Issue No. 299: Always On

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Workers need a why.

On Edge

Feeling stressed, 65% of US employees say poor mental well-being is impacting job performance — with 57% reporting negative health issues as a result.

Bad for bottom lines, burnt out employees cost the global economy $8.9T.

Stepping up, most large companies offer corporate wellness benefits. But 78% of workers say employers aren’t doing enough, especially when it comes to mental health.

Checked out. A study assessing 90 common workplace wellness interventions—from fitness apps to mindfulness classes to 1:1 coaching—found none delivered meaningful outcomes.

Failed efforts signal a deeper problem: Only 23% of employees feel engaged by work.

Pushing “work-life balance” helps some, but large-scale change is impossible in the absence of purpose. And in the age of quiet quitting, companies are battling against broader culture.

Working Hard

An honest day’s work looks different these days.

Machine head. Established to optimize Ford’s assembly line in the ’20s, the synchronous 9–5 schedule no longer makes sense to the ~62% of Americans with white-collar jobs.

Out of touch, EY reports 99% of corporate leaders removed fully remote policies by ’23, stripping many workers of valued flexibility.

Weird flex. A common humble brag, generational workaholism has ripple effects.

Always on, 60% of millennials struggle to sleep, and ~50% are burned out. Meanwhile, 61% of Gen X and boomers field emails and calls on vacation, with over a third feeling guilty if they don’t.

Seeing a trap, Gen Z will only invest hours if they feel respected, and 70% put family before career.

Hardly Working

Giving employees space to appreciate what they’re working for could raise all ships.

Slow it down. Emphasizing outcomes over output, “slow productivity” lets workers tackle fewer projects with greater focus.

Reducing task-switching to prevent overwhelm, Exos caps meeting duration and days. Taking non-billable time, Peoplehood @ Work facilitates culture transformation programs.

Break it up. 10-minute microbreaks are enough to increase energy and creativity.

Building in breathing room, OpenSeed installs commercial meditation pods, while Sharebite’s community-driven corporate meal delivery platform discourages desk lunches.

Promoting movement, apparel brand Represent’s on-site gym engages half its workforce daily. Extending the pause, Nike and Patagonia shut down for annual company-wide wellness weeks.

Put it off. Studies suggest a four-day workweek boosts morale and well-being without sacrificing productivity, but employers cite client service disruptions as a hurdle.

Thinking differently, outdoor travel brand Wanderlust Group used a rotational 32-hour model to deliver 121% YoY growth. Unplugging, AllTrails reserves one day per month for hiking meetups.

Big Shift

Telling Gen Z to check in, millennials to check out, and Gen X/boomers to meditate ignores the work-life expectation gap — corporate overtures aren’t addressing burnout’s root causes.

More than maximizing PTO or adding perks, establishing pillars of a healthy life—through movement, food, sleep, and relationships—changes the way work is approached.

Punchline: For Americans, work equals stress and stress is unhealthy. Employers must exercise trust and flexibility to reset the ethic, restore purpose, and support more enriching lives.

🎙 On the Podcast

Hatch co-founder & CEO Ann Crady Weiss discusses building a billion-dollar sleep brand.

Founded with infants in mind, Hatch has since expanded into adult sleep solutions. With 500K+ units sold, its soothing clocks and sound machines help families wind down and rest up.

We also cover: scaling profitably, selling sleep as a service, and personalizing sleep wellness.

Listen to today’s episode here.

🤝 Nike, Lego team up to promote play

The multi-year partnership aims to reimagine sport and creative play through co-branded products, content, and experiences.

Game time. Surveying 36K global parents, Lego found 59% worry their kids don’t play enough — admitting tech use crowds out physical activity. Linking with Nike, the brands plan to put fun first.

Playmates. Making health and fitness less intimidating, lighthearted campaigns appeal to healthy hedonists — who want feel-good, low-stakes wellness.

Taking note, brands are leveraging clever collabs to grow beyond core enthusiasts.

Plant-based “farmacy” Apothékary launched a magic-themed wellness box and potion book to promote a new Marvel TV show.
Surreal and Gymshark joined forces for a co-branded high-protein cereal, Cardi-Os.
OLIPOP launched a Barbie-branded soda in May, becoming an instant bestseller.
Just Salad linked with Sesame Street, serving kids meals in character bowls.

Punchline: Health and joy aren’t mutually exclusive — they’re foundationally linked. Brands that allow both to coexist will win consumers’ hearts.

Presented by Truemed

🏥 True healthcare

98% of US healthcare dollars go toward treatment, not prevention.

The bad. Despite spending the most, Americans have the lowest life expectancy of any high-income country.

The good. By incentivizing healthy lifestyles before people get sick, we can change that.

Partnering with leading health and wellness brands, Truemed helps consumers use pre-tax HSA/FSA funds to purchase fitness memberships, supplements, exercise equipment, and more.

Win-win. Truemed powers seamless payment, customers save money, and merchants see an average 22% lift in basket size, 16.4% increase in retention, and 10% sales boost.

Companies like CrossFit, AG1, Momentous, and Eight Sleep have already teamed with Truemed.

Ready to join the movement? Sign up to enable HSA/FSA spending for your brand.

🆕 Canyon Ranch launches $20K longevity retreat

The resort operator announced LONGEVITY8, a lifespan-extending wellness experience merging medical science and spirituality to transform health.

All-inclusive. A four-day stay includes blood work, cancer screenings, genetic testing, DEXA scans, one-on-one physician consultations, and six months of virtual follow-ups.

5-star. More than R&R, healthcare-focused retreats consolidate top-caliber care across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

Partnering with anti-aging clinic the biostation, Carillon Miami’s program offers comprehensive evaluations, tailor-made plans, injections, and natural therapies.
In Spain, Mexico, and the UAE, SHA Wellness packages personalized healthcations — pairing diagnostics and meal plans with medical and alternative treatments.
Switzerland’s Clinique La Prairie is expanding resorts and urban longevity hubs while lending its protocols to upscale hotels.

While operators like The Ranch promise unplugged peace and quiet, science-forward retreats are putting a high-performance spin on the wellness vacay.

Looking ahead: Hyper-luxurious healthcare escapes won’t help the masses. But, if they can produce outcomes, programs like Canyon Ranch offer an idealistic vision for modern medicine.

📰 News & Notes

BeaverFit merges US and UK branches.
Prenuvo rolls out mobile full-body MRI clinic.
Aviron unveils gamified connected fitness bike.
Jung+ debuts complete longevity supplement system.
On opens community-focused Italian flagship in Milan.
Ultrahuman hits US Verizon stores, Croma sites in India.
movr launches enterprise-level preventative MSK solution.
Rogue adapts fan bike technology for forthcoming Echo Rower.
Therabody, Sephora co-develop contrast therapy skincare device.
Dexcom begins sales of OTC glucose sensor. [Re-read: DTC CGMs]
Peloton posts first revenue growth in two years, cautions on outlook.
Startup Q&A: The Zero Proof CEO Sean Goldsmith on the NA bev boom.
Mediterranean eatery CAVA nets 35% Q2 revenue gain. [Re-read: CAVA x QSR]
Women’s track invitational ATHLOS names Oiselle official sportswear sponsor.
Featured job: An LA-based social wellness club is looking for an ops-focused GM.

💰 Money Moves

US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦

Functional chocolate maker Alice Mushrooms raised an undisclosed amount in a funding round led by L Catterton, with participation from Zac Efron and Kevin Hart.

Human Longevity, a preventative health platform using whole-genome sequencing, raised $39.8M in a Series B round.

GMO probiotics company ZBiotics landed $12M in a Series A round led by Spring Tide Capital.

Teen behavioral health platform BeMe Health added $12M in funding.

Agilysys, maker of hospitality management software, acquired Toronto-based spa booking SaaS platform Book4Time.

AI mental health startup Slingshot AI raised $30M in a seed round led by a16z.

Openwater, an open-source med-tech and diagnostics platform, raised $100M.

Tennis legend Maria Sharapova invested in egg-freezing startup Cofertility.

Europe 🇪🇺

Fresha, a UK-based beauty and wellness marketplace platform, secured a $31M venture debt facility from J.P. Morgan.

LegitFit, an Irish gym software platform, added €1.7M ($1.9M) in funding.

Irish protein bar maker All Real Nutrition raised €2M ($2.2M) to expand in the US.

Asia 🌏

Indian padel operator PadelPark secured undisclosed funding from JSW Sports founder Parth Jindal.

Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.