The weekly TGCvocations column asks practitioners about their jobs and how they integrate their faith and work. Interviews are conducted and condensed by Bethany L. Jenkins, director of TGC’s Every Square Inch.
Andy Smith is CEO and co-founder of DailyBurn, a health and fitness company that provides workout and nutrition programs on a variety of web and mobile platforms. He works in New York, but he and his family live in New Jersey.
How did you start DailyBurn?
I had built a small computer security company that made money on government contracts. My job paid well, but I didn’t enjoy it. It felt somewhat fruitless because security is a never-ending battle (someone’s always breaking in), and most of our work never saw the light of day (it was classified). Around this time, social media was becoming popular. My friend and I started exploring an idea to track our workouts on the internet. In 2007, we founded DailyBurn, which started as a fitness app that combined tracking and accountability. Now it’s focused on at-home workout videos.
Did you have any concerns about working in the fitness industry?
There’s obviously a good side of this industry—encouraging people to make healthy choices and live active lifestyles. But there’s also a dark side. Increasing self-confidence is generally good, but obsessing about how you look is unhealthy. Also, the reasons that people want to get healthy can be sinful in and of themselves. I think it’s important to ask, “What’s my motivation for looking good?” I also know that some people come to us to find their identity and worth. I often think about what my role is in that process. While I haven’t figured everything out yet, I do think about things like what our instructors wear, what the messaging of our advertising says, and so on.
What has been your biggest personal challenge at DailyBurn?
When there were only two of us, I was involved in every decision. As we’ve grown, though, we’ve had to hire senior people to share in the decision-making process so I don’t become a bottleneck. This hasn’t been an easy process for me. Because of my pride, I happen to think that I make great decisions, and it often makes me disagree with my colleagues on their choices. It has shown me how susceptible I am to pride both at work and at home and how dangerous it can be. Also, the more successful we become as a company, the more cautious I have to be about my arrogance.
How do you actively fight that temptation?
I’ve discovered that my pride has two sides. One side tells me that I’ve earned my success. I try to fight this side thinking by remembering that I don’t control market dynamics or the hundreds of other factors that determine success in my industry. Whenever I feel my head getting too big, I contemplate God and how big he is. The other side of pride tells me that I have to perform to prove myself. I try to fight this thinking by actively preaching the gospel to myself, remembering where I am in light of the gospel, creation, and Christ—my worth does not depend on my success! I still struggle with both sides, but God’s gracious with me.
When do you find your work the most enjoyable and the most challenging?
My favorite days are when I get to innovate on the product or when the marketing is really cranking and the new subscribers are coming in fast. My least favorite days are usually related to personnel matters. I increasingly care about (even love) my colleagues; I see more than the numbers. I want them to thrive. It’s hard when there’s conflict on the team or disagreements about direction. Also, now that we’re growing, roles are becoming more specialized, and certain positions are no longer needed. I’m trying to figure out how that change affects certain people and what we can do for them. That’s hard, but I’m thankful to have a community where I can wrestle with these challenges.
Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?
In an age of faith deconstruction and skepticism about the Bible’s authority, it’s common to hear claims that the Gospels are unreliable propaganda. And if the Gospels are shown to be historically unreliable, the whole foundation of Christianity begins to crumble.
