News

October 23, 2016

I have been meaning to write this blog for a few months now. Sometimes inspiration strikes at moments you never expect. Currently I am on a plane headed to a meeting and product demonstration to develop the LALO business. While, scrolling through the inflight entertainment system I ran across a highlight real from the 2016 World Cup of Rugby and it reminded me very much of a business organization.

Rugby is an animal game played by gentlemen. Respect, accountability, honor, tradition, sacrifice and teamwork are just a few of the adjectives that describe this game. If you have ever played, you will completely understand. If you haven’t, the objective is simple – keep the ball in play by moving it forward, but you are obligated to pass the ball backwards…it's a bit counter intuitive. All the while you have individuals as least as big as you are, if not bigger trying to prevent you from doing so.

Unlike American Football, no one wears protective padding that allows them to take physical advantage of one another. The tackles are usually clean and hard. World Cup Soccer looks much different in comparison, there someone is touched and they act as if they have been shot and will never recover. It’s embarrassing.

Rugby is the ultimate team sport. You rely on 15 people on the field to advance the ball under particularly difficult circumstances. The tackles are hard, opponents tenacious, and objectives nearly impossible against an evenly matched team. Unless you operate as a collective group, you have no chance of scoring a tri. Self-interested individuals have no shot in this sport, as one against fifteen…the odds are stacked against you. Both respect and accountability to your teammates is key.

In order to advance the ball down the field, the ball carrier runs straight at the opponent - and the opponent is not small and is not interested in your well-being, they don't care about you. Your body is committed to the tackle, sacrificed for the betterment of the team, the ball is passed, protected or supported by your teammates in an onside position. Ribs are broken, contusions and dings are had, blood is drawn, but that's the game; you know the rules before you walk on the pitch, so there is never any complaining. Advance the ball and your team gets a territorial advantage. If you don't, it’s all over. This is my job, sacrifice the body and advance the ball.

When the match is on, the only thing that matters is the real time execution of your game plan. History is just that, history. It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday or who you did it with. On the pitch no one cares who you are, what you do for a living, or where you live. You are united by the one common goal…get the ball past the tri line.

A startup business has many of the same needs as a rugby team does, and it looks very similar to a rugby match. You have a game plan that you are relentlessly working to execute and sometimes it doesn't go as planned. Your team faces very tough opponents. Normally they are larger and better funded than you are. You take dings. You bleed. You recover. Success is measured incrementally. There are definitie sacrifices. Running headlong into larger opponents isn’t for the feint of heart, and its not easy.

On any team there is a self-selection process; those that share the values and the culture, motivated to win, and willing to make sacrifices stay. Those that don’t, leave, it’s that simple. You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and that alone is not an easy thing to do.

As you build your organization focus on finding individuals that believe in the mission and then figure out what they will do after that. It’s easier to teach people a skill vs. a work ethic. If they don't work out, move them swiftly, otherwise it will only slow you down. Constantly upgrade talent, even if it means replacing yourself. Work hard, contribute, be a valuable member to your team, empower them, and most importantly - want it more than you need it, whatever “it” is.


V/R

Jay

Walking into the premier training facility, Varsity House Gym, in Orangeburg New York, you get the sense that you’re not entering a gym, but a warehouse—much like where they might build custom, overbuilt hotrods and muscle cars. There’s no attendant at the door waiting to hand you a towel and wish you a “good workout,” nor are there ellipticals and weight machines littering the gym floor. Instead what you find is a state-of-the-art, no bullshit training facility with everything an athlete would need to improve their strength, conditioning, and mental fortitude.

Varsity House has one of the most diverse clienteles out there, from NFL prospects, to Olympians, to weekend warriors who just want to get in better shape. Despite the varied needs and goals of their clients though, the universal element that Varsity House produces is results; the athletes that walk out of those doors leave stronger, faster, and more focused than when they came in, and that’s due in large part to the mindset, standards, programming, and all-inclusive coaching from owners, Joe Riggio and Dan Goodman. Make no mistake, these guys are not only top notch trainers, but talented businessmen.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Joe and Dan, and we picked their brains on a plethora of topics. Our discussion ranged from training ideology and coaching strategies, to getting an insider’sperspective on how to turn a garage gym into a world-class training facility, and how to foster and grow a culture of top-tier athletes from the ground up.

Joe and Dan don’t mess around when it comes to their business, and perhaps the most striking aspect to their approach is how involved they get with their athletes, assisting them to not only get game day ready, but helping them with college recruiters and highlight reels as well. It is truly a family environment at Varsity House, which is why so many athletes trust Joe, Dan, and their awesome staff, to take them to the next level.
 
We hope you enjoy listening to the insight that Joe and Dan provide, and take note of how much work these guys have put in to go the extra mile for their athletes to provide a truly unique experience! We are stoked they are part of the team at LALO!
 

CLICK TO LISTEN TO PODCAST >>

We are always on the quest to find unique and badass individuals to not only draw inspiration from, but also share their stories with our readers. Kathleen Stabler fits that bill, and then some. A long time Gym Jones instructor, endurance runner and adventure seeker, Kathleen has some amazing insight to share about how to keep things interesting, no matter where life takes you. According to Kathleen, moving forward is the only way to go. We couldn’t agree more!

LW: We’d like to first thank you for allowing us to peer into your life and for sharing what it is that makes you tick. As a company promoting an active lifestyle and a “no excuses” mentality, you seem to live your life with unwavering motivation and action. We are curious about what drives you to be so active day in and day out. Have you always had this drive or did you have specific experiences that formed your tough mentality?
KS: Thanks for asking me to speak with you! I’ve always had a strong sense of adventure and curiosity. For example, in trail running, one of the toughest things for me is turning around and heading back before I reach the end of a trail, and even then there is always another path to explore. “I wonder if I could ........ ?” is something that runs through my head on a fairly regular basis. Not every one of these leads to a challenge but often the best adventures have started this way.

Once I set a goal I tend to get very single-focused (obsessed is a word that others have thrown around). What attributes will I need to accomplish it? What am I lacking? With every challenge we begin to accumulate the confidence and the tough mindset that are necessary to complete ever bigger and bolder goals. For me, it’s the mental toughness that drives the whole project. I like to arrive for the adventure knowing I am more than prepared and that I have already succeeded, but for the actual doing of it.

LW: Have you always lived in New Mexico? Tell us a little about yourself and where your journey began.
KS: I grew up in the Midwest, in Wisconsin and Iowa. I was lucky enough to be able to spend some summers in Aspen, Colorado, and that’s where I fell truly, deeply in love with the mountains. One day when I was hiking in Maroon Bells I just began to run...... I still remember the exhilaration and the joy I felt. I didn’t know trail running was a “thing” -- maybe it wasn’t -- back then. I went out for track in high school but I wasn’t “fast” and my coach actually told me that I should accept the fact that I was not an athlete. I was crushed at first, but every time I returned to the mountains I could run and run and find that joy again.

LW: What do you deem most important in life as keys to happiness and why?
KS: Maintaining a sense of awe and amazement allows us to be surprised and delighted by life every day. Feeling and expressing deep gratitude (to people in your life and to the universe in general) is essential. I think it keeps us open to all the amazing possibilities that are out there.

Being able to identify your true core values is a key piece that allows us to navigate life with clarity and some sense of ease, as long as we hold fast to whatever those are for us.

LW: As a gym owner, what do you find are the most rewarding and challenging aspects?
KS: It’s both humbling and amazing to see what happens when the physical work in the gym begins to create mental and emotional change as well. My intention always is to create a training relationship that supports and encourages that level of transformation. Small changes beget bigger ones, and lives change in so many ways.

Seeing great potential in a client who is simply unwilling or unable to do the work that would create change is tough. (To be clear, I am referring to the potential to become a happier, healthier, well­-balanced human being, as well as to athletic potential). I will always work very hard to help a client but at some point the desire has to be theirs.

LW: We know that community in any gym is crucial to athlete’s success. How do you work to instill a strong sense of community inside your gym walls and beyond?
KS: I’m fortunate in that I get to decide who gets to walk in the door, and I’ve worked very hard to set the standard. Although I have many different types of clients, every single one shares the same principals: commitment, respect, kindness, courtesy, willingness to support one another, and much more. When like-­minded people come together, a community forms.

LW: What type of advice would you offer to a new gym owner?
KS: I think it’s extremely important to be very clear (to yourself) about what your purpose is for having the gym. What is your philosophy? What are your standards? Who is it that you are seeking to help? A well-­grown training facility should reflect the coach very clearly.

I would also advise taking some time to grow your business mindfully, rather than taking on space, equipment and financial obligations that may pressure you to make bad decisions.

LW: You’re a longtime Gym Jones Supporter and certified coach. How has this impacted your life, your outlook and your mentality?
KS: Yes, I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of Gym Jones for quite a while. I was drawn to the philosophy and the skill with which the mind and the body are trained together. There’s no doubt that the grueling workouts are amazing to watch and of course great fun to do. However, unless the tough inner work is being done, no real progress is ever made. As I went through the process of attending the seminars and training at the gym in hopes of becoming a Fully Certified Instructor, I made the choice to fully commit to that inner work, no matter how difficult. It was very difficult, and it changed my life.

I love that Gym Jones is a community where everyone is committed to that kind of work. It’s also impossible to be there very long without feeling very humbled and amazed by what other individuals are doing. It’s not necessarily the weight on the barbell or the numbers on an erg; it’s the fight that they are waging on behalf of themselves. Always inspiring. Although my gym is different in many ways, I would like to think that it is a reflection of everything I have experienced and learned at Gym Jones.

LW: Before you found Gym Jones and becoming a gym owner, what did you do to stay active?
KS: I was already an athlete and a professional trainer/coach when I first discovered Gym Jones. My primary sport was trail running, although I had been a road runner for many years. In addition to that I was enjoying strength training, rock climbing, hiking, snowshoeing, cycling, yoga and anything else that caught my attention and interest. In the few years prior to coming to Gym Jones I began working with a coach for the first time. Carolyn Parker was the first truly strong, healthy, balanced female athlete I knew. Everything changed for me with that perspective.

LW: We know you train both women and men. What similarities and differences do you see in the way both approach and go about their training, whether in the gym or out on the road or trails?
KS: Sometimes women put tremendous emotional weight on workouts. I always focus on the objective information a workout provides and coach them to do the same. I would also generalize and say that many women don’t like to train alone but rather prefer the company of others. There’s a social component.

I like the straightforward nature of men. Again, generalizing, I find that men tend to get to work on the programming that’s on the board with much less conversation.

LW: Name some of your greatest accomplishments and most proud moments in life so far. What do you want to accomplish next?
KS: There is not a day that goes by where I am not amazed to be doing the work that I do. Lives change. To be even a small piece of that is absolutely the most wonderful thing.

I am very proud to have raised three wonderful sons.

There’s no doubt that I’ve had some great adventures! I find that there are often more moments along the way towards the accomplishment that I look back on rather than the accomplishment itself. A summit is only a half way point, after all.

I have some exciting plans and ideas that I’m formulating for True North. Personally, there are so many places I’d love to visit and explore via trail running and hiking. Iceland is definitely way up on the list. I’m also hoping to do a through run/hike of the John Muir Trail, maybe next summer.

LW: Do you have a favorite season to train? Why or why not?
KS: I follow a periodized training schedule; that is, late winter/spring/summer/early fall are focused primarily on running, with structural integrity work and maintenance strength as supporting modalities. Late fall/early winter is time for serious strength work, while running switches over to maintenance mode. As much as I love trail running, I also love strength season.

If you’re talking about seasonal weather, I run in everything (except I won’t start out in a lightning storm) and I don’t love extreme heat.

LW: Describe the essence of life in 10 words or less.
KS: Ok, this is a tough one. You didn’t say it had to be a sentence, so I’ll just list 10 words that come to mind: joy, freedom, movement, laughter, love, outdoors, amazement, silence, friendship, adventure.

LW: Where do you see yourself in the next 20 years?
KS: Hopefully I’ll still be seeking out adventures! The most important thing is to be able to stay healthy and vibrant, mind/body/spirit.

LW: ­ We know you are always out on the trails. What is the most unusual or unique thing you have seen on a trail run ­ human, animal, or thing?
KS: Last summer I spent some time in Ecuador. I had a week of trail running and hiking in the Andes at high altitude (15000’+). On the second to last day I reached the summit of Cotopaxi, which is 19600’ and glaciated all year round. The summit attempt begins around midnight from a little over 17000’. I had been climbing for a couple hours and was probably near 19000’ when I looked up from the ice and saw the moon, giant and round, sitting directly in front of me on the ice. Of course it wasn’t really; we were simply so high and so near the summit that it appeared to be right there. Nevertheless, I felt as though I could reach out and touch it. That’s one of the most wonderful things I have ever seen.

LW: If you had one piece of advice to give a young person in today’s world, what would it be?
KS: Find the thing that feeds your spirit, then do it often, always! Also, despite what many people say and do, it is possible to create the life that you truly want, and to be deeply happy doing it.

For more information or to get in touch with Kathleen about philosophy and training: trailrunnernm@gmail.com

It has been said that the toughest job in the military is that of an NSW spouse. For many, this may be difficult to comprehend due to the contrast in nature of duties between the spouse and service member. However, life on the home front, although vastly different, poses unique challenges that only an NSW spouse can understand and deliver on.

Recently, we had the chance to meet long time NSW spouse and CEO of the Navy SEAL Foundation, Robin King. Robin was kind enough to share her unique story of becoming an NSW spouse and how the last 28 years as an NSW spouse has affected her perception on time, service and community for the better.

We hope you enjoy reading her story as much as we did.

FOREVER CHANGED
When I was 15 years old, going to high school in Dallas, Texas, I a met boy. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and dimples. He was gorgeous. He was a year older than me, an athlete, and a very popular guy, and I was seriously improving my social status by going out with him. His name was Bill.

Over time, Bill became a fixture at my house. He would come over after football practice, and many, many times he would be wearing these seriously tacky Navy SEAL t-shirts he had gotten from his older brother. He thought they were super cool, but I didn’t really know or care what a SEAL was. One of the t-shirts was a Navy SEAL Instructor shirt, and I think he wore that one the most. He had one with a totally offensive SEAL poem on the back, and another just said Peter Four across the chest. If you don’t know what that one means, ask an old frogman because I am sure he would love to let you in on that old dirty joke. To top it off, he was the proud owner of a bumper sticker that said “Frogmen Do It Deeper.” Obviously, I was in love.

Over the next couple of years of high school, Bill began to explore what he wanted to do with his life.  Bill had been introduced to the photography business through my family, and he liked the idea of shooting for magazines, record albums, advertisements and fashion. He decided to go to college on an athletic scholarship and explore photography as a major. Bill completed two years of college in Texas before transferring to a very prestigious art school in Los Angeles. I also transferred to college in LA.  After a few years, we graduated from college, got married, bought a house and got a dog. Bill started shooting pictures, and his business was going well. If he was shooting a job for Interview magazine or Warner Brothers Records, I wanted to be there.  I truly enjoyed living this ultra-cool LA life, and this life was good.

One day, Bill told me his older brother was going to be in San Diego visiting a buddy from his active duty SEAL Team days, and Bill was going to drive down and hang out for the weekend.  I told him to go enjoy himself and have a great time; but when Bill came back after that weekend, he was different, and he said he wanted to talk. He told me he loved hearing all about his brother’s time in the Teams, and it really made him think about his life. He said, “I want to be a SEAL. I have always wanted to be a SEAL, and I have to try.”

Well believe it or not, I still didn’t really know what that meant. I think I knew it meant being a part of the military, and for a girl who grew up in Dallas, that was not something I had ever been exposed to. Over the next few days, we talked a lot. I learned a lot about what this change was going to mean for our lives, and he discovered that he still didn’t know a lot about this career. One thing was obvious; this was his destiny. You could see it in his eyes. He had to try, and I said, "Okay." At that moment, I knew my life was about to change completely. What I didn’t know was that it was going to change for the better.

I have been married to Bill for 28 years and an NSW spouse for 25 years, and I can’t imagine who I would have become without this community. I know being a part of Naval Special Warfare has shaped who I am, and the best examples of this relate to my thoughts on serving our country, valuing time and understanding a community.



SERVICE
Military life and life in Naval Special Warfare are about service. Serving our country in the biggest way possible. As NSW spouses we are a part of our national security. We understand the sacrifices it takes to ensure our freedoms. We live them every day. We serve. Our kids serve. And our spouses serve on the front line.

We are constantly guarding our families. Monitoring our social media and that of others to ensure the safety of this community. We care about each other, even when we haven’t met. We play an integral part in supporting the force, establishing a solid, grounded family life offering the stability needed to allow our spouses to come and go while staying focused on their job. Through NSW, I serve, and I honestly don’t think I would have incorporated service into my life without it.

TIME
Life in NSW teaches you a lot about the value of time. It is precious, and we know that because our families measure time differently. We learn it is important to make our days together meaningful and to understand that holidays are not necessarily marked by a particular day on a calendar, but are defined by when our loved ones can be together in one place to celebrate them. We joke about whether we are celebrating our 20th anniversary or our 10th if we are measuring in NSW time. And we pretend our marriages are successful because of all the time spent apart, but we know it is because we are strong enough to endure the separation.

And we know that time is sometimes taken from us. We’ve experienced the loss of many friends, and we grieve for the time they did not get with their families while we have stood in awe at the strength and grace their loved ones have exhibited. I think about time every day, and I am thankful NSW has taught me to appreciate it.

COMMUNITY 
As part of NSW I am part of something much bigger than me. I am a member of a community. We all have friends and neighbors, but a community is more than that to me. We are an interconnected group of people who live through profound events together. Explaining life in NSW to outsiders is hard. They don’t understand this unique community. They don’t get how we feel when the media attacks our warriors or our leadership. They can’t wrap their head around the crazy operational tempo at the height of the war, and how that stress filters down onto the families. But we get it, and we support each other. And although I don’t know everyone in NSW, I don’t doubt the community’s support for me if I was in need. I hope the NSW community knows I will be there for them too.

My life in NSW is unique to me. It’s not necessarily easier or harder than another spouse’s, and I wouldn’t begin to judge our lives by comparison. It is simply my story. Twenty-five years after becoming an NSW spouse, I can say my life is better because of my connection to this community. I am honored and proud to be a part of it. I would like to thank every NSW spouse for being part of the community as well, for being part of something bigger than themselves, and for serving our country. I hope we all acknowledge our strength every day, value our time, recognize our importance and appreciate how life in Naval Special Warfare changes us all, for the better.

Robin King
NSW Spouse
Navy SEAL Foundation, CEO

As a company focused on making the best products for our military and beyond, it is our honor be supportive of any kind of military service, especially the service of a military spouse.

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a military spouse we are fortunate enough to call our friend, Megan Ferraro.  Megan lives in San Diego with her husband and young son. She enjoys a very active life as a working mom and on occasion, a single mother while her husband deploys. Megan was kind enough to share her perspective on the incredibly important role of a military spouse and why she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

LW: First of all, we would like to thank you for sharing a glimpse into what it is like to be a military spouse. We know it isn’t an easy job and we honor you and your husband with utmost respect and your service to our country. Can you begin by telling us what it was like when you realized you could be or would be a military spouse? What went through your mind and what sort of emotions came with that thought process?
MF: Back in my ‘dating’ days, I said I would NEVER date/marry someone in the military, for the simple fact that they leave you for extended periods of time! Who would want that? LOL. Jason was just too great of a guy to pass up I guess. I knew that it would be tough to be a military spouse and have him leave, especially when we had kids. It made me sad to think that he would leave, but also made me happy knowing that he was going to come back home to ME! There is a quote I like, “Loving a military man is not hard. The distance is hard, the worry is hard, the sacrifices are hard. But loving him, that’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

LW: Do you come from a family with service in their background? If not, what experiences did you have prior to joining the military community that helped prep you for this unique lifestyle?
MF: No, I do not have a family military background. However, I lived in Norfolk, VA up until I moved to San Diego two years ago, which is also a huge military community. I knew so many people whose parents were military and close friends who married military men as well. My sister’s husband is in the military and he deployed while they were dating, and I lived with my sister at that time, so I kind of experienced that deployment with her. Of course that doesn’t fully prepare you for your own husband leaving, but it certainly clued me in on what emotions and things to expect.

LW: We believe that military spouses are the unsung heroes of this world. Do you agree? Why or why not?
MF: It definitely takes a strong individual, mentally, to be a military spouse. A lot of us have been moved away from friends and family, so your support systems are often limited.  You are left with almost 100% of the responsibilities of your household; your normal responsibilities, plus what your spouse would have done if they were home. It’s physically and mentally exhausting.

LW: Do you believe the average civilian has a good grasp on what being a military spouse entails or do they carry misconceptions about the lifestyle? What are some misconceptions you’ve heard about being a military spouse?
MF:  I don’t think the average civilian could grasp it, I know I didn’t until I was living it. I’ve heard a lot of people say that military families are given everything for free. Yes, there are great benefits for us, but the service member and their families sacrifice a lot to have those things.

LW: In what ways has your community -- military or otherwise -- supported you through deployments and other military challenges?
MF: My friends and people from my CrossFit gym have really stepped up to help me out. Jason and I have a one-year-old son, Hunter. Raising Hunter on my own while Jason is gone is pretty tiring. Rewarding, but tiring. My friends know this and have offered to help out with him and they are so good at watching after him at the gym so I can get a bit of a workout in. It’s nice to have good friends in the community to have coffee with and talk about my struggles of being alone right now, or just to be able to have an adult conversation with since most of my 24 hours in a day is spent with a toddler.

LW: After having spoken to other military spouses, we’ve gathered that sometimes, you may feel alone in your journey. Does it at times feel like a silent struggle? How do you cope when times get lonely?
MF: Some days are definitely harder than others. For me, I don’t like complaining about my situation, so some days it feels like a silent struggle you could say. When I am lonely I can always call my friends and I like to skype with my family from the East Coast. Luckily, I do get to talk to Jason quite a bit, so that helps. I also have Hunter, so I am never really alone, most days not even to use the bathroom.

I have also taken on the volunteer role as one of the Command Ombudsman for Jason’s detachment. An Ombudsman is a liaison between the command families and the command. I am there to answer any questions they have about the deployment and to give out information and resources that may be of use to them. Taking on this role has let me be a help for other military spouses when they are in need, and in turn helps me in dealing with my own feelings about deployment. Knowing that I am not alone in my concerns and situation makes it a little bit better.

LW: What would you say your biggest challenge is, and what are your favorite ways to deal with those challenges?
MF: My biggest challenge has just been missing my husband. I miss seeing his face every day and that physical connection of him being home. It’s also hard to see him missing our son grow up. He missed him start crawling, walking, and just developing into this little human with his own personality. Luckily, we have Skype and he can watch him do those things and also Hunter can see his dad on the screen and hopefully make the connection when we see him again. Of course, I take TONS of pictures to send him too!

LW: What is your favorite part about being a military spouse?
MF: Being a part of something bigger than myself and knowing that my husband is out there being selfless and fighting for our country’s freedom.

 LW: Another question military spouses are often asked is, “How do you do it?”  In reference to deployments, how would you answer that question? Where do you find your strength and motivation?
MF: I get asked this all the time! My response, “You just do it.” You have to, you have no other choice. If I don’t get things done, there is no one else here to do it for me. My motivation is my son, to show him how to be strong and set a good example for him. My other big motivation is my husband; I don’t want to let him down. He’s counting on me to hold down the fort while he’s gone. He’s taking time away from his family, missing huge moments in his son’s life, to fight for our country. So to me, I have the easy job, getting to be here with my son to witness all these cool things he’s learning; so all of the extra stuff I have to do doesn’t seem so bad.

LW: What advice would you give to other military spouses who are new members of the military community?
MF: Deployments aren’t easy; no one will tell you they are. You just have to get in the groove of a good routine, learn how to fit everything in. You also have to set realistic expectations of what the priorities are, or else you will just get overwhelmed. It also helps to focus on something, whether it be picking up a new hobby, volunteering, or working out more – to take your mind off your spouse being gone.

LW: Please add anything else you would like to share. Thank you for taking the time to share your insight and we wish you and your husband well throughout your military endeavors!
MF: Thanks to LALO for following Jason and I on our deployment journey! It’s not an easy one, but it only makes us stronger in the end.