This summer, PN’s ever-growing — and interestingly diverse — team got together to celebrate where we’ve been, share plans for the future, and last, but not least, play!
Join the fun, share the excitement, and find out what’s next in today’s update.
(And don’t miss the photo album! Scroll to the bottom to see the pictures.)
Precision Nutrition started out as two guys in a tiny basement apartment with nothing — not even money — but a big dream and a belief that this newfangled contraption – “the Internet” – would pan out.
Fast forward 10 years and Precision Nutrition has grown to an industry powerhouse.
With nearly 60 team members — all dedicated to helping folks eat, move, and live a whole lot better — we’re redefining how coaching can and should be done. And we’re doing most of it through the web.
In the process we’ve ditched the basement apartment — as well as photographer Jason Grenci’s mom’s kitchen, styled for cooking shoots — in favor of home offices across Canada, the US, even Belize.
We’ve built world-class, industry renowned nutrition coaching and professional certification programs. We’ve published popular experiments with oil-pulling, detox diets, and Bulletproof Coffee.
We’ve delivered research-driven, life-changing nutrition guidance for people from all walks of life — all ages, all professions, all starting points.
To be honest: At Precision Nutrition we’re real good at research. Even better at helping people. But we’re real bad with rules.
Like the rule that “nutrition people” should all look, act, think, and eat the same.
Like the rule that “real jobs” happen in an office. Done by people wearing suits or uniforms.
Like the rule that “real work” couldn’t possibly happen in a team that hadn’t even met each other in person in two years.
Oh yeah, and the rule that gold lamé Hammer pants should never be worn by anyone, at any time.
(We’re still not sure about that last one. See the photo gallery below and decide for yourself).
Recently, in Toronto, we broke all those rules.
Sure, we had a grownup meeting or two. Although some of the participants were barefoot. (And I think I saw Dr. Berardi in his underwear).
Sure, we might have reviewed our company’s progress, brainstormed new ideas — and frankly, worked super hard to come up with ways to do better.
Learn better. Know better. Help better. And take better care of you, our clients.
But we also ran, jumped, danced, drew pictures, stretched, swam, laughed, climbed, clapped, cheered, played — and last, but certainly not least, we ate. (After all, we’re not a nutrition company for nothing!)
We ate greens and grains. Chicken and cheese. Sushi and starfruit.
Some of us fasted (intermittently), others opted for the vegan entrée, some went gluten or dairy-free, and some went for a more straight-up dry-aged beef with morels, plus wine.
Meanwhile, the truly adventurous and iron-stomached sought out cricket tacos, toasted mealworms, and pillowy blue caterpillars.
(And we’re not gonna lie to you: The dessert table and sake tasting got some PN love.)
But make no mistake: At PN we’re not just redefining the field of nutrition coaching. We’re redefining the way work gets done.
Because we know — as Krista Scott-Dixon reminded us — “The way people feel at work profoundly affects their performance.”
Because we know — as co-founder Phil Caravaggio often says, “Nothing worth doing can be done alone.”
(And thanks to an impromptu history lesson from Ruby and Tracy, who described how JB and Phil went from no-name students to co-founders of a the world’s largest online nutrition coaching company, we also now know that Phil misses the days when he had a full head of hair.)
Our clients feel the love. And our PN team does too.
Since our last gathering in 2012, PN not only doubled in staff, we grew exponentially in reach, purpose, and potential. And we’re incredibly eager and excited to enter the next phase of our collective development.
As for our clients — lovingly supported, cared for, guided, and occasionally asskicked along the way of their PN Coaching journey — so for our PN people.
So here are some of our “PN rules”.
Walk the walk
Just like at any reunion, some of us looked the same. Cheryl’s still tall, KSD’s still short, and Alaina’s shock of pink hair stayed true.
And, like at other reunions, some of us looked different — except that at PN, we tend to look (and feel) better than we used to look.
Just ask Tracy, or Char, or Holly, or Graham, or Calvin, or Carm — to name only a few of the team members whose lives have been dramatically improved through their participation in our coaching programs. (Yep, we can dish it out and take it too!)
Or ask Dom, Krista, Eileen, Veronica, Brian, JB, or any of the other PN parents about how much easier it is to have meaningful work and see your kids when you’re part of a remote-working company that takes wellness and sanity seriously.
Or ask Pam, Craig, Jon or James about how they have the flex time to do triathlons, or go surfing, snowboarding, or climbing.
At PN, we practice what we preach: Live active. Live healthy. Live well.
Keep it fun and find your ikigai
Early Monday, Krista Scott-Dixon set the tone with her inimitable humor and wisdom, asking us big questions like “Why?”
(Actually, she asked it five times… which may sound familiar if you’ve ever been a coaching client.)
Bringing us to focus, she reminded us of our important interconnections — not just to each other, but also to Bacon. (Kevin, that is; although real bacon will often do in a pinch).
Genius is a group effort
And all it takes is a few felt-tip markers.
Culture architect Robert Richman — fresh from a shared workshop with Phil on Holacracy (the system of organizational self-governance we use at PN) introduced us to a new form of communal brainstorming: OpenSpace.
In a mere three minutes, the fifty of us had created our morning’s roster of seminars, using only simple low-tech tools like paper, pen, tape — along with trust, imagination, and vision.
The resulting brainstorming sessions will guide us as we work to develop our most important services in the year ahead.
Curiosity, confidence and creativity pay off
What’s next and new in PN Coaching?
In one of the most exciting moments of the gathering, Luke and Phil unveiled the technology that will shape the future of PN’s coaching software and client experience.
Together with top-notch consultants Teehan + Lax, they’ve been working for months to create the smartest, coolest, and most responsive coaching software in our industry — a platform that will allow coaches to interact with clients more efficiently, more intuitively, and in an increasingly personalized way.
Oh, and did I mention our little dancing, sweatband-wearing mascot, Badgey?
You can see a sneak peak of Badgey in the photo gallery below, and look for the real deal to roll out across PN programs in 2015.
By the way, our website is also headed for an amazing redesign. Mackenzie wowed us with his beautiful vision, including real-life client photos and a graceful, easier-to-use interface, slated for a September launch.
Changing work; changing lives
So what’s the point?
This: We work with each other better so we can serve you better.
Every idea, every exchange, every thought at PN has one purpose: To help people eat, move, and live better.
Want to know more? Check out the photos below — click on any individual photo to scroll through the album — and stay tuned for a big year at PN!
And remember, Lindsay, Richelle, and Sarah in Customer Service — as well as Kate in Social Media — are always happy to hear from you!
Eat, move, and live… better.©
Want to learn how to eat, move, and live better? With a little help from Precision Nutrition?
Then check out this free special report.
In it you’ll learn the best eating, exercise, and lifestyle strategies – unique and personal – for you.
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