At Amazon, we focus on our customers and work backwards. One of the common tools we use to do this when coming up with a new feature or product idea is what we call a forward looking press release. Often abbreviated as “PR FAQ”, the forward looking press release sets the vision for the product or feature based on the customer benefits and business outcomes achieved following the launch. While it may seem a little strange or counterintuitive to write what happened before it’s actually happened, I’ve found it to be a great tool to think about the impact an idea can have, how customers will react (customer obsession) as well as how to define and measure its success (right a lot). The PR FAQ typically includes “audacious goals” (think big) an FAQ that includes a list of questions that provide additional clarity on strategy, execution and metrics (John Rossman has a good explanation of this mechanism in his book “The Amazon Way” which is a great and fairly accurate read: http://bit.ly/TheAmazonWayBook).
I recently partnered with Kevin Freeland, founder of Body Focus Fitness & Performance and JDRF to plan a fundraiser in October and thought I would dog food this approach outside of work to try to sell the idea and get two different organizations aligned and committed to a shared goal. I’ll spare you the FAQs, but hope I can count on your support for this fun event on October 22nd at the Body Focus Fitness & Performance studio in Tempe. You can learn more about the event and register here: http://bit.ly/hammer-out-type-1
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October 22, 2016 - Tempe AZ
On Saturday, October 22nd, JDRF teamed up with local fitness icon Kevin Freeland of Body Focus Fitness & Performance for a chance to take a swing at Type 1 Diabetes.
Over 80 members of the local Phoenix community participated in a fun filled morning that provided each participant with an opportunity to swing a large sledgehammer against massive tractor tires to determine who could achieve the most swings within a 5-minute period. Eager participants began lining up outside of the Body Focus Fitness Studio in Tempe at 7:50 AM for the first of 8 time slots running from 8 AM through noon. Categories for wielding a sledgehammer of various sizes included men’s (16 lbs.), women’s (12 lbs.), youth (5 lbs.) and male/female tandem teams with prizes including fitness assessments (a $30 value) a full private workout ($60 value) an Amazon Fire tablet and two Amazon Fire TV sticks.
"This is a great opportunity to partner with a local fitness organization that has a history of not only developing some of the valley's strongest athletes but also has a track record of consistently giving back to the local Phoenix metro community" said Peter Ferry, JDRF Development Manager, Desert Southwest Chapter. Prior to this year’s event, Body Focus Fitness and Performance hosted “Hammer out Hunger” wherein the entry fee was a frozen turkey to benefit Andre House, a local ministry to the homeless and poor populations of the Phoenix area. “Building on the success of previous fundraising events, this is an opportunity to both provide awareness and raise funds for critical research that aims to well, hammer out Type 1 and I am honored to be a part of it” said Kevin Freeland, founder of the fitness studio in Tempe. The event met and exceeded expectations, raising nearly $1,900 for the annual JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes as part of the annual Tour de Tucson on November 19 which draws over 10,000 cyclists from around the country. This event is JDRF’s second largest fundraising effort behind the annual One Walk held in the spring.
Did you know Type 1 Diabetes:
1. Is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin – a hormone essential to turning food into energy.
2. Affects 1.25M Americans living with T1D including about 200,000 youth (less than 20 years old) and over a million adults (20 years old and older)
3. Strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet and lifestyle.
4. Requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing and lifelong dependence on injected insulin.
5. Is growing, with 40,000 people diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone and 5 million people in the U.S. are expected to have T1D by 2050, including nearly 600,000 youth.
Founded in 2005, Body Focus Fitness & Performance is an independent personal training facility specializing in fitness, performance and corrective exercise programs. Over the last 11 years, Kevin has trained athletes and aspiring athletes of all levels including elite triathletes, dancers and cyclists, football players training for the NFL combine, collegiate basketball, football, baseball and track athletes and entire high school football teams to busy working professionals trying to get a couple of highly effective work outs in a week or moms returning from maternity leave. As the creator of the Functional Cross Training (FxT) System, Kevin applies a combination of techniques for core conditioning with a focus on flexibility, mobility, strength and power. Using non-traditional tools you are unlikely to find in commercial gyms like sledgehammers, chains, ropes, Russian Kettlebells and sleds, Kevin takes an approach that is as unique as the athletes he’s working with. In addition, as a Medical Exercise Specialist, Kevin brings an educational approach to training. Per Rick Garibay, a long-time client and co-organizer of the event whose daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 almost two years ago to the day and has also trained under Kevin: “Kevin takes a highly individualized approach to training and understands that there’s both an art and science to managing blood glucose levels during periods of intense physical activity, both in and out of the studio.” Rick goes on to say “You aren’t going to feel uncomfortable pulling out your test strips or treating a sudden low in his studio, whether you’re training one-on-one or in a group setting”.
Based on the success of this year’s event, the date has been set for the 2017 Hammer Out Type 1 Diabetes event which will be held on Saturday, October 21st, 2017. The goal of next year’s event is to increase participation and corresponding funding by 50% with a goal of raising $2,500 and becoming an official jersey sponsor for the 2017 Ride to Cure Diabetes.
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- Help me make this press release a reality and register here: http://bit.ly/hammer-out-type-1
- Can’t make the event, but want to support my ride & fundraising goals. Please donate here: bit.ly/jdrf2016donate
- Want to join our team of JDRF riders passionate about cycling and finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes? Join us: bit.ly/iride4sarah