Lindsay Cox ('16 BCom)

BAA: Tell us about your undergraduate experience at the Alberta School of Business. What were you involved in, and what are your favourite memories?

Lindsay: My time at the Alberta School of Business was unforgettable. I was what you’d call “involved.” I participated in many different extracurriculars, student groups, case competitions and just about everything else under the sun. I was involved with the Business Students Association, was a BUS 201 Seminar Manager and was lucky enough to travel internationally to represent the Alberta School of Business in case competitions in Latvia, Australia and Hong Kong.

My biggest involvement and contributions came out of being on the Alberta JDC West team – this was where I really found my passion at the School. I started in my first year on the Social team, competed on the Marketing team and was the VP Academic in my second year, and in my third and final year, I was able to give back and co-captain the team that gave me so much throughout my undergrad. Most of my favourite memories came from JDC West – the best one? Probably hearing Alberta Bound (our team song) play when we placed in the School of the Year category in 2015. I will never forget that.

BAA: What was the impact of your involvement in student groups?

Lindsay: Being involved in student groups gave me so much more than I could have imagined – I had a goal to say 'yes' to any opportunity that came my way, and I don’t think I had any idea how much I would walk away with. Saying 'yes' to being involved in student groups gave me real-life experience and gave me more confidence in who I was and what I would bring to the table when leaving the School. It gave me people skills, communication skills, time-management skills and all those other fun things you can put on your resume. But ultimately, the biggest thing that it gave me was CONNECTION. I could do these incredible things alongside incredible people who continue to play big roles in my life. I made life-long friendships and connections through being involved, and I can’t imagine what my undergrad would have been like without it.

BAA: How has your career developed post-graduation through to today?

Lindsay: When I graduated from the Alberta School of Business in Fall 2016, like many other keen business graduates, I thought I’d go out and get my first “big girl” job. After much consideration, I decided to follow my passion of working at lululemon and went back to my team at lululemon Southgate to work as an Educator on the floor. I worked nights, I worked weekends, and I worked on my own leadership and development to move into a leadership position at the store level.

When I started at lululemon in 2015, I knew very quickly that this was a company that I wanted to stay with long term, so I decided to try to get into the lululemon SSC (Store Support Centre – what other companies would call headquarters). About a year and a half after graduation and working on the floor at lululemon, I decided that it was time for something different. l started to look for roles at the SSC, and at the beginning, nothing seemed to stick. The role wasn’t for me, or I wasn’t the best fit for the job or many other reasons. Almost as soon as I took a break from looking, the role of Edmonton Membership Community Specialist landed in my inbox. Since then, I’ve been working remotely for the lululemon SSC from Edmonton – I was a membership community specialist for almost 2 years, working with local studio partners and planning member events to bring lululemon membership to life in Edmonton. In March of 2019, I took on a more operational role, working with studio partners across our membership markets. It has been quite the ride so far, and I am excited to see where my experience will take me next!

BAA: What has inspired your career in the fitness industry? How did you find that passion, and how does it show up for you every day at work?

Lindsay: Fun fact: I played competitive hockey for 16 years of my life – team sport was where I thrived. When I decided not to continue playing when I got to University, I really missed the energy that I got from being on a team (not to mention, I was missing the physical challenge). Spin was the first thing I found after my hockey career that I was passionate about. I could really get into the music, the challenge, and feel that community around me that I had really been missing. It was so much fun – it didn’t feel like it was a chore to move my body. I loved it.

What led me to want to teach (or motivate, as we call it at YEG Cycle) was the idea that I could bring this passion - this energy - to others. It is an incredible honour and responsibility to have a platform that I can impact others—an impact on a community that I am so grateful for finding me when I first started. I’ve been teaching for three and a half years, and I don’t think that the energy it gives me will ever get old.

BAA: You were involved in rolling out the lululemon membership program - what was it like seeing that program come to fruition, and do you have any advice for anyone looking to launch large-scale programs like that one?

Lindsay: It was such an honour to be a part of the team that would pioneer what lululemon membership would look like. And, it was also really intimidating and scary at times – to be the very first person with my role, to be on the ground, rolling out this brand new program in the very first city that would ever get to experience it (lucky for Edmonton). It has been incredibly rewarding to work on a project that I have been able to help create from the ground up for our most loyal lululemon guests.

We say something at lululemon that we are striving to be “committed, not attached,” and that is exactly the advice I’d give when you are launching something new. Be committed to your vision and what you are trying to create but not too attached that when things don’t go the way you planned, you can learn from it and adjust rather than taking it to heart. We have always said that this has been a “test to learn,” and that we needed to learn what our guests were looking for to help us refine our program. Feedback is the name of the game at lululemon – we view feedback as a gift. We can always count on our members to continually evolve our program without being too attached to the original plan.

BAA: As we make our way through the winter months, do you have any tips for those looking to stay active or perhaps try something new?

Lindsay: I LOVE this question – thank you for asking! Here’s what I have really found helps me:

• Get outside and get fresh air – even if it’s a little chilly, bundle up because fresh air can do WONDERS. Whether that’s for a walk, a skate or a ski, you’ll thank yourself for getting outside.
• Try out a local class at a studio – I’ve been loving Hive Fit Co’s virtual HIIT class.
• If you try something new, make sure to try it twice!
• Find an accountability buddy – having a standing date with someone (or a group of people each week) can help a ton in sticking to your sweat schedule. We usually finish off our workout with dinner over Facetime afterwards!

My BIGGEST advice is this – listen to your body. If some days you’d rather sit on the couch and watch New Girl (currently rewatching it, and you definitely should too), then you should sit on the couch and watch New Girl and try your best not to feel guilty about it. Your body knows what it needs, and if that is rest, listen up and give yourself what your body is asking for.

BAA: What piece of advice would you give to new graduates?

Lindsay: Don’t feel rushed into finding a “big girl” (as I called it) job when you’re done University – you have PLENTY of time. When I graduated, I definitely felt the pressure and expectations of getting a “business” job or a “job in my field” right away. At the time, people thought I was crazy when I turned down these types of jobs to go back to lululemon to “sell stretchy pants,” as we like to say. I went with my gut and was able to work my way into the role I hold now. Did I doubt my decision at times? Absolutely. But what I know now, looking back, is that even if it hadn’t worked out the way it did, all my experience would have been a valuable experience. And I also know that if you do the thing that lights you up and you work hard enough, you’ll be able to find your career there. Even more importantly, you will LOVE what you do every day. Really, It’s a win-win situation!