Nutrition and fitness enthusiasts from GymBeam have found a second home in Clubco
In the ten years of its existence so far, it has reached the market in sixteen countries, with more than six million customers and a turnover of four billion, it is the number one among Digital first fitness companies in the Czech Republic. It is headquartered in Košice, but a team of over six hundred employees works from different corners of the world. You can also meet part of the GymBeam team in Clubco.
We bet most fitness and healthy eating enthusiasts know GymBeam. The company, which was founded by Dalibor Cicman in 2014, specializes in the sale of sports and health nutrition, healthy foods, sportswear and accessories. It has more than 120 brands and thousands of products in its portfolio.
From home and the world, from the office and cowork
The company has its headquarters and warehouses in Košice, but you can find people working for GymBeam in all countries where the company operates. “A large part of the marketing and IT team works remotely, from home or, in our case, from a cowork. Since we are from different countries and in different parts of the world, we are of course connected online. In places where more employees are concentrated, we have coworking spaces available – for example Clubco in Brno, but we also have coworking spaces in Bratislava or Prague. So colleagues who care about personal contact or don’t like working from home have the opportunity to go to a cowork – and of course to the headquarters in Košice, where we are all always welcome.” describes Alexandra Hudáková, who works for GymBeam as an Online campaign specialist. Her specialty is e-mail marketing, i.e. creating and sending out newsletters. You can meet Alexandra together with other colleagues in Clubco in Brno.
The first one from the team who started using Clubco for work was Markéta Tesařová, a nutritional therapist and fitness trainer who has been working as a full-time copywriter at GymBeam for more than three years. Together with other colleagues, she writes articles on blog, prepares texts for products for the e-shop, for social networks or creates scripts and accompanying texts for YouTube videos. “I started on a 40-hour hot desk. I was no longer comfortable working from home every day, so I started looking for coworking opportunities. Clubco impressed me with its modern spaces, accessibility from the center and also the community atmosphere that prevails here. I went 1–2 times a week to the open spaces on the ground floor. Thanks to the fact that I am used to working quite early in the morning, I could choose whether it would be from an armchair, a box or small glass offices. I still value these opportunities to change the working environment.”
Office privacy, inspiration and a second home
When Alexandra joined her, they switched to a fixed desk. With another colleague, a copywriter Zuzana Gáliková, it made more sense for them to move to a smaller office on the third floor. “However, the team of colleagues from GymBeam who live in Brno or nearby and would like to use coworking opportunities was still growing. A four-person office was no longer enough for us, so we reached an agreement with Vojta (Head of Facility Maintenance Vojtech Laczkó, note ed.) moved to the current office on the second floor. Currently (in ten people, note ed.) we are extremely satisfied here, the office is beautiful, spacious and bright. We also like the second floor in that we have an overview of what’s going on in Clubec and there are lots of different seating areas, including a wonderful terrace.” adds Markéta.
Zuzana appreciates the variable work environment and 24/7 access. “Given that Clubco is in the center of Brno, I see the possibility of renting a parking space in the underground garages, which are directly part of the building, as a great benefit.” adds the copywriter Simona Svobodová. “I like the space of the entire Clubco, which really inspires and motivates me. When I need peace, I close myself in the privacy of the office, for inspiration and relaxation I like to use shared spaces, the kitchen, armchairs and in the summer, the terrace. I especially like the community events here. Thanks to Clubco, we got to know many members. Clubco is truly my heart and second home,” Alexandra says with a smile.
Alexandra met many members at Prosecco meetups. “Sometimes my colleagues also keep me company, but I don’t mind going there alone because I know I won’t be there alone. I already know enough people in Clubco who also go to meetups, as well as the Clubco team, so I’m not afraid that I won’t have anyone to talk to. We also attended several lectures, mostly about a healthy lifestyle, or I go to ‘flea markets’. I plan to get involved in blood donation as well. What I would welcome is, for example, a marketing workshop or networking, where the majority of participating Clubcars work in marketing. Contacts in this area and new inspiration always come in handy.”
An interest in a healthy lifestyle is only an advantage
GymBeam naturally connects people with an interest in nutrition and fitness. For example, Simona describes that a deeper interest is important for her work as a copywriter. “Thanks to this interest, I am able to convey relevant information, for example, to readers of our blog or to customers as part of product descriptions. We do not want to pass on unconfirmed information or half-truths. At the same time, it is necessary to keep up with the times and respond to current trends in the fitness world. In addition, of course, it is also necessary to orient yourself in EU directives and to be able to search in professional texts. If a copywriter has these skills, there is a good chance that he will share the same values as us in this area and fit in well with the GymBeam team.”
And how does a person educated in the field of nutrition evaluate the refreshment options in Clubco and its surroundings? “I have to admit that I bring my food in boxes from home. I have a milk allergy, so it is more difficult for me to eat well. But sometimes my colleagues and I go for lunch to the opposite Grand Kitchen, where they have a nice selection of daily menus. If I don’t choose from the menu, I go to the Grab&Go section, where there is a salad bar and also a buffet with hot food. As a nutritionist, I have to appreciate the offer of vegetable and legume dishes here. At Clubco Café, it’s nice to have smaller meals, like a sandwich or a protein smoothie,” comments Markéta.
If you want to prepare a balanced snack for work, according to Markéta, you can never go wrong with wholemeal bread, coated with ham, cheese and vegetables or white yogurt with fruit and nuts. It’s also nice to have a protein bar, a packet of natural nuts, or a good quality dark chocolate on hand in case you get hungry during the day. “In addition, chocolate has stimulating effects due to its high cocoa content, which is really useful during busy working days. Just be careful with the dosage, 1-2 squares of chocolate are enough.”
Plans and news in the portfolio
The company’s vision is to be a global eCommerce platform that will be a leading provider of functional foods, sports nutrition and accessories. “We strive to have the widest possible portfolio of products in as many European countries as possible. It is therefore essential for us to enter new markets and secure a position there as a stable player, ideally a leader, as soon as possible. For example, this year we are focusing on the DACH region. We are also constantly developing and adding new goods of our own brands to the assortment and keeping an eye on affordability for our target group, which is growing more and more,” approximates the goals of the marketing communication leader Vendula Resová and reveals more about the news in the portfolio and its planned expansion. “In addition to comfortable sports and leisurewear, you can also look forward to new healthy food items such as the stuffed protein croissant (the first batch sold out within days) and the Italian toast bread, which we believe will be a hit. We will soon introduce new raw bars. You might also be interested in the news of our XBEAM brand. It is profiled as a brand for e-sports players, but its products have a fine-tuned composition that will be appreciated by managers, programmers, in short, anyone who needs to kick in the brain, reduce fatigue and exhaustion, and help in stressful situations.”
