Meet Shannon, our amazing St. Louis Showroom Manager!

What is your role at lululemon?

Community Creator (a.k.a St. Louis Showroom Manager)

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

A showroom is a "cozier" version of a lululemon store; small and intimate, and more boutique-like... it’s like stopping by a friend's home to catch up and see what’s new. We operate just like a retail store in terms of offering tons of great product, but we spend as much time out in the community as we do in the showroom, so our hours are a little funny as we are not open every day and may close early for private events and trunk shows. We do our own painting and arranging. Some may call it "kitschy", but I prefer "homey", perhaps even "endearing". The showroom atmosphere engenders such a personal guest experience that ultimately creates authentic relationships. It's so amazing!

How did you come to lululemon?

I received my first pair of Groove pantsa few years ago and fell in love with the product. After completing my Masters in Spanish Literature and realizing the academic route was not for me, I began researching companies and met MK Letchworth who came to St. Louis to open the showroom here – her energy was INCREDIBLE and her enthusiasm for lululemon, contagious. It was an instant connection; we had so much in common! I applied online for positions in New York, was contacted by lululemon and ended up finding the best fit and opportunity right here in St. Louis with the fabulous MK (now lululemon masonville assistant manager!).

Tell us about your community:

St. Louis is friendly, loyal and authentic. It is a cosmopolitan city with world-class restaurants, museums, sports teams - but all coupled with a quaint, small-town feel. In terms of health and fitness, this is a running and fitness community where yoga is really taking off!

Inside the St. Louis Showroom!

What is a typical Wednesday like for you?

No typical day really – but in general I rise early, take a cardio class or go for a run, eat breakfast, participate in a conference call, grab a coffee and head to the showroom where I hang out with friends and make new ones talking about the latest and greatest lululemon gear, fave yoga class, new restaurants, goal setting, etc., and receive new product! After work I will drop in on a yoga class (or as of November in St. Louis, run with the lululemon run club!) make dinner and spend time with family and friends.

How do you usually sweat once a day?

I love to run, spin, practice yoga and take crazy cardio classes with some of the amazing instructors we have in St. Louis.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

Because I enable people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives by being a hub of health and fitness knowledge in my community. We offer complimentary yoga and fitness classes and educate the community on super high performance gear for however they choose to sweat!

No two days are ever the same. I wear stretchy pants to work and get paid to work out and have authentic conversations with people about health, fitness and living a GREAT life. My company is constantly challenging me to create a life of possibility and never settle for mediocrity, providing me with the developmental tools and support to make that happen! And, seriously, our manifesto includes such words of wisdom like "Dance, sing, floss and travel"and has monthly challenges that include dancing the running man once a day!

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Be yourself and have fun. Sounds simple, but you are hired into this incredible company because you are incredible, so just keep doing that thing you do. And, well, if you are not having fun every single day, then you are doing something wrong. Get out there and connect in your community - love, laugh, sweat and breath deeply every day! Honestly, just read the manifesto, it’s all there!

What makes your showroom unique?

Simple - our community makes us unique: from the educators to the guests, to the ambassadors and R&D team, to our fantastic Central West End neighborhood. There is no showroom like it!

What's your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!?

My BHAG is to bring lululemon into Spanish speaking countries, uniting my passion for the Spanish language and culture and sheer enthusiasm and desire to continue to spread the lululemon love… en español!

See the amazing opportunities at lululemon with the new showrooms opening up!

What is your role at lululemon?

I am a Showroom Manager in beautiful downtown San Diego.

Tell us about your community:

Downtown is the cultural center of San Diego. We have a really great mix of athletes, young professionals, people in the military, students and tourists. We have yogis, crossfitters, dancers, runners, cyclists, mixed martial artists and Olympic kayakers. People here are some of the most friendly I've ever met. I guess it's difficult not to be happy when it's sunny 360 days a year

How did you come to lululemon?

I worked in Los Angeles marketing for network television shows until I burned out. I took a year off and got certified to teach yoga then traveled around the world with my sister before settling in San Diego. I knew of and loved lululemon from my LA days and was surprised to find there wasn't a store here. I found the posting for a showroom manager on lululemon.com soon after I moved here. The timing was perfect! I was lucky enough to be hired to open a showroom in Del Mar, lululemon's entry into the San Diego market. The whole thing was fate really.

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

Showrooms were originally created to go into communities where lululemon stores were not around. They operate similarly to our stores in many ways but one major difference is that we have limited hours in order to maximize our time in the community. I believe there is no better venue than a showroom to interact with our community and truly gain a sense of what they want and where they want it. The showroom setting is generally very intimate and has that neighborhood vibe where our guests feel comfortable kicking off their shoes and staying awhile.

What's a typical Wednesday like for you?

Wednesdays are different each week but they always start out with our store manager call where all the stores and showrooms in our region get to touch base. Lots of learning and sharing happens on that call! Wednesdays include a class (or two!) so that I'm always becoming more of an expert in our community, connecting with the most amazing teachers, trainers, athletes and studios in our neighborhood. Community and people development are how I spend most of my days.

How do you usually sweat once a day?

Yoga is definitely my preferred form of exercise/stress relief though I took my first hip hop class a couple weeks ago and I'm hooked! Also, I work up quite a sweat chasing after my very active 11-month-old daughter but I can't think of anything more fun!

What’s one activity/fitness trend that you’ve been dying to try?

I have two: Zumba and Kettle Bells.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

I love creating something where there was nothing but opportunity before. I love working with amazing people every day, fellow educators and all the outstanding members of our community. I am so fortunate to have a job that embraces balance so that I can be present for my family and raise our daughter. I have so much fun at work that I'd probably do it even if I didn't get paid.

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Be flexible and open to anything! Most importantly, take ownership of whatever you do... showrooms provide unbelievable opportunities for resourcefulness and creativity.

What makes your showroom unique?

This is the second showroom I've managed in San Diego and they each had very different personalities. The first time around we were the only gig in town. Now there are two stores in the area so we have to work even harder to create our individual showroom culture and not stand in the shadow of the stores. Our mission continues to be to attract new guests, educate them on our culture and bring the lululemon love.

Sidewalk yoga! All part of a day's work at the San Diego showroom.

Do you think you are one of the three rock stars managers that can lead a team in Madison, WI, Cincinnati, OH or Birmingham, AL? Browse some of the cool locations where we will be opening showrooms!

Meet Haley, the Lake Oswego Showroom manager, in Lake Oswego, Oregon

What is your role at lululemon?

Lake Oswego Showroom Manager

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

The intention of a showroom is bring the lululemon culture to a community where we do not have a store. Unlike stores, showrooms are not open every day. This gives us time to be active in the community, hold trunk shows, arrange shop nights and kitchen parties, take yoga and fitness classes, meet with the local instructors and gym owners, and get to meet our community. To sum it up, our goal is to spread the lululemon love.

How did you come to lululemon?

I always found myself shopping at lululemon even though I worked at other athletic apparel stores. After reading about the company culture and manifesto, I just had to be a part of lululemon!

What is a typical Wednesday like for you?

It includes hitting up a class, regional manager call, working the floor, getting our new product for the week, sending a product notification, getting the product on the floor, working with the fabulous Lake Oswego guests, possibly taking a studio owner or instructor out to coffee, fit sessions, fun and sometimes class number two after close!!

The inside of our Lake Oswego Showroom!

How do you usually sweat once a day?

I love running or hitting up a class... spin, yoga, anything!

One of the complimentary yoga classes in the showroom.

What’s one activity/fitness trend that you’ve been dying to try?

Kettle balls.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

I am surrounded by the greatest people in the world. Everyone is dedicated to creating new possibilities, setting goals and dreaming BIG! Ever since I joined the company, my personal and career development sky-rocketed! I am absolutely in love with the company, the people, the culture, EVERYTHING!

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Talk, talk, talk!! Find out all about events in the community, gyms, studios, and get to know the locals. Hire a rock-star team and travel as a pack.

What's your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!? (one year)

The Lake Oswego Showroom will be the best showroom in the US by May 2010!

Come visit Haley and the team in Oswego!

This guest post was co-written by Becky and Tricia, a dynamic duo in NYC! Becky (aka Becks) is the store manager at lululemon Lincoln Square, and Trish is the assistant manager.

7:30 a.m.: We start our day by grabbing a cup of coffee and then walk to the Lincoln Square store to begin to roll out the game-day plan. Opening the store together in the morning remains one of our favorite parts of the job.

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: The 1st round of product walk-throughs with our growing team begins. Courtney, the new showroom manager from Orlando, joins the team this morning to experience the day in the life of a New York manager.

9:30 a.m. – 10: a.m.: Product walk-through concludes and the seven-person team works to open the store. Before the clock strikes 10, we come together for the morning meeting. Goals are stated, sections are assigned and we’re off to the races!

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: The Thursday morning party has begun with quite a storm. It is the first cold, rainy day in New York City and our guests are coming in looking for warmth and listening to Dave Matthews Band on Pandora.

10:30 a.m.: We make a last minute purchase for our class with Nalini Method Ambassador Rupa Mehta.

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.: Nalini Class with Rupa. The Nalini Method is an intense full-body workout that includes a focus on your best assets: abs, ass and arms.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Apres class, Trish and Courtney grab a quick lunch and are back to the store while Becks and Rena meet with Rupa and Liz Eustace (Regional Community Guru) to discuss Rupa’s leadership in the New York City Recreation Center renovations and lululemon’s involvement and continued partnership.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Leadership meeting focusing on community initiatives leading up to the New York Marathon and finalizing finishing touches on our Charitable Giving Day next Tuesday, October 20th.

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: We bang it out on the floor.

3:00 p.m.: Becks has an interview with a key leader from the St. Louis Showroom who is pursuing her goals of moving to New York City and would like to continue growing with lululemon.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: We meet to discuss the next quarterly sales plan next weeks’ schedule including the Halloween window installation.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Spin class with the city-wide lululemon supporting team at Soul Cycle – East with new instructor Sherman.

Inspired by these managers? The New York region is full of amazing opportunities and are looking for goal driven people to join the team! Think you have what it takes? Check it out: http://tbe.taleo.net/NA1/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=LULU&cws=1?cid=blog

Above: Alex in her new pair of perfectly fitting Groove Pants. 

I recently had a guest experience that has impacted me on so many levels that I had to share it.

A young woman named Alex and her little sister were in the changing room having the little sister's pants hemmed. Alex was trying on one of our new hoodies and trying to decide between two colours. After deciding that the one with the pink stripes fit nicely the little sister made a comment about how Alex wouldn't have fit into that hoodie a few months ago.

Always curious to learn more about our guests I asked Alex what her sister meant. She told me that she is 20 years old and that she was a size 24 in January. At that time her doctor told her that she had to lose weight and change her habits or the long-term impact on her health and life would have severe consequences. Since her doctor's warning Alex has revolutionized her lifestyle – incorporating healthy eating and regular exercise. To date she has lost an amazing sixty pounds.

Alex then said that her "goal has been to fit into a pair of lululemon pants."

While the girls got changed, I grabbed our incredible store manager and told her that I really wanted to do something to demonstrate that lululemon is a goal-oriented and health conscious team would support Alex in her goal. Rebecca asked me what I wanted to do. "I want to give her that first pair of pants," I said. I was floored when Rebecca responded with "Do it!"

Pulling Alex aside, I said "we are really proud of the changes that you have made to live a better life and that you have made our company a part of them. We are going to give you that pair of pants that you have set as your goal. If they don’t fit today, you can come back when you are ready. But let’s go give it a try now!"

Nervous as to whether or not she would fit into the pants, I suggested we grab the Groove Pants that matched her hoodie. She went back into the change room to put them on. When she came out the pants fit her perfectly. She achieved her goal without even knowing it.

Ultimately Alex took the pants and hoodie home, hopefully as proud of her accomplishment as our team was of her for completing her goal.

It was an amazing thing that the lululemon athletica Rideau Centre team did to support this young woman and it was personally rewarding to be a part of it. I wish Alex the best of luck in accomplishing her next goal.

By putting your goals out there you have a better chance of building the support network required to achieve them. How do you put your goals out there? How do you support others?