday, October 16th
7:30 am Group Class
3-5:00 pm Surf Lessons
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Welcome Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn with Introductions

Monday, October 17th
7:30 am Group Class
10-5:00 pm Awa Awa Puhi Hike/Waimea Canyon
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Garden Pool

Tuesday, October 18th
7:30 am Group Class
10–3:00 Sleeping Giant hike with lunch
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Ocean Lawn

Wednesday, October 19th
9:30-1:30 Group Workout at the Sheraton Ocean Lawn
6:30-8:30 pm Luau Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn with Fire Dancers

Thursday, October 20th
7:30 am Group Class
9:30-5:00 Beach day/Outrigger Paddling/Surfing/Volleyball in Hanalei
6-9:30 pm Farewell Dinner with Dancing and Karaoke Beach Lawn at Sheraton Ocean Lawn

Friday, October 21st
7:30 am Group Class
TBD Departures

Look out Mary Lou Retton!

Something about the way my daughter Ava and a group of 20 kids at a birthday party. They work up the most intense red-faced sweat ever, at the same time they're having an absolute blast, and it's an inspiration, especially to a guy who runs a fitness company.

Looking to not only lose the weight, but make it fun? Take a cue from the kids -- feel the limits of your body, and see how you can improve. Push yourself, not only to get a sweat, but to feel the FUN of the whole thing.

This is something that Tony Horton in Power 90 Masters Series and Chalene Johnson in Turbo Jam are adept at in particular. They make their programs fun because they're having fun.

The next time I push play on P90X Plyometrics, I'm not just gonna bring it, I'm going to enjoy it.

"Hey, Look At This"

A few weeks ago Jon Congdon walked into my office with one of the infomercial industry's leading trade magazines, RESPONSE Magazine. He said "Hey, look at this," and tossed it on my desk, opened to the Editor's page.

The title of the Editor's comments for this month's issue:
A Power(90)ful Product Test Is Good News for the Industry ... I Hope!

In the article, Tom Haire talks about his personal frustration with bogus marketers casting a cloud over a medium, the infomercial, which can be such a powerful tool for advertisers. The program-length infomercial has a unique ability to educate, motivate, and sell. It's hard to find another industry that has seen as many overnight rags-to-riches success stories. Likewise, this infomercial is one of the most abused forms of advertising.
People like Tom and publisher John Yarrington, magazines like RESPONSE, and trade association ERA are trying to clean it up by focusing on the examples of appropriate and positive business applications of the medium. Their efforts will ultimately help the consumer, clean up this industry, and hopefully help mature a medium that really can benefit people who see products on TV they are interested in, who want to know more than a one minute TV ad can tell them.

Tom goes on in his article describing how it came time for him to do something about his competing love for food, and his frustration with his weight - and how he decided to walk the talk, put his own industry to the test, and see if Power 90 would do what we say it does in our infoemrcials.

I am proud to say, as expected, he's doing VERY well with it!

Jon and I saw him briefly a couple weeks ago in Vegas, and he really is a sliver of the guy I saw At the same event last year. According to a conversation Jon had with him, since August 1st he has lost 26 pounds, even with a week in Vegas smack in the middle of his program. Nice work! That's with the exact same Power 90 that we sell. No trainer. No assistance. The guy just went for it; Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Here are emails we got in response to Jon checking in with Tom and John at RESPONSE Magazine on Tom's status:

Jon,

Doing well. Missed just one day so far (one of the days at ERA). Today is day 65. My last weigh-in on Sunday, I was at 212. Down 26 pounds, only 2 in the last two weeks, mostly due to traveling to ERA and then over to Phoenix for the USC-ASU game. However, I can report that the sculpting is really starting to kick in and I am getting cut in places I haven't been since HS basketball and tennis. Still working on a little of the gut, but it's disappearing.

Thanks much for helping out with this. Good luck with your buddies. Tell them they'll never know how fast the 90 days can go. I've got three and a half weeks left and I feel like I just started.

Thomas Haire
Editor-in-Chief
Response Magazine

And then from John Yarrington, the publisher who has watched Tom shrink:

Hi Jon,

Great to hear from You. I'm sure Tom will follow up to this e-mail, but I have to tell you, Tom's doing great! From a co-worker's point of view, I've noticed a huge improvement in his energy level and a major increase in his overall self-confidence.

Beyond Tom's personal improvements, his devotion to the program has created a infectious health conscious environment in our office which has inspired others to take control of their lives and begin living healthier.

I'm sure you will be pleased to see Tom's results in the Editor's note of the October issue of Response Magazine. We at Response are definitely proud of Tom and I know the Power 90 team will be too!

My Best,
John Yarrington
Publisher
Response Magazine

I am not a fan of chasing publicity. It's exhausting, and takes you out of the work you need to do to innovate and really sell. But when this kind of notice comes our way naturally, it's exciting and sure feels good.

I'll give you an update if Tom submits his final numbers to us. But for now, I want to join the entire staff at Beachbody and our community of Power 90 believers and wish him the best of luck in his last 30 days!

Happy Customer Service Week!

I'm hoping you've got it marked on your calendar --> It's National Customer Service Week! (I assume smart people celebrate it all across the world, but I believe we only formally recognize this here in the US... thus the "National" distinction. With some Canada thrown in too.)

First of all I would like to be the first to say "THANK YOU" to the people on our customer service staff who have taken the hit for a very challenging year. Although, I know I am not first, because Jorge Molina who runs the department thanks them everyday. With the new business model, challenges in our processing systems, and an increase in shipments, we've had longer hold times, some angrier customers who rightfully are confounded when the rep they are speaking too can offer only intermittent access to their customer information. I mean it when I tell you, these folks have taken the bullet for us. But things have recently seen incredible improvement. This week signals the change, a shift toward the excellence we all seek for Beachbody Customer Service.

Our customer service management team is so strong it is difficult to say anything except, we got lucky. That luck started when we asked our utility player, Heather Church to find us some help to supplement our customer service area back in the early days. Her nose for talent ws keen since the three people she hired as temps back in 2001 still work for us - and have evolved their careers into something really special. Cintra continues to work with the Beachbody community while she spends time raising her son. Drew has grown from customer service temp to our Training Manager. Amber has also grown from temp rep to our Director of CRM. When I need an answer, I know she can find a way to get it for me. And I think everyone in the company feels that way.

Things got so tight this year that I finally had to take a deep breath, and look into expansion off shore. One of our senior managementnt team, Ravi has contacts in India that were well educated and well trained. When it came to fighting this year's customer service fires Jorge even had the chops to get this offshore capability implemented in under two months, instantly expanding our customer service capabilities by 50%, and instantly cut our benchmark hold times drastically. There were times last Friday our hold times were under thirty seconds! Awesome!

I know many of our customer service staff feel what they do goes by unnoticed. But it's not true. We know that when we give them the right tools and capacity, they are the bedrock of the company. When we struggle with technology, they feel the heat. My gratitude for this group runs so deep, I am almost embarrasseded to visit. Any action I take feels like it would be insufficient.

So at Beachbody we are taking this week to recognize them, and their noble profession, servicing the reason we have a company in the first place: Our awesome customers.

[Pictured -- Jorge, Delia, Shakima and Jude]

We will have competitions all week that recognize a spirit of "Focus on the Customer" and create fun ways to say thank you for their efforts. There will be team competitions, in the categories of Perfect Attendance, Customer Compliments, plus some funny costume and food competitions.

We will also have a "composition competition", where many in the department will share their best Beachbody Customer Service story. A winner will be selected each day of the week.
This is my favorite part. THIS IS THE STUFF I NOTICE. THIS IS THE STUFF WHICH MAKES ME LOVE THIS COMPANY EVEN MORE.

So, with this blog entry I say "Thanks to YOU, CS Team." I know it hasn't been easy. But I am hoping recent efforts to make it work better will succeed. In the meantime, please accept my gratitude, my salute, and resounding "hooyah!" for a valiant effort and your continued commitment to our customers and delivering on our Core Values.

WOWY>>>> Closing in on 200,000

With the increased traffic to WOWY during the fall and the $100-a-day giveaway in October, I wouldn't be surprised to see us get very close to 200,000 WOWY workouts by mid-November.

If you participate in WOWY at a predictable time, I hope you check out the Success Buddies feature. It is so helpful to other people to have accountability - and knowing that there are two other people who have RSVP'ed to workout at the same time as you is that extra nudge to make sure everyone shows up.

If you don't currently participate in WOWY, I hope you check it out and upload a photo so we can see your face as we log in. It's a very interesting application of the Internet to help people stay motivated and feel connected to others who are choosing in-home fitness or their own personal activity to stay fit. (It's actually more social, and less judgmental than the gym if you ask me.)

Of course, I am hoping the $100 each day will help make it that much more interesting. The winner of the random drawing from anyone who WOWYed the prior day is announced on the WOWY home page.

On Motivation and the Masters Series

The first two titles of the Power 90 Masters Series are now available at Beachbody!

The first 2 titles are "Core Cardio" and "Plyo-Legs". And they have been designed to help people reach the next level after completing Power 90. And for those who want a comfortable bridge from phase 3-4 of Power 90 to the big mama, P90X, the Power 90 Masters series will take you there, gracefully, so you keep your momentum and stay motivated.

Speaking of motivation, the other day I was talking to two buddies, who were remarking how a mutual friend seemed forever frustrated by her weight.

One said "She needs to just resign herself that she's a big girl."

The other said "She's not getting younger. She says she wants to meet men. But it's not happening. She doesn't need to resign herself. She needs to do something."

To which the first replied "What she needs is for you to get off her back about it. She knows what she needs. The bottom line is, she needs to decide to be happy, no matter what, and then do what she needs to be healthy."

Interesting conversation to witness, especially as I see people who have amazing results with their first Power 90 round, then they struggle to keep that motivation through to the next phase of their fitness or weight loss when the mirror is telling them they look great.

The bottom line is, motivation changes. Some days it will be the desire to look great on a vacation, to impress someone at a reunion, or to be fit for a sports activity. But hopefully, ultimately, a person will find traction with a more substantial goal that makes exercise and portion control a habit in their lives.

For long term consistency, you just don't want to be pressing "play" to satisfy a demand of your ego. You don't want to be eating healthy because of how you might get down another dress size. You don't want to be looking in the mirror thinking, "If I just got that body part into shape, I'd be happy." That's a cycle you can never win. Because you will find that despite wins along the way, you will never be perfect enough, or thin enough, or as attractive as you want. Your ego will always find something to criticize when that's the way you train your mind to motivate you to take action. I think that kind of motivation is fine to drive flights of intensity, but in general, you need something more substantial if you want to maintain your results.

You want get traction into how the benefits of this lifestyle really can IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE. The most inspiring testimonials we've interviewed all have that theme; When you're fit, you can do more. When you are fit participate with people. When you are fit you struggle less with survival, and get on with living. When you eat right your body works better. When you eat right you have more energy. It all serves your moods, your patience, your zest, your outlook.

THAT'S THE TRACTION which we need to get to, to really get the benefits of these programs. And that does not happen by accident!

One of my favorite books is Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich." The philosophy of that book does not just apply to wealth creation, as he explains. It applies to anything you want to achieve. You need to make a habit of focusing your mind. That's where traction comes from. It is not by accident. It is by deliberate, conscious choice where people decide that, in this case, a healthy lifestyle is not optional.

My point is, focus your mind not on the ego benefits, but the short and long term health benefits of this lifestyle. Those benefits are for real and will never change. Of course, your ego will argue with you along the way that those benfits are not worth the effort. This is what I hear my mind say all the time when it's late and time to push play; "No no... let's just watch some TV. Hey look, the phone. Call Pizza Hut!" But if I want to create and maintain a success mentality, I need to control my mind to get traction on living this lifestyle.

I felt it was appropriate to reemphasize this as we look forward to the Hawaii trip as well. Many people from past trips have been so motivated for that trip that they peak, and then when that motivation is gone the day after the trip, they slide back into old habits. They let it all go. And then just a few months later, they disappear from the community in their self-imposed shame that their success celebration might have been a hoax on themselves. The weight came back. But I don't want to see that happen this year. (It's the main reason that each year we consider terminating that trip.)

Frankly, that's what the whole point of the "90 Day in-home boot camp" was in the first place. Getting people with no plan to change things, to commit to something for 90 days. "I can do anything for 90 days" is something we hear all the time. But we also hoped that people would take that 90 day success and find the momentum and will to keep at it. And more and more, we are hearing people say "I will now do this for the rest of my life."

I hope that's true, and I hope it is for you too.

This lifestyle is a conscious decision, and sometimes that requires discipline and focused thought. That's the traction that will give you the energy and power to get the most out of life. Yes, the ego will enjoy the change in appearance, but you can't let the ego run the show. The real motivation has to come from a healthier place. And if you make that part of the work, you might actually enjoy the workouts more too.

The Dating Service... How I Met Jon

After last week's "leaving Las Vegas" post I got a bunch of emails asking for more insight into how this all got started. So here goes:

In 1996 I was hired as a consultant for infomercial juggernaut Guthy-Renker. I was prospecting for direct response TV opportunities for them or just to find new businesses they might want to get into. I looked at transactional programming ideas, new media concepts, retail kiosks, hardware products, and housewares (surprisingly, no fitness.)

And then one day, a dating/matchmaking service got pulled out of the "not for GRC" file, and landed on my desk. Code name; "Comfy Shoes". Very hush hush.

This dating service was being promoted in partnership with radio stations and was growing fast. It was an interesting concept that was poised to explode as more radio stations sought "non traditional revenue" by promoting the "dateline" service under their station call letters. As my staff and I were researching the concept, one person actually started dating a guy she had met through the service, and two years later they were married. True story! This concept worked for anyone who could get past the stigma of "dating service"! In fact it was working so well on radio, that Guthy-Renker and I decided to go for it and attempt to expand the business to more radio stations and eventually television. It went from hush-hush, to all-speed-ahead, The Select Network was born.

Ben van de Bunt, the Exec VP of GRC who also runs business affairs for the company believed I would be over my head operationally if I tried to go it alone. Turned out a guy who was a friend of his at UCLA was then a school teacher looking to get more aggressive about his career. This was a guy Ben trusted, who he felt had a work ethic that would match mine; Jon Congdon. (This is saying a lot by the way, because Ben has stellar judgment and can break a situation down into its critical pieces as well as anyone I have ever met. So his faith in Jon alone made it an easy decision to want to meet.)

And of course, Jon and I hit if off immediately. We were yin and yang... Where I can be impulsive, Jon will contemplate change carefully. Where I might round corners to get to market faster, Jon will patiently push for "just right" execution. Where I sit in my office alone contemplating new concepts which could create a breakthrough, Jon excels at working with the team on execution, management, analysis, and relationship building. Plus he's funny. So we laugh a lot. And he's fantastically tall, so any photos of us together are kind of comical. Bottom line; We were a good match from day one.

Which is ironic, because the point of the business was to help people improve the productivity of their "matches" by pairing singles together based on stated interests and relationship objectives. But it turns out, we were probably a year late to that game. The internet was starting to fill the automated matchmaking need quite well, in fact a company called "PerfectMatch.com" was clearly doing it better than we were. But we slugged it out for a couple years, building up The Select Network to over 100 radio stations, 50 TV stations, plus a handful of cable networks and syndicated TV shows (even including a spot that was dedicated to helping the Jerry Springer show TV audience find their ideal match... not sure what I was thinking would result from that one, but it was surreal trying to make it succeed).

Ultimately Guthy-Renker decided to exit the business. Jon and I were disappointed at the time, because, as I like to say, "the premise has promise". Dating is a nightmare if you're doing it by random selection. It just makes sense to give people a better selection process than catching someone's eye at the corner bar. If you want to increase your odds of dating success, it makes sense to start with a basis for compatibility based on guidelines which have merit for long term relationships. And it would make sense that those guidelines should be beyond the type of drink you order or where you work, right?

Preferences like religious beliefs, age, ethnicity, hobbies and social styles are the guidelines that help two people start a potential match with some common ground. That's not to say that those guidelines deliver the entire picture. Things like chemistry and communication style are so important, and no computer can figure that out for you. But it makes sense that starting on a common platform, especially where the people entering share the same interest in a long term relationship, would give people a better chance of finding Mr. or Mrs. Right. But our chance to make the premise work in an infomercial was over.

That's when I asked Jon if he wanted to start a new company that, whatever we focused on, would be innovative, significant, and use the internet to create an affinity with the brand and community among customers. Basically, use what we learned in our brush with dating, and find a broader market. About a year later, Beachbody was born.

Of course, ever since we started Beachbody.com, we knew there would be a day when we would revisit the concept of matchmaking on some level. But, rather than build it from scratch, we decided to simply look to the company that was doing it right way back when. So we struck up a new relationship that might help those single members who were interested, get closer to their goal of being... un-single.

So, as you start to see messaging from PerfectMatch.com around the website - that's what's going on. We're giving the premise of affinity-based dating another chance within the realm of Beachbody. We'll still rigorously keep the focus around our boards and the community on fitness and weight loss, but don't be surprised to see us take a very active interest into the first Beachbody marriage that happens, when it happens!

Somehow, that one event would validate the work that brought Jon and I together in the first place. That people who share an interest in living a healthy lifestyle might be more fundamentally compatible than two people with an opposite approach to eating or being active.

And if you hear about a Beachbody marriage, PLEASE let 'em know we have a spot on the wall here at the offices for a wedding photo! We might even send them a protein package of P90X Meal Replacement Bars to serve to anyone at the reception who would like to skip the gravy-soaked roast beef in order to stay on their program and still have energy to do the chicken dance!

It's Just A Matter Of Time

I got some numbers* today which absolutely blew me away. Check it out:

Gym members in the US: 39.4 million
Gym revenue per year: $14 Billion

Average cost per member per year: $355.00

$355! That's $29.58 a month, average! That's before parking, gas to and from the gym, and the extra bucks you spend to compete in the daily gym fashion show. That's all real money.

There are 26,830 clubs in the US. That's an average of near 1,500 members a club. I don't know what the gyms in your area look like, but there's not 1,500 people showing up or even fitting into the Curves in Malibu. I get it: Sell a membership... Hope they don't show up. Nice racket.

And for those gym members that actually do get in their cars, fight the traffic, park, check in, find a locker, and get dressed (I'm tired already) once they're out on the gym floor they've still got to figure out for themselves how to get a world class workout. Or they can pay even more money for a trainer who might know what he's talking about. Then, once they get back in their car and drive home they've still got to figure out how to eat so they support their weight loss goal. Good luck.

That's $355 a year, plus travel costs, plus trainer, plus diet advice.

I know Beachbody has issues to clean up, and of course we're in business to make a profit too. But our business is first focused on customer success. Each individual, each package that goes out the door, carries our hope that the package will find its way into the hands of a person who will take advantage of the expertise in that box and the most supportive peer group ever assembled at MyBeachbody.

So if you ever hear people wondering if the money they spend on a Beachbody system is really worth it, or whether a membership to MyBeachbody with diet info and peer support and direct access to our experts is worth it, tell them to surf through the smiling faces on the success stories page. See what real success looks like. And remember that not only did they NOT have to pay $355 a year to get in that shape, they got those results in less time from some of the best trainers in the world. Tony Horton, Debbie Siebers, Kathy Smith, Gillian Marloth and Teigh McDonough... and of course, Chalene Johnson. Once you've seen her in action, the neighborhood aerobics class is going to look like an amateur talent show. You just can't get this kind of professional, comprehensive guidance at the local gym. And you certainly can't get it for this price.

In-home fitness - the Beachbody way. Look-out gym business. It's just a matter of time. This baby's gonna tilt.



*Source: 2003 IHRSA/American Sports Data Health Club Trend Report

Leaving Las Vegas

As I mentioned in my last post, this week a bunch of us from Product Partners/Beachbody attended the annual Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) convention in Las Vegas. Basically, it’s where all the infomercial companies and vendors get together each year, and I’ve been going since the association was formed.

It is interesting to return to these events and see the same faces each year. Having been in this business since 1987, it’s like a reunion, or a career highlight film. I enjoy running into guys like Jim Caldwell, who was the first to hire me to produce an infomercial in ‘87. I’ll never forget Jim asking me if I could produce an infomercial, and as an eager TV production salesman I said “of course”, making a mental note to find out what the heck an infomercial was. (In case you don’t know – it’s a program length commercial, usually around a half hour long.) And once I got started, I moved around to every aspect of the business, from production, to media buying, international distribution and operations, and later to being an entrepreneur, sourcing and creating new products.

I would list some of the names of the people I ran into, but it would probably only be interesting reading to me. I’ve worked with most of the leaders in the business, and it’s a list of some of the most interesting characters and personalities you could imagine. Walking the convention floor and seeing the same people I’ve worked with when this business was an infant, who are now ultra-successful, is surreal.

At the same time, I can hardly describe the pride I felt sitting in on meetings with the Beachbody team as they consider opportunities which can improve our operations, telemarketing, and production. Truly, world class. Asking the right questions. Never being arrogant. Open to new ideas, but never getting pushed around. The exact culture Jon and I set out to create when we launched the company in 1998.

One thing I heard at the show is how people in the industry, even competitors I’ve never met, talking about Beachbody with pride in what we do and how we do it. Acquaintances would call me or Jon over and say “This is one of the guys who started that company I was telling you about, Beachbody, with the website and the real customer success stories.” I had a bunch of those moments when you see people pointing at you and nodding from across the room. I figure either I had spinach in my teeth or they’re actually talking about some Vegas showgirl who’s standing somewhere behind me. Nope. They’re talking about Beachbody.

Last night I was lucky enough to attend an informal dinner with senior executives from billion dollar mega-success marketer Guthy-Renker, and spent the meal sitting beside their marketing team of Jonathan Flicker and Jeff Engler, plus Greg Renker (The “Renker”, of Guthy-Renker). I’ve known Greg since 1989 when I was running a national satellite media business that ran what I think was their “Think and Grow Rich” infomercial. And I was lucky enough to work with and learn from them for a couple years just prior to starting Beachbody. When I first congratulated Greg on his success last night, without hesitation he pointed at his executive team of Ben van de Bunt and Kevin Knee who were in another conversation nearby and said “honestly the smartest thing was hiring those guys.” If you’ve ever read “Good To Great”, you’ll recall that the characteristic of a leader that builds a company from good-to-great is called level 5, where the level 5 leader doesn’t bask in the spotlight of success, he shares it. There’s proof.

And with all their success, I was again impressed with how Greg still enjoys what he called “the riddle” of trying to make an infomercial work. The true test of whether you love what you do or not comes when you’ve made your fortune, and you are still motivated to make it bigger and better.

Which is also why I am already back home, while the convention continues through the week. The lion’s share of my job is not in networking or reminiscing, it is creating and working to improve everything we do. That’s what I love. And that happens in the office. Back at it in the morning.

I've Always Wanted to Live on a Boat

This is the view from the porch on my first floor. Normally you could see a sliver of sand down there. But not this week... Calm one moment, then SLAM a wave will hit the house the next!

You might have heard of the high surf conditions along the Southern California coast. Let me tell you, as a person who lives by the beach on the southern end of Malibu (the slums of zip code 90265), it's more like living on the water than by the water.

Honestly, the last few days of waves crashing into the foundation of this summer rental sounds and feels like I live on a tank practice range or in the center of Beirut. It's intense and shakes the entire building with a deep "BABOOOM!" every time a set of waves regroups to attack. Kind of exciting... But for a very light sleeper, it's also a great time to head to Vegas for the annual Electronic Retailers conference with Jon and the team from Product Partners. I'll try to post photos from the convention to give you a peek.

It's Oktoberfest - WOWY style!

Yes... I have no shame. I'll do anything to encourage daily WOWY participation and more success buddy activity within the MyBeachbody community.

We're repeating the $100-a-day giveaway we launched last October, with the same theme, artwork, and prize money. The goals of the promotion are (1) to encourage people to have a current photo on their WOWY identity, (2) and to turn up the October activity while we head into the holiday season.

As you may know, WOWY stands for "Work Out With You". It's our patent pending free-to-join super gym, where people who exercise at home can make themselves accountable just like they were showing up for an aerobics class at the gym (without the commute or grungy locker). It's the only community that gives you the sense that, even though you're working out at home, you're not alone!

Every day in October we'll reach into our cyber-ping-pong ball machine to choose the $100 winner from every member who logged into workout at WOWY, so long as they have an approved photo image.

We'll announce the winner of the prior day at the bottom of the WOWY.com home page each day, and send off another check for a hundred smackers.

So if you're going to workout, log in to WOWY, and based on the current run rate, you have about a one-in-300 chance* of getting paid $100 for your workout.

If you don't have a current WOWY photo, click here, log-in, and go to your WOWY Member page. At the bottom of the member page is "Manage My WOWY", and a link for "Change My WOWY Image". Follow directions, and we'll approve and post your image asap!

*odds based on my rough estimate of the number of WOWY workouts a day of people with photos.

The Annual Meeting of the HICs

Better known as the "Hawaii Invitation Committee," Jon, Heather, Lara (not pictured) and I (the "H.I.C.s") have spent the better part of the day reviewing a ton of submissions to join Tony Horton in Kauai this October.

We're gradually, painfully, trying to narrow it down to the final group of guests this week. We're all blown away by the number of substantial weight loss stories we have this year. And never before have we seen such a broad range of successes ranging from people who have lost over 100 pounds to absolute hard body transformations with Power 90.

Soccer moms, military, kids in highschool, teachers, clergy, police officers and firefighters -- the people that have found their inspiration from Power 90 have no common source or definition. Bottom line is, people of all walks continue to be inspired by the "I can do anything for 90 days" simplicity of Power 90.

We expect to notify people by the end of the week, and post the guest list shortly thereafter. I wish we could bring everyone. And as always, I hope people who submitted but are not invited still consider themselves success stories because of the stellar results they achieved. And that everyone continues to "push play" with the same persistence and commitment.

Yeah really -- Ten moves. Ten minutes.

OK, so I have been asked why a guy who graduated from P90X has been logging into WOWY to do our shortest program, Fast 10. I am hesitant to use this blog to promote it with the passion I have for this program, but here goes. This really is not a commercial, but I want to explain what the product is for those who have asked, in a more straight-forward way perhaps than the website explains it, and to explain why I use it more than our other programs for maintenance.

Why I like Fast 10...Two words: (1) Freedom (2) Time

Of everything we sell at Beachbody, Fast 10 is the only one I can really do without following a DVD. That's the freedom. As a CEO, I travel a fair amount. All I need to take with me when I travel is the B-Line band with the Fast 10 routine photos on the sides of the handles or the Body Cards, and I've got my routine. No DVD/TV. No walk through the hotel lobby in my shabby t-shirt and bad shorts to find the teeny hotel training room. No excuses for blowing a perfect month of consecutive workouts.

I do each move for a minute. Ten moves. Ten Minutes. And I'm done. That's more freedom, and a great quick workout.

Fast 10 also lets me get outside more, because like most people with an office job, I spend most of my time indoors. Example: I had a meeting outside of the office the other day. I went down the elevator to my car in the garage in Beverly Hills. Drove into the garage of the building in Century City, parked and rode up the elevator. The receptionist asked me if it was still hot outside. I said "Actually, I didn't go outside. I got here in a climate controlled tube and bubble system." It's kind of pathetic.

So when I get a chance to workout outside, I don't want to be tied to my TV. I take the bands outside with one of the seven "Fast 10 Body Cards" and do a couple rounds (after I put on sunscreen... usually.) Sometimes Ava will want to go for a swim in that one moment I have to workout. So she swims while I get my sweat going, poolside, with Fast 10. That's more freedom.

And sometimes it's not about the freedom -- it's about time. And contrary to what your logic might tell you, getting a small workout in is very effective if you make the time count. When people around the office wonder why my office door is closed for a couple times a day, it's not because I'm taking a nap in there or contemplating a corporate reorganization*, I'm knocking out a quick round of Fast 10. Ten moves. Ten minutes. Pumped and back to work with a healthier break than the folks shuttling in and out for a smoke break.

The key to the system is the resistance bands: When I first started to investigate who was using these bands, literally back in the early 90's, I was impressed and surprised: I interviewed NFL star Walter Peyton, tennis great Tracy Austin, boxers, snow skiers, baseball players -- all who use the bands for resistance when they workout at home and on the road. Last year I was at major league baseball's spring training with my father and brother and saw the entire Philadelphia Phillies spring roster lined up against a fence using bands to work their core/abs. YES - professional athletes really do use these bands.

When anyone really learns how to use them, they see how great they work compared to a full set of dumbbells. The key is that they supply the greatest amount of resistance where the muscle is the strongest. That's called "variable resistance", and it's why studies show that bands increase strength faster than dumbbells. (six times faster, actually... go figure) And in the middle of a set, if you hit the wall, you can adjust the tension on the fly. try that with a Bowflex. Well, don't. Cause you can't.

That's the answer to the people that saw me in WOWY today doing Fast 10. And since most people reading this already own a set of B-Lines bands with the photo handles, I highly recommend you use that feature whenever you are short on time or motivation to get in a full Power 90, Slim in 6, Project; You or other workout.

Grab the bands. Give yourself ten minutes. You will feel great, and you will know you got in a great quick workout good enough to count.

*usually

It's On The Way

It's really coming soon, the Power 90 Masters Series. Conservative estimate is that you will see the first two titles on the website by October 1st!

I'll keep you posted here too.

The Fresh Air of Another Beginning

This is a good time to give you a peek into the personal side of this blog (as promised) because this week has been a landmark for my family. It's the kind of week that reminds you that you're mortal. No matter what, the only constant is change.

Ava, my daughter, that cute little two year old you may have seen at the end of some of the workout videos on the beach in Kauai saying "Beachbody... dot commmm," is now five. And this is her first week of kindergarten. [Begin singing "and the circles, they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down..."]

First let me say that, taking a kid to elementary school in Malibu is surreal. Dodging the line of Hummers, BMW's and Escalades as they all jockey for the best parking spots in order to drop off their precious forty pound cargos, all serenaded by a chorus of seagulls celebrating the faint crash of the morning tide, well, it's not the same way I experienced kindergarten:

I distinctly remember my fears as I approached Montgomery Elementary for day one. Something scary was in that giant building; People I did not know. That fear was only validated when the game of the day became "kill the new kid with the bad hair" (me). I quickly decided that being an ambitious loner was my path for least pain.

But not so for Ava. Not this week. Not this kid. She took to the social challenge of meeting new kids in this new school like a Hilton sister walking into a South Beach night club. (She gets the social skills from mom, Tricia.) Then it was bring on the math. Bring on the spelling. Bring on the puppet show (picture above). Ava was a natural.

Within the first ten minutes of her orientation Ava was over in the dress up area. First it was princess. Then executive chef. Finally hero firefighter. This wasn't school - it was a new stage!

Tricia noted that most of the kids we saw made this transition into kindergarten pretty easily. It was the emotional parents outside that reminded you that this was a milestone. And yes, in the back of our minds we were all thinking something along the same theme; that in fact, some day all these cherubs would turn 16. Can't we keep them this size? Can't we trim them back like Bonzai trees and enjoy their innocence forever? Guess not.

It was a beginning for me too, as I spent twenty minutes learning what a PTA is, and trying to avoid getting roped into M/W/F morning traffic duty (although the orange vest did have strong appeal). I managed to stay on plan, volunteering to help raise money so the school has what it needs for a well-rounded program and to help beef up the PE program, possibly with the help of visits from some fitness experts (whom you know and whom I am lucky enough to consider friends).

Professionally and personally, I enjoy new challenges. This chapter looks to be a good one. And perhaps over the course of the next twelve years I will finally learn what calculus was really all about. (And that periodic table. What on earth was that thing for?) This is my chance to pay attention, and go through it with Ava.

That's what this week was for me, the fresh air of another beginning.

New Workout Group > "Keep Pushing Play!"

As I was signing into WOWY today I realized that I was still grouped in the "Spring Into Summer" WOWY group. It's a little late for that motivation. So I checked my member profile to see what group I should join for a more current affinity... What will properly identify me with a group of people as we all sign onto WOWY?

None of the current groups really spoke to my current motivation and routine. I was looking for something that was less event-driven, something with a little less pressure since I am not training for anything specific right now.

My answer can now be found in the brand new WOWY group called "Keep Pushing Play!"

Here's the description of this WOWY group:

Exercise should be as routine as brushing your teeth or going to work. For you, it's not about an upcoming wedding, reunion, or vacation... from now on it's about feeling healthy, staying strong, and loving the life you live. That's why you're gonna "Keep Pushing Play!

If you've completed your time-goal program like Power 90, Slim in 6, and Project: You, and are now working out for the long term just because it's good for you and an important part of your routine, I hope you join the group and spread the word... and of course;
KEEP PUSHING PLAY!

I'll see you online in WOWY!

Customer Videos Reveal The Truth

I have spent hours since the Hawaii submission deadline reviewing customer videos we have received from Beachbody customers. I am blown away by hearing these direct comments from customers, in their words, with no prompt from any interviewer... "confessional style".

Case after case of personal stories show both how unique each situation is and how certain common themes appear. I am particularly excited at the role the MyBeachbody community plays in the success. Almost every video I've reviewed cites the Beachbody people who contribute enthusiasm and support to the concept of body transformation as a key to success. It is clear that this community that makes Beachbody not just another source of workout videos ("yawn"), but a comprehensive system of (1) workout systems (2) simple food guidelines, (3) online support tools, and the killer app... (4) the people who populate the Beachbody community.

That's what is exciting, because that's the kind of special combination that we can expand upon to improve on how effective our system is for people, and to widen the distribution of Beachbody.com as a unique resource for people who are serious about wanting to lose weight and get in shape.

Now, this entry has nothing to do with who will ultimately be invited to Hawaii. I just want to share the early review process and react to how the submitted video footage is so fun and so real. Some of the comments I have enjoyed so far include;

- The surprise of getting into "single digit" pants after 25 years of struggling with weight issues

- The value of a white bikini to motivate you when you consider skipping your workout

- An extreme couple who did their meal planning together each week - and got ripped

- The "distractions" which lead to the orange juice spill... where Power 90's "fast feet" on the towel came in handy

- Push-ups with your two-year old on back, and then loading the kids into your "fat" pants with you!

- A personal "screen test," with bloopers!

- Professional ballroom dancers that did Power 90 together to get in shape for a cruise! Come on!!!

- A woman lifts 70 pounds of dumbbells, to demonstrate how difficult everyday life was, carrying that excess weight around before Power 90.

- 36 year old mother of five max-out at 50 push-ups!

- Great quote: "I didn't know how bad I felt, until I felt good"

If you read this blog for motivation but do not participate in the MyBeachbody community, I cannot stress strongly enough how the greatest success stories with the most consistent progress come from the people who get their support from others who are doing the same program they're doing, at the same time. (Long sentence, simple concept: If you are struggling with motivation, the community is the secret to turning things around.)

Something about communicating with people who have been through the very program that is challenging you is magic. Other message boards can spiral into a pure social experience or gripe session, and don't have the same focus on real community support and persistence of this one. This support system is the difference between just another pile of workout videos, and the programs associated with the support and enthusiasm that comes from the coaches and members of MyBeachbody. From the comments of the hundreds of people who sent in their videos, I am more convinced than ever.

Footnote:
Of course, as the guy who came up with the name for the extreme program, P90X, it is a little frustrating to hear how many people insist on calling it "Power 90 Extreme". P90X. P90X. P90X.... But looking at the results people get with it, I guess you could call it "Sweating to the Oldies" for all I care. Thanks to everyone who submitted! I think we'll have the invitation list completed within the next ten days!

"We're Already on It"

Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise that has nothing to do with business or marketing -- but the quality of human nature. Today is one of them;

It's frustrating to watch the awful scene play out along the Gulf Coast. I've written a check to the Red Cross. But what more can I do from here? I raised that question in our management meeting yesterday and the creativity was fast and definitive. "Add a banner to the home page to raise money into the McCormick Tribune Foundation - they're matching funds up to $2 million." "Add a fundraising link on the exit page at the end of a transaction," "Change the pop-under of the message boards from a MyBeachbody promo to a Red Cross link."

Management jumped at the chance to switch some of the valuable advertising and promotion real estate on the website over to help relief efforts. We stopped short at committing to send whatever high protein meal replacement bars we have in inventory, because we couldn't figure out how to get them to where they need to be (although we are making some calls).

This morning I realized that an end-of-the-week shipment of video, supplement, and other shipments were about to go out. The idea of billing and shipping continuity orders to these devastated people seemed ludicrous. So I discussed suspending those shipments with Jon Congdon, President of Product Partners/Beachbody and thought it made sense. So I walked over to Heather Hanson our Director of Operations and Saeed Gorbani in data management to ask how we stop those shipments... wouldn't you know the response; "We're already on it". Together with our customer service team, they had already, proactively taken it upon themselves to stop shipping and billing to the region!


Here's what I love about it. They never asked me for my approval! They knew that ultimately the culture of this company would want to do the right thing. THAT'S AWESOME! It's a clear indication that, no matter how many growing pains we have as a company, which we are constantly working to solve, "the horse is still in front of the cart"; We are serving people. And that is what we consider when we make business decisions.

Operations, processing, customer service, and IT; I salute you guys and your perspective on how we operate, and the underlying priority that you have to keep working to improve how we serve the customer, how you treat people with respect, and how you work with passion, enthusiasm and common sense to make it all happen!