Why I Left lululemon

I stole the title from one of lululemon's 2014 viral blog posts. It's incredibly click-baity. 

There is an allure around lululemon that people want to know. What really happens in the company? Do you drink the kool-aid? Did you leave because they forced you to x, y, z?  This isn't that kind of post. Yes there were challenges (all jobs have theirs) and no I wasn't part of a cult. 

After 2.5 years at lululemon, I leave with complete gratitude for all the people I met. One could not ask for better people to work with. The decision to leave was not easy, but it was clear. So what did I learn over those years?

• Trust your gut, it's probably right.
• Be responsible for the energy you bring into a room.
• Relationships are the foundation for everything.
• Move everyday.
• Enrolment, enrolment, enrolment.  
• Pay gratitude daily. 
• Take responsibility for it all. The good, the bad, the ugly. 

These past 4 years (when I first started my internship with lululemon) have been formative to say the least. I feel like I walked in a snotty-nosed kid and was steeped in the culture, opportunities, and absolutely incredible people who shaped who I am. I was given and took on projects when I was not ready. I was entrusted to tell the stories of our people and athletes. I was brought in with open arms and developed and shaped to not just be a better filmmaker, but a better person. 

My desire to leave was ultimately influenced by everything I learned with lululemon. I knew it was time to move into the uncomfortable, the unknown and the possibility. I made the choice to leave and carve my own path as a Director. I'm taking responsibility for the future and life I want to create for myself. 

So this is to chasing dreams. To realizing possibilities. To living the future, now. 

Watch "The Lion," my latest short film about chasing your dreams. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Vancouver hip-hop artist, Francis Arevalo, harnessed the healing power of music. This is his story.