For Wellbeats Regional Sales Director Sean Young, health and fitness have been part of his life as long as he can remember. He was playing football, baseball, and basketball by the time he was five years old, and he loved to run as a kid. His current role with Wellbeats allows him to combine his passions.

“Fitness has always been part of my life—whether it’s working out or eating right,” Sean said. “I saw what health can do for people. If you live a healthy lifestyle, chances are you’re going to have less health complications. I just learned at a young age that this is something I need to do. I can’t take it lightly.”

After playing sports and learning to prioritize his health throughout his childhood, Sean knew he wanted to pursue a career geared toward being active—something that would allow him to continue being healthy and focusing on those priorities in his life. He began working as a personal trainer because it allowed him to combine his passions for health and fitness with the opportunity to help others.

“I became a personal trainer, and that was a really easy job for me because I had grown up with it,” Sean said. “My dad had me start training—lifting weights—when I was around 10 years old. It was just something I did from the time I was young, and it stuck with me. It was easy for me to work with people.”

The same passion for sharing health and fitness with others ultimately led Sean to his current position with Wellbeats.

“In personal training, you can’t help as many people as you’d like to,” Sean said. “I was only able to reach and impact probably 15 people [each day]. At Wellbeats, we get to help millions of people every day. That’s part of what drew me to Wellbeats.”

Supporting Others through Running

Just as Sean has tied his passions for healthy living and helping others into his work, he’s found a way to weave these two interests in one of his hobbies—running—through his affiliation with the Ronald McDonald House of Providence (RMHP) Running Club.

Sean enjoyed running when he was a kid and returned to the sport as an adult when a colleague invited him to attend a track workout about four years ago.

“I probably hadn’t done a track workout since I was in high school, just doing it for fun, but I loved it,” Sean said. “I knew from prior experience that when they go to the track, people tend to blow themselves out on the first rep or interval. I knew that I had to pace myself. I was able to keep up with some of the people. That day gave me confidence.”

One workout was all it took to reignite Sean’s passion—and competitive drive—for running. He immediately began training under Coach Bob Rothenberg with the RMHP Running Club.

“When I first joined the running club, I didn’t know what they were. I just did it because I wanted to get into running,” Sean admitted. “The really cool thing is that Bob, the coach, brings you to the Ronald McDonald House. He sits down with you and figures out what you want to do and tells you about their mission.”

Sean quickly learned that the efforts and mission of the RMHP Running Club align with his own priorities and values. The club promotes the benefits of health, wellness, fitness, and competition among people of all ages and abilities through running and walking while publicizing and supporting the mission of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence, a nonprofit organization that helps families with children facing serious illness.

“Their mission is incredible,” Sean said. “I’ve met a lot of families at the house. It’s incredible to hear the success stories—and pray for the families who are there now who are going through it still.”

Since getting involved with the RMHP Running Club, Sean has set—and achieved—some lofty running goals to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. He did a self-supported 40-mile run throughout Narragansett, Rhode Island; ran 500 miles in December 2020 as part of the Calendar Club Challenge; and completed a 50-mile run around Boston.

Sean has also finished the Boston Marathon twice, including breaking the 3-hour mark by running a personal best time of 2:56:34 in April 2022. He has raised over $34,000 for the Ronald McDonald House and last year was one of three recipients of the Heart of Gold Award, presented to individuals who have made an impact within the Ronald McDonald House.

“Receiving the Heart of Gold Award was one of my proudest moments,” Sean said. “That’s how I want to be remembered—as someone who gave back, did certain things to help people, and raised money for people who are facing challenges.”

And what’s next?

“This year I planned to do a 100-mile run around Boston and double the route I did last year, but I’m going to do that next year instead,” Sean said. “Now that I’m getting into marathons and actually being decent at it, I don’t want to hurt myself, so my next goal is running a 2:50 marathon at the New York City Marathon this fall.”

Wellbeats For All

It’s no surprise that Sean has gravitated toward Wellbeats’ running classes taught by Olympian Carrie Tollefson. He also has found the stretching and recovery classes to be beneficial.

“Running is a big part of my life today,” Sean said. “I want to be able to run when I’m 80 years old, so I know I need to take care of myself now to be able to do that later on in life.”

Wellbeats’ nutrition classes also come in handy for Sean, a self-proclaimed terrible cook.

“I can’t cook to save my life,” Sean said. “The cooking classes and nutrition education classes are really helpful to gain an understanding of what’s actually healthy, and you learn little tips and tricks around the kitchen.”

As a fitness enthusiast, health nut, and competitive runner, Sean’s position as Wellbeats regional sales director fits him perfectly.

“I’m blessed and so fortunate to do something that I love,” Sean said. “If you want to go into sales, you have to be genuine. You have to live and breathe what you sell, or people are going to see through it.”

Accordingly, Sean is a firm believer in Wellbeats’ mission that wellbeing isn’t just for some—it’s for all.

“I think what I love so much about Wellbeats is that our message is genuine and authentic,” Sean said. “We’re built for everyone, no matter someone’s interest or their fitness levels. If they’ve never stepped foot in a gym, they can still use it and still find something. Even for someone who is athletic—I’ve found classes that I absolutely love and that help me. That’s the reason I love it.”

Download Sean’s employee spotlight here.

About Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company

Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company is a leading provider of on-demand virtual fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes for use in workplaces of all sizes, health plans, on college or university campuses, multi-family housing, the U.S. military, and fitness and health clubs. Based in St. Louis Park, MN, Wellbeats makes fitness accessible, affordable, and approachable for everyone. More than 1,000 classes and 35+ programs are available to help members stay on track and meet their goals. To learn more, visit www.wellbeats.com or check out a sampling of the company’s fitness classes during a Facebook Live class, and follow Wellbeats on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.