dance, sing, floss and travel

It only takes one person to change your life – you.
- Ruth Casey

So remember that busy schedule I always talk about? Well, it looks like I've managed to add yet another task to the very long list...and I couldn't be happier =)

I am now a part-time educator at lululemon athletica, at it's brand spankin' new store in Roosevelt Field, Garden City, NY. We open Friday, June 27.

Lululemon is a luxury fitness apparel company that makes truly functional, performance-ready clothing for yoga, running, cycling, dancing, triathlons, gym training, and every other sport that makes you sweat.

It's purpose is simple - to create components for people to live longer, healthier, more fun lives. And it does so by making awesome clothing. I was skeptical at first, that their clothes could be so much better than anything else I've tried, but they are indeed. The clothes are intuitive and stylish, with more wicking potential, ventilating mesh, secret pockets for keys, money, iPods, etc., and choices than I've ever seen.

The reason the clothes are so custom-designed to fit every athlete's needs? Because they're designed by people who are athletes. In fact, everyone who works for lululemon are athletes in one way or another. And so we come to the "educator" part.

Everyone who works on the floor of lululemon's stores are also athletes who are passionate about staying fit and healthy and passing on their knowledge to others. Right now, I am working alongside personal trainers, nutritionists, yoga instructors, writers, therapists, to name just a few of the many occupations and talents involved. In fact, lululemon embraces the fact that its educators are all experts and movers and shakers in their own fields, and its that kind of knowledge that the company needs to grow even more. Not only do we have to know everything about the clothes on the floor - what they're made for, what features they have, what sports they're best for - but we're also expected to impart our personal experience with the clothes from being out on the track, in the studio, on the court, in the mountains, or wherever in them.

So yeah, you could say I'm just a little excited to be working for the company =P

They also have the coolest manifesto I've ever read. See below (click to enlarge). And they're very big on goal setting, too, and seeing their educators set goals within and beyond the company, which has always been a big deal for me, but I've never seen it so widely and positively practiced on a corporate level. The overall philosophy is quite brilliant, and the fact that their sales continue to skyrocket is only a testament to that fact. What's that? You've never seen any advertisements for lululemon? Yeah, well, that's the other thing. They don't advertise the traditional way. For the most part it's a completely organic, grassroots process that happens through word of mouth via educators and people who wear the clothes to fellow athletes and friends.

Quite a novel idea that's really taken off...good stuff to learn from for an aspiring entrepreneur.