Bodybuilding.com Culture Cultivates Success, Growth

9/8/2010
Something about Bodybuilding.com has caused John Hardesty to keep coming back.

The 29-year old has had three different stints of employment at the Meridian company. He interned as a student, returned as creative director alongside company founder Ryan DeLuca, and after leaving to develop two California companies, Hardesty is back again, now as vice president of digital publishing.

“This is a company that has a much bigger purpose and cause than just a paycheck. It’s a cool culture that inspires me to come to work everyday.”

That culture is evident immediately upon entering the non-descript offices of Bodybuilding.com, and opposite of what you would think of when one thinks of the term “bodybuilding.” No huge banners, no extravagant signage, no flashy neon-light storefront.

It’s also the reason the company has remained successful in spite of a weak economy and a USDA investigation.

A quick scan of the office’s employees reveals a health-conscious group in their 20s and 30s, who are dedicated to fitness and leading an active lifestyle.

Bodybuilding.com’s internal focus is on self-improvement, said Crystal Matthews, a social media manager for the company. That’s the culture that everyone in the building exudes, working toward a better self, as well as a better company. She said all her fellow employees are constantly evolving.

“There are so many diverse opportunities for growth within Bodybuilding.com,” she said. “The company is much more than a place to work; it’s a lifestyle.”

Bodybuilding.com is a fitness social media site and online retailer of nutritional supplements that Ryan DeLuca launched in 1999 – two years after graduating from Capitol High School in Boise. DeLuca fits in with his employee’s demographics: 32, physically fit, former bodybuilder, husband and father of three.

“About 10 percent of our customers are competitive bodybuilders,” DeLuca said. “Our customer base is actually men and women who are working to create or reach their own personal fitness goals.”

“I often have asked myself, ‘How did I get here?’” DeLuca said. “I think part of it is the importance of creating something of value. The side effect of that has been our financial success.”

The Web site offers more than 12,000 supplements, has more than 12,000 fitness-related articles and upwards of 5,000 videos, and has a list of 550,000 members who are part of its social network, BodySpace. Everyday, Bodybuilding.com receives 6 million visits, and the company has generated more than $200 million in sales since its inception. In 2007, Liberty Media of Colorado bought a majority share of Bodybuilding.com, but DeLuca remains CEO.

Hardesty said, “[DeLuca's] influence was very strong and I saw how passionate he was about not only his employees but also his customers.”

The “cool culture” and passion to improve is seen not only locally but companywide. Bodybuilding.com grew 30 percent in the last year alone, Hardesty said.

In addition to its Meridian headquarters and Boise distribution center which employ nearly 400 people, it has warehouses in Pennsylvania and Florida.

“Employees here are expected to meet and exceed their goals and that of our customers,” he said.

A cultural push throughout the company is reading books; DeLuca is a huge proponent of it. In an effort to get his employees to read more, he actually offers financial incentives.

“We’ve spent more than $10,000 for people to read books,” Matthews said. And, it’s not just reading, but reporting on what’s been read.

“So many people don’t read. So we thought, ‘Hey, let’s motivate them with money,”‘ DeLuca said. “And it’s really worked.”

The company’s reputation was, however, put to the test in September 2009 after an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Investigators said they found 65 products the company was selling over the Internet that contained steroids.

DeLuca said those products, which were not manufactured by Bodybuilding.com, but re-sold through the website, were pulled from the market immediately.

“We were a re-seller and the FDA wanted to take action among all products sold industrywide and in every other retail market,” he said.

While the FDA investigation is ongoing, no action has been taken and no charges have been filed.

“This incident forced us to review our testing and compliance procedures even more among the companies we distribute products for.”

Hardesty, who oversees all Web content including design, video production and writing for the Bodybuilding.com; he said he wouldn’t work anywhere else - and he doesn’t plan to leave.

“It is a big deal to be able to stay in Boise and with Bodybuilding.com because of the company culture.”

News tag(s): Business Bodybuilding.com Boise Project_60