Monica Ward is someone who truly knows how to engage people. From inspiring children in her prior career as an elementary school teacher to motivating her Team every day as a 9 Star Diamond Coach, she points to the role of ‘Servant Leader’ as one of her most rewarding roles so far. We sat down with Monica to chat about how adding a personal touch can lead to lasting  relationships—and incredibly productive results.

Many Coaches hit flat spots in their business and need to re-strategize and re-focus. Have you ever experienced this—and how did you overcome it?

What I have experienced in my business are periods that were not necessarily ‘flat spots’, but rather periods where my activity was just that—activity—and not creating productive results. If you’re not committing to the vital behaviors first, above all activity, you’ll continue to feel like your business isn’t moving forward. As Diamonds, our goal isn’t just to be committed to Success Club, building personal challenge groups and sponsoring new coaches—it’s also about being committed to helping our team create the same results.

How did you re-engage in your business and push through the tough times? Any tips to share with other Leaders?

I re-engage by engaging others. I offer opportunities for Coaches to engage in small focus groups where they can connect with other Coaches who are committed to Success Club, particular income goals, and accountability. They’re like ‘Challenge Groups for Coaches’, and can be anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 weeks long. The three key features are productivity, accountability—and results.

How do you lead and motivate your team when the going gets tough? Any rally tips to share?

We highlight all the success stories within our group. We interview the new Diamonds on the team call when they rank advance, and acknowledge Coaches who make Success Club. We encourage people to share personal wins in our private Team page from week to week. We honor the top volume producers. The stories inspire other coaches to take action and produce their own results. Above all, we reach out and connect. Pick up the phone, or send a text, an email or a Facebook message. Don’t imagine what might be going on with a particular team member—take the initiative to find out!

When you need inspiration to help you re-focus, where or what do you turn to?

I reach out and get support. The easiest thing to motivate me is a great audio book. I quiet myself—and listen. There are so many great authors and influencers out there. Heck, all we have to do is visit the success tab in the Coach Online Office and dive in. I’m also a huge believer in attending an event—I always feel energized and focused after a local Beachbody event. The Coaches in my area know me well enough to know that if there isn’t one available, I’ll make one happen. I’ll invite a Coach for breakfast, lunch or dinner—or even just a workout. If I can’t get out, I reach out to my Coach friends and just connect over a phone call.

In your opinion, what should Coaches and Leaders be focusing on between now and Summit?  What goals have you set for yourself?

I think we should be leveraging the impending summer months to get people excited about stepping up their fitness, which for our Coaches means stepping up their invites. We too have a huge event coming up. Don’t miss the opportunity to get into the exclusive White Party by earning Success Club in April and May—or even show up to the event looking and feeling the best you’ve felt to date. My goal—I’m gearing up for T25. I’m hitting my fitness and nutrition like never before. I’m showing up in the healthiest I’ve been in years. Just the thought has me energized!

Why do you think it’s so important for Coaches at every level to attend Summit 2013?

I think as advocates of Beachbody fitness and Shakeology^® there’s no better gift to give ourselves than a seat at Summit. It’s where you hear from the best Coaches in the business. You sweat live with the trainers who you spend hours working out to on your TV screen. You get to actually give your teammates hugs and high fives. It’s like trying to explain the effects the Ultimate Reset—you just have to do it and your experience puts you in this exclusive club who understand that commitment. Summit is so special, and you owe it to yourself to surround yourself with the thousands of other people who passionately believe in the mission you believe in. You see you’re not alone, and what you are doing is making such a difference.

The theme of Summit this year is ‘Dream Big’ – what’s your big dream?

My big dream is to own a home in the town where my husband and I grew up.

Best Coach advice you ever got?

The best advice I ever got was to spend my time helping people get what they want, to be a ‘Servant Leader’. There’s no greater satisfaction for me than to perform that role.

Interview with a Master

Q & A with Dr. Mark Cheng

With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day fast approaching, you’ll never have a better time to boost your Tai Cheng sales. It’s the perfect gift for parents and grandparents alike. Want more vitality for your business? For the entire month of May, we’re reducing the price of our Tai Cheng Challenge Pack to $180— that’s over $90 of savings if your customer were to buy these products separately!

And for the month of May, we are also offering a free trial of Cordastra – an herbal supplement that boosts workout recoveries and energy levels. It’s a perfect compliment to a Tai Cheng workout.

We chatted with Dr. Cheng about who he sees as the perfect Tai Cheng™ customer, some can’t-miss selling points, and what he’s looking forward to at Summit 2013.

How did you first learn Tai Chi?

As a child, I saw my father doing it. But I thought the slow-motion stuff he was doing looked hilarious. It wasn’t until I actually felt him apply the moves with me that I realized there is more to Tai Chi. 

Why is Tai Cheng™ the perfect gift for Mother’s or Father’s Day? 

It’s a program that sons and daughters can do with their parents, regardless of age or ability. Even if your parents are across the country, giving the gift of an active lifestyle is a great Mother’s or Father’s Day present. For parents and grandparents Tai Cheng training can help increase mobility, flexibility and alleviate pain. Also I’ve heard it has drastically improved many program graduates’ golf games.

What motivated you to develop Tai Cheng?

I’ve been motivated by all the people who’ve emailed me with different problems, issues, and goals. I formulated the Tai Cheng System as a way of giving something of value to ALL—an elite athlete, a hyperactive kid, someone trying to get in shape, or a patient rehabbing from injury. Everyone can benefit from Tai Cheng.

What are the top 5 things to know about Tai Cheng? 

1.) Done properly, it’s zero-impact. You don’t have to worry about jarring your joints.

2.) It’s NOT a cakewalk. The slow motion is deceptive. When you execute the moves properly and maintain posture and joint alignment, you’re developing a lot of strength.

3.) Tai Cheng’s progressions are designed to get you moving better so that you get MORE out of other workouts.

4.) Bad movement patterns are the root of most non-trauma related pain. In many cases, you CAN retrain those movement patterns and get yourself moving and feeling better!

5.) There’s no guesswork. I’m personally demonstrating and talking you through the fine details of where and how to align your body at every step. And you don’t have to wait until next week for a refresher. Just push ‘play’ again. 

What is your top motivational tip for fitness and life in general?

Complacency = death. As soon as you’re satisfied with ‘good enough,’ your passion for life and improvement starts to die. If you’ve been through Tai Cheng once, take the time to do the program again, but go through it looking for details that you might’ve missed. This method of learning, training and living helps you appreciate the depth and worth of what’s in front of you.

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?

Never assume you’re correct─in movement, in training, in any interaction. Detach your ego enough to strive to be the best, but always have an honest eye to check yourself against a higher standard. That’ll set you apart from the herd.

How can Coaches use Tai Cheng to expand their businesses?

Starting Tai Cheng Challenge Groups allows Coaches to tap into new customer demographics. Here are a few groups you can target: 

Beginners:
Tai Cheng is a great stepping-stone for customers who want to improve their fitness, but need to start slow. It guides them into training in the most careful, comprehensive, manner possible─making their body stronger in a gradual, safe fashion so they can get better, faster results.

Advanced Athletes:
If athletes want to get more out of their high intensity workouts, take a training cycle & throw in Tai Cheng, but follow EVERY detail. They’ll find out that Tai Cheng training develops strength in areas they may be lacking, and THAT is what will help them get more out of their workouts. We’ve even got Division 1 athletes using training methods taken directly from Tai Cheng as their secret weapon for better performance.

People with injuries or pain:
If customers are recovering from injury, cleared by their doctors, and want to get back into movement or training, Tai Cheng gives them scalable training methods that allow for modifications. A number of people with fibromyalgia posted on our Facebook page that they’ve experienced life-changing improvements from following the Tai Cheng program.

Ages 50+:
Tai Cheng is a perfect match for your 50+ prospects. It’s a safe workout that heightens mobility and enables an independent lifestyle for older adults. Tai Cheng gets customers moving again.

Do you suggest any supplements to complement Tai Cheng?

Yes, Cordastra. It was created based on two of the most highly prized herbs in Chinese medicine – Astragalus & Cordyceps. These powerful adaptogens are used to improve immune system function, aid in post-workout recovery, and boost energy levels. This supplement will help maximize your Tai Cheng workout, and it’s a perfect way for you to expand your business.

What’s your favorite part of Coach Summit and why should Coaches attend?

My favorite part of Summit is hearing from the Coaches and meeting them in person. Since Tai Cheng was such a new product last year, hearing all the success stories blew my mind. Now that the program has been out a bit longer, I’m looking forward to hearing more of those stories and meeting the people whose lives it has changed!

Super Saturday Goes Global

On April 13, Team Beachbody^® put the ‘super’ in Super Saturday.

Four times a year, thousands of Coaches come together on the same day with a singular goal: to get everyone laser-focused, on the same page, and ready to produce seriously colossal results.

But this one went even further. We’re talking bigger, better, and bolder than any Super Saturday to date. Want the raw numbers? A record 370 cities. With more than 5,000 people from across the nation and around the globe joined together.

And as always, this Super Saturday started off by celebrating individual Coach and Team successes, topped off with a fresh, corporate video chock-full of new product announcements and solid business training.

The happenings

April’s Super Saturday video featured a powerful piece from 4 Star Diamond Coach, Krystal Bland. Then there was a sneak preview of Shaun T’s intense, new program, T25, as well as valuable time management tips from Senior Director of Network Marketing and Training, Denise Needham.

And when it came to loyalty, cities across the country were there to represent.

Did we mention the global impact? People gathered far and wide, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, and military bases in Italy, Germany, and Japan.

CEO Carl Daikeler visited the Team in San Diego where more than 400 people gathered. Another 400 met in Dallas.

Still another 500 convened in Orange County, California, and got even more fired up than they bargained for. Why? An after-meeting PiYo workout with none other than Chalene Johnson.

Didn’t get a chance to get your Team together? Leaders, it’s a golden opportunity to do your thing and put your Coaches in prime position for success. Ensure the magic arrives in YOUR hood by hosting or attending a National Super Saturday event on June 29, 2013. Mark. It. Down.

Let’s make this next Super Saturday on June 29^th even more epic.
Click here to register your city and event here today and make sure to join the Facebook group. 

The moment Summit 2012 ended, the crew at Team Beachbody^® was back at work dreaming up Summit 2013. And boy did they DREAM BIG. This year’s Summit promises to be more inspiring and mind-blowing than ever—so get yourself to Vegas and be a part of the magic. This is one incredible event that no Coach can afford to miss.

So what does it take to put on one of the most amazing events in fitness? We sat down with three of the main players working behind the scenes to create the epic Summit 2013 event. 

What It Takes to Make Summit Happen.

With attendance pushing 5,000 last year, it’s no surprise that major brainstorming, planning, scheduling, and sweat equity goes into putting on an event of this magnitude.

Securing the venue and coming up with next year’s theme begins the morning after Summit closes. No joke. There’s no rest for the weary when you’re planning this year’s event for over 6,500 people, so the Team Beachbody folks in charge take a quick catnap, then roll up their sleeves and get right back at it.

We sat down with these hardworking dudes to find out what it takes to make Summit happen.

The Voice of Oz

Carrie Dobro is our Senior Producer on the main stage at the MGM Grand® Arena, and the person responsible for the magic that happens at the General Sessions, Talent Show, and grand finale known as “Celebration.” That means working on the lighting, sound, sets, special effects, choreography, costumes—you name it, Carrie’s in charge of it. But she’ll be the first to tell you that it takes a village to put together Summit. “It’s a creative collaboration. There are dozens of faces working behind the scenes, clocking 16-hour days to bring the events to life,” adds Carrie.

“It’s like putting on a Broadway show. Any time there’s a live show, there’s the concern as to what could go wrong—because, well, it’s LIVE. And that’s a total adrenaline rush,” says Carrie. And it’s obvious that she likes that kind of challenge because she’s smiling from ear to ear. It may take a village to make it happen, but it takes a pro like Carrie to pull it off without a hitch.

Four weeks before Summit begins, you can find Carrie in an editing bay at Beachbody headquarters making sure the videos are just right. She’s hitting rehearsals, making sure the costumes are flawless, checking and double-checking every aspect of pre-production. “It’s night and day, but I really love the anticipation and excitement of Summit,” says Carrie. “When you see the reaction on people’s faces it makes all the hard work worthwhile,” she adds. “My favorite part of last year’s Summit was seeing the audience’s reaction when Shaun T did his opening number at Celebration. It was priceless!”

The Master Planner 

Kelli Gilbert is our Vice President of Events, and oversees the execution of every onsite party from the Elite Party to the Celebration After-Party—and everything in between. Kelli got her start in event planning at 5 years old when her first tea party packed the house. She didn’t know it then, but she was destined for Team Beachbody event organization greatness!

This year marks Kelli’s third Summit event—and the second anniversary of The CORE, the incredible 40,000 sf retail area Kelli and the team debuted last year. The CORE hosts the hottest new apparel, an action-packed product knowledge stage, a live DJ, trainer appearances and much, much more. “The CORE is where we showcase everything and everyone” explains Kelli. “We’re even hosting a fashion show this year.”

Each year Kelli’s team focuses on how to make Summit better and more efficient. “This year it’s all about the little things,” says Kelli. “From the copy on the receipts, to creating boxed lunch options—everything is carefully thought out and incorporates this year’s theme, Dream Big.”

For Kelli, the buzz of several thousands of people coming together, face-to-face, many for the first time, is a powerful experience. “Like-minded people who want to be educated and inspired, and all that energy pumping through the room…it’s really exciting to see,” says Kelli. “The truth is, we may all be working behind the scenes to make Summit happen, but it belongs to everyone. And you can’t put a price on that.”

Mr. Nitty Gritty

Brandon Goetz is the Director of Production and the person responsible for thousands of Coaches sweating together in the middle of the Vegas Strip. Yes, he orchestrates the Super Workout – it is no small feat. In fact, last year’s Super Workout was epic. More than 4,500 blasted calories with Beachbody’s celebrity trainers. “I love putting together Super Workout. The days leading up to it are 24-hour marathons, but there’s no limit to what you can do when there’s adrenaline pumping through your veins,” says Brandon.

Brandon’s also coordinates the main stage for all the general sessions, the Grand Garden Arena. “The room is completely empty, blank slate when we get there. It takes two days to set up everything and just six hours to take it down,” explains Brandon. What looks like a smooth show on the outside, is a well-conducted three-ring circus behind the curtain. “There are four to five big rigs loaded with sound, lighting and video equipment and there’s a crew of 60 people working all hours, but the results are worth it,” says Brandon.

The circus never really ends. Brandon starts prepping for next year’s Summit—you guessed it—the day after. “My goal is to top the year before. Making it bigger and better. It’s all about the production value.” For Summit 2013, Beachbody hired award-winning TV Director, Chuck Vinson, and award-winning Director & Choreographer Doug Johnson to put on the Celebration show. And for the first time ever, the General Sessions will be streamed live to Beachbody HQ. “We want everyone back in Los Angeles to see the results of all their hard work.” He adds, “After all, Summit is a collaboration of many, many people.”

Don’t miss our biggest event of the year. Register now at CoachSummit.com.

Ashley Mahaffey: Sold On Summit

She’s a 3x Ironman triathlon finisher, personal trainer, boot camp owner, wife, mother of two, and a former NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse player and NCAA championship-winning coach.

One person is all of those things? Yes. And then some. Meet Ashley Mahaffey, Elite Beachbody Coach. When Ashley made Elite for 2012 she’d only been a coach for a little over a year.

Ashley began coaching because she loved the training results she saw from using Shakeology. Her Ironman recovery times were faster. She made the podium in her age group for a half Ironman. She even shaved off time for all three sports of her Ironman race.

It’s true; Ashley is seriously athletic and naturally gifted. But that’s by far NOT her secret to success.

The Difference Maker

Coach Summit 2012 was Ashley’s ‘light bulb moment.’

It was there that Ashley learned how she could fulfill her passions. “Fitness results are great, but I love to mentor people in business too,” she explains. “My mission statement is to empower my Coaches, my customers, my family and myself to be financially free and healthy. And at Summit 2012, I really saw some unique ways I could do that.”

One of those unique ways? The break-out sessions. “At last year’s Summit, I absolutely loved Tommy Mygrant’s session,” she recalls. “It was a high-energy talk that showed me how to better handle objections with an authentic approach.”

Summit Surprise

Going into Summit 2012, Ashley didn’t know quite what to expect. “I didn’t realize the impact and power it would have on my life. “Nothing beats the energy of Summit. When you’re immersed in the culture, surrounded by people who really, really want you to succeed, it’s an absolutely amazing experience.”

And like any good workout or cleanse, that energy lasts.

In fact, Ashley felt the effects of Summit long after the closing celebration. She promises, “It’s not a one-hit-wonder. Following Summit, I felt this collective wave of accountability and support from the connections and power partners I had met.”

Ashley is quick to reassure new Coaches and first-time Summit attendees that you don’t need to know anyone going to Summit in order to find dynamite success. “For a new Coach, Summit is a gold mine. Everyone is warm and welcoming,  and all  barriers are broken down when you’re all sweating together,” she laughs. “As a new Coach, the power of being there creates a million opportunities to fast track your results by masterminding with others.”

As a results junkie in all facets of her life, Ashley is sold on Summit. And now, she’s helping her Coaches see the benefits, too.

Recently, Ashley got a text from a hesitant Coach who was afraid to go to Summit due to a fear of flying. Ashley asked, “If you knew that going to Summit would mean the difference of reaching your financial goal by December 2013 vs. June 2014, would you go?” The Coach’s response? “Okay, I’m there!”

Dreaming Big for 2013 and Beyond

This year, Ashley can’t wait to pick up more tips and tricks for her business at Summit 2013. She explains, “My big dream for the rest of 2013 and into 2014 is to become a leader that inspires others to hit their big dream goals—part of my dream is to make Elite again.”

Ashley’s looking forward to Trina Gray and Melissa McCallister’s presentation about creating a $1000 business. “I know I’ll hit Monica Ward’s session on FORMing, too.  She’s a master at relationship building and I can’t wait!”

Along with the break-out sessions, Ashley is pumped up for the keynote speaker, John C. Maxwell. After devouring his book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership she knows the talk is bound to be good. Ashley says, “Maxwell reinforces the principle that Beachbody should not be your life, but it should be able to give you a life. Those are the kind of results I’m looking for.”

Real Results

In the course of a year, Ashley went from a brand new Coach to 2 Star Diamond Coach, to 4 Star Diamond, and is now also a member of the Elite ranks. At home, she was able to finance private school tuition for her two boys, allowing her husband to take a step back from his business and spend more time with their family.

“I’m inspired by what I do now more than ever,” gushed Ashley. “Because coaching is fulfilling my passions, I’m a happier person and a better wife and mom.”

If those aren’t results, we don’t know what are.