You may have seen on our stories, we’ve spent the last few days amidst the mountains, surrounded by snow, and head to toe in the lycra we call home. For those of you that haven’t graced our stories since last Tuesday, the above is referring to our most recent adventure… lululemon Ambassador Summit.
First up… What is it?
The summit is something put on for lululemon ambassadors every year, taking place in numerous locations, this year being Chamonix. It’s the chance for us as advocates of the brand to delve a little deeper into what lululemon do, and why they do it. This year saw 150 of us from the European and Middle East stores come together for 3 full on days, packed full of exploration (both mental and physical), education and enlightenment.
Who attends Summit?
Ambassadors from the various stores, store managers from each and some key community leaders from the Vancouver Head Office.
What happens at Summit?
Summit is essentially a 3-day getaway to explore everything lululemon stands for. This centres around the 3 pillars, Sweat, Grow and Connect.
The sweat saw us practice yoga every day, lead by the incredible Ryan Lear, a global ambassador for the brand. On top of this, we were given the option to partake in early morning sessions, either a run, a HIIT session or a breath session. We even lead the run one morning.
The grow holds both physical and mental depth, offering us the opportunity to build on strengths and weaknesses in our movement of choice, as well as grow as individuals. It encouraged us to open up and not be afraid of obstacles if they allow us to grow stronger via conversations with others, and personal development sessions formatted in a way that allowed us, should we wish to open up and share experiences. On top of this, they encouraged us to take a closer look at our visions and goals. We played various games and undertook a number of tasks that involved us breaking down said visions and goals, and looking at how we can achieve them, supported by lululemon and those around us.
The connect was simple, to take advantage of the superhuman that accompanied us on the trip. It encouraged connection building with strangers, and support of those we’d never met. From being gifted a secret guardian angel for the week to taking on orienteering activities with those we have had only crossed passed with once or followed on the gram. It allowed us to open up conversations we never would normally have in our day to day lives, and the opportunity to make new friends, and learn new things. Dinner (or party) on the Thursday, allowed us to indulge in this even more over one, two or in some cases multiple drinks and as a result dance floor activities a plenty!
The days were jam-packed, but bountiful with information and good vibes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were served every day at the hotel, offering up more opportunities to sweat and grow as we shared endless social hours.
We were also given a full onboarding, and explanation of the ambassador programme to discover how we could best benefit from the two years.
What did we learn at Summit?
Before attending, we had no idea what to expect. We knew we loved the brand, and a number of people going but with the itinerary kept pretty secret, and past ambassadors and managers not wanting to give too much away, we were left pretty in the dark. Despite frustration at the time, we’re kind of glad this scenario happened as it allowed us to go in with no expectations and no preconceptions.
The only thing we had been told, is that sharing was optional. We weren’t entirely sure what this meant, but after the first personal development session, we had a pretty good idea! Sharing was standing up in front of the group and sharing the work you’d done. Whether it was planning your 100th birthday party, or revealing your big goal and vision, it was something the leaders gently encouraged. If you know us you’ll know we’re not big sharers. E isn’t so confident in front of the crowds, and H has a heart of stone. Saying this, whilst we weren’t quite ready to share publicly (year 2, we’ll be ready!), we did both take a lot from simply having the opportunity to unleash it. We were given hours to jot down notes and answer several questions that took us steps closer to realising what we really wanted from the future of TTH. It aided us in looking at the bigger pictures and encouraged us to take a step back and be proud of what we have created. These personal development sessions were tough for us, we won’t lie, but the environment in which lululemon created to help us get through them has left us feeling inspired, enlightened and refreshed knowing we can achieve what we put our mind to.
On top of this, we learned more about the brand’s objectives and goals for the next 5 years, as well as products in planning and events we can be a part of. We learned more about what being an ambassador means, and why they chose us. We learned what it is to be part of a team, of a community and how special those connections can really be.
Want in on the action?
Sadly we can’t take you to the summit, but we can encourage you to immerse yourself in all lululemon activities. Head to their Facebook page to see all the events they put on, and hey you may even spot a familiar face or two!
TTH x
