Story and Photos by Camas Frank
A little fewer than 10-percent of locally headquartered software firm, Mindbody’s onsite workers took part in the third, “Evolve Wellness Festival” culminating June 24.
According to “Fitbit–style” devices worn by participants, more than 114 million steps were logged by the employees during the 3-month challenge. That doesn’t include a 5K run, starting eastbound along Tank Farm Road across Broad Street from the Shell Gas Station. Food, drinks and music were waiting for the exhausted arrivals.
The 5K started about a year ago as a run from Downtown SLO to the Mindbody headquarters building but organizers soon started looking for a new route to avoid hills and stoplights.
The participants in the wellness challenge are screened for ability by management, befor
e taking part.
Mindbody CEO, Rick Stollmeyer, who founded the company out of a San Luis Obispo garage, is an avid participant in the 5K, although he presumably does not go through the screening process.
With a lot of young folks competing for limited slots in the program, the challenge is something of a lottery to enter. Members receive gym and nutrition guidance while in the program.
Since expanding their campus into a new parking garage and headquarters building, Mindbody has become an ensconced part of the “SLO-Life” culture, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Bay-Area based technology and fitness companies.
Mindbody’s rapid growth a
nd impact in the local economy has been predicated on spending cash now, to make money later. The company filed to go public in May, around the same time as its headquarters’ grand opening. It became a publically-traded company and raised $101 million with shares at roughly $14.42 each.
But stock prices have been a roller coaster since, with a low of $11.56 at one point.
