Healthy People, Healthy Planet
Doing Business for Good: Why It Matters
When Kelly and I opened the doors of Experience Momentum back in September of 2007, we wanted to create more than a business. We wanted to build a space where people could redefine what was possible in their lives.
In those early days, we started something called our Weekend Warrior Program. For our OG customers, you know what that was. Each month we’d throw out a challenge — a snowshoe trek at Hyak, a hike up Rattlesnake Ledge or Mount Si, a sprint triathlon, a volunteer day at Ronald McDonald House, or a bike ride on the Interurban or Burke Gilman. It was simple: fitness + community. We showed up together, moved together, and supported each other. It was never about selling; it was about belonging.
That spirit — connecting movement with meaning — has never left us.
From Movement to Mission
In 2013, a team member handed me a book that changed everything: Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. Yvon calls himself a “reluctant businessman” — someone who never set out to build a company, but wanted to protect the wild places he loved. What hit me hardest was his commitment to 1% for the Planet: a pledge to give 1% of all revenue to environmental nonprofits.
I knew instantly: we had to do this.
So we joined. Since then, Experience Momentum has donated nearly half a million dollars to environmental nonprofits, from local trail groups to global restoration projects. Each year, we close our doors for a company-wide volunteer day. We get our hands dirty with organizations who heal the very ecosystems that sustain us.
And let me be clear: this hasn’t always been easy. There were years when we ended in the red, and we still had to write that 1% check. We had a choice — step back, or double down. Every time, we’ve said the same thing: the planet doesn’t have a voice. We do. And we’re committed.
Raising the Bar: Becoming a Certified B Corp
In 2018, we found another community of businesses who believed in more than the bottom line: the Certified B Corporation movement.
For those unfamiliar, being a B Corp is like earning the “organic” seal for a business. Companies are rigorously assessed across workers, community, customers, governance, and environment. You can’t greenwash your way in — you have to prove through policies and practices that you operate with accountability, transparency, and impact.
The process is no joke. The assessment digs into everything from how you treat employees, to how you source supplies, to how you measure carbon emissions. And it’s not one-and-done; recertification keeps raising the bar.
For us, becoming a B Corp wasn’t just a badge. It was a way to align our values with our operations and hold ourselves accountable — to our team, our community, and the planet.
The Connection: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Here’s the truth: the health of our bodies and the health of our planet are inseparable.
When air quality suffers, so do our lungs.
When soil health declines, so does the nutrient quality of our food.
When water is polluted, communities lose not just hydration, but vitality.
When climate stress leads to more extreme weather, it impacts mental health, safety, and stability.
Just as movement, nutrition, and recovery sustain our clients, clean air, healthy soil, and thriving ecosystems sustain all of us.
That’s why giving back isn’t optional for us. It’s woven into our definition of wellness.
Gratitude & Invitation
To all of you who have supported Experience Momentum over the years — thank you. Every membership, every session, every class doesn’t just support your health; 1% of it flows back to support the health of the planet we all share.
As we continue this journey, I invite you to reflect on your own seasons of reinvention and contribution. What does it look like for you to do good through your work, your choices, your presence?
If you’d like to hear more about how individuals and organizations are redefining what’s possible for people and the planet, check out my recent conversation with Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, on the Redefine What’s Possible Podcast.
Because business for good isn’t just an idea. It’s a movement — and together, we’re part of it.
Redefine What’s Possible Podcast
Redefine your limits. Expand what’s possible.
Whether you’re navigating your own health journey, stepping into a season of personal growth, or embracing the unknowns of a new chapter, we hope this podcast serves as a gentle reminder: you’re not alone.
We all face moments when the path ahead feels uncertain or overwhelming. But even in the messiness, there is movement. There is progress. And most importantly, there is possibility.
Each episode invites real conversations rooted in purpose, care, and courage—because small, intentional actions have the power to spark lasting change. And wherever you are in your journey, know this: you are already part of something meaningful.
We’re so glad you’re here with us. Together, let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep growing. And let’s keep redefining what’s possible.
Episode 6: Listen to Shanon’s Interview with Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, to understand why this movement is so important, why Experience Momentum went all in, and how you can start making small decisions that impact our planet.