1. 2015 is off to a fast start for every WPO location across the globe. We already
have new business wins to celebrate, the Global SAM Conference to review,
a WPO 3.0 update from our Work-Life team, and a Q&A with a recent “Pitch It
Friday’ success story to report! Read and enjoy this edition of your WPO
Post, the place for company news you need to know …
FITNESS GURU, ‘PITCH IT’ SUCCESS STORY &
EMPOWERED WOMAN
Catching Up with Ellen Lawson – Wellness Coach, WPO Raleigh
(U.S.)
Being a Wellness Coach is not for the faint of heart. It’s a tough job to work
with clients and help them understand what it takes to live a healthier lifestyle.
You have to be part motivator, part mentor, part educator, and part sounding
board – and Ellen Lawson is one of the talented Wellness Coaches at our
Raleigh headquarters who’s doing just that. She is a dynamic personality, an
eternal optimist, and a never-say-die problem solver all in one. In addition to
her role on the Wellness team, she has also been hard at work trying to make
her very own ‘Pitch It’ idea a reality. We caught up
with Ellen for this month’s Employee Spotlight.
Q: Describe your role at WPO.
I’m a Wellness Coach supporting our members
across the U.S. I help them create positive
changes in the areas of stress management,
weight management, healthy eating, physical
activity, and tobacco cessation.
Q: Great answer! How long have you been
here?

2. I started in August of 2013, so 18 months.
Q: What did you do before WPO?
I managed group fitness programs for several health clubs around Raleigh. I
also started my own life coaching business and began implementing that at
workshops and retreats, which eventually led to speaking engagements at
conferences and corporations.
Q: You pitched an idea at a ‘Pitch It Friday’ session not too long ago –
tell us about the experience.
Once I read the email about “Pitch It Friday,” something inside me said “go for
it,” but it was the extra encouragement and support of our Director of
Wellness, Debbie Jongkind, that led me to submitting an idea. You walk in the
room and there are 7 Vice Presidents and Alan King sitting there at full
attention. If you have ever seen the TV show Shark Tank, that’s what it felt
like to me at first! It was a little nerve-wracking, but the scene quickly turned
much less intimidating once we got going. I saw lots of smiles, affirming body
language, and heard dialogue that sounded promising on my idea of
introducing Concierge Services to help foster work-life balance for WPO
employees. I had a good feeling the idea might become a reality when Alan
said at the end, “This is a good idea and you’ll be hearing back from one of
us.”
Q: How have you been moving your ‘Pitch It’ idea
forward?
Logistically, we are starting with the Raleigh office to
see what’s possible since that’s where I’m located.
We set up a quick survey of all employees in Raleigh
to see what Concierge-type services they would be
interested in. Once the results were in, I just took
them and started to see if we could make them a
reality. I’m still in the process of identifying vendors
and working out logistics, but I’m fairly certain that in
another month or two we’ll have a few services up
and running. And the best part is that this idea is not costing WPO a dime! It’s
just about working with resources in the area to see what we can bring on-site
or make more accessible to the employees in Raleigh.
Q: That’s a great concept. We’ll check back and see the progress in a
month or two. Let’s switch over to Ellen outside of WPO – give us an
interesting fact.
I created, founded, and co-coordinated a conference called Women Of
Wonder (WOW) through my church (that’s me speaking to the right). The first
event was offered last year and attendees traveled across 8 states and 3
countries to be a part of the experience. Although it was hours upon hours of
volunteer work and leadership, when the day of conference came, it felt
surreal.

3. Q: What’s something you like to do
outside of work that doesn’t
involve a
computer/phone/electronic device?
I love teaching group fitness classes
and have been doing so for over 20
years! Currently I teach 2 Les Mills
programs that originated in New
Zealand, but are offered across the
globe; BODYFLOW, which is a blend
of tai chi, yoga, and Pilates to improve
your mind, body, and life. The other is
SH’BAM, an insanely addictive dance
workout.
Q: In closing, tell us what you think
about working at WPO.
I truly enjoy being part of the Wellness Team. We are all in different stages
and seasons of life, but there seems to be a connection and camaraderie that
makes going to work fun. I especially appreciate the extensive training
provided to become a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach. I’m sincerely
grateful to have the opportunity and privilege of helping people to live their
BEST life…one phone call and one client at a time .
The Internal Wellness Team is tapping into the internal resources of our
Wellness Team to offer new Quick Fit Classes for all employees working at
or visiting our WPO Raleigh headquarters. The classes are offered
throughout the week and are being led by several of our own WPO Wellness
Coaches, including Susan Drury-Rohner, Ellen Lawson, Ashley Miller,
Samantha Russo, Nichole Kanopoulos, and Denna Grasso. Remember
that regardless of where you are in the world, as a WPO employee, you can
always take advantage of our Wellness Coaching services. Email Dustin
Raymer, Internal Wellness Manager, for more information.