Blog Archives - Page 20 of 25

Accolades & Excellence

September 28, 2020/0 Comments/in Awards, Blog/by Kevin Guest

In the last 28 years, USANA’s received hundreds, if not thousands, of accolades. Third-party recognition is a testament to who we are as a company, and it’s something that makes me proud.

Toward the end of a Q&A session as part of the 2020 Americas & Europe Virtual Convention, I was asked what I’d like to be my USANA legacy.

It’s a complex question, but the answer, for me, is easy. I’d like my USANA legacy to be this:

That I’ve guided USANA in such a way that would put a big smile on Dr. Wentz’s face. And that he knows he made the right decision in giving me the opportunity to serve as CEO.

Over the years, I’ve spent time learning from leaders I admire. By listening to other perspectives, it helps me to put USANA in a position to be the best it can be.

Of course, I’m fortunate that USANA is a world-class company. I work with exceptional people and the products are the best of the best.

At USANA, we aim for excellence in everything we do. Excellence, after all, is one of USANA’s four core values. One way we measure excellence is through third-party accolades.

Accolades in 2020

This article on What’s Up, USANA? highlights many accolades from the first half of 2020. As I mentioned in my most-recent e-newsletter, a few other accomplishments and accolades are worth mentioning:

Congratulations to Aurora “Duday” Mandanas-Gaston, USANA Regional Vice President. She recently was recognized as one of Asia’s “Most Outstanding Leaders.”
USANA landed on Utah Business magazine’s Fast 50 list for the 13th consecutive year.
USANA’s InCelligence Complex found in CellSentials or HealthPak received a U.S. patent. The award of this patent is a unique accomplishment in the nutritional supplement industry. It’s a proud indicator of USANA’s diligent pursuit of nutritional expertise.
USANA earned a distinguished seal of approval from third-party tester ConsumerLab.com for our flagship supplement USANA CellSentials.
Our colleagues at USANA Philippines were recognized for the second straight year as the No. 1 Vitamins and Dietary Supplements Brand in The Philippines by Euromonitor International.

Excellence & the Environment

Though not technically an award, the news last week that USANA joined forces with the Utah Sustainable Business Coalition, speaks to our continued commitment to our environment.

USANA pledged to reduce plastic waste in 2020 and beyond as part of its coalition efforts. Our first step in this pledge is to move to smaller bottles to reduce wasted space and to make the switch from plastic bottles to 25% post-recycled material bottles.

In addition, USANA is also an EPA WasteWise member, an EPA Green Power Partner, and one of 235 founding organizations of the Climate Registry.

You can read more here.

To everyone who continues to help USANA achieve excellence, I say thank you!

The Importance of Core Values

September 14, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

Core values, as the name suggests, are at the heart — or core — of everything we do. They’re often personal, and for that reason, your core values might not be the same as mine. That’s perfectly fine.

The important thing to remember is to identify what your core values are — what drives you, what’s your North Star that guides you in everything you do?

Once you’ve identified those values (I recommend writing them down), you’re then able to align your actions accordingly.

In All the Right Reasons, The Ben Franklin Principle is the first of 12 principles I write about. I started the book with this principle because it truly establishes the foundation for everything else. It outlines the importance of core values.

Before he became one of America’s founding fathers, Franklin made a commitment. He committed to living his life according to his “moral virtues.”

Franklin resolved to always do right. In his mind, that meant aligning his life around 12 virtues (and later, after a friend counseled him to add “humility,” his list expanded to lucky 13).

Staying Engaged

Just as your values might be different than mine, a company’s core values also might differ from those of an individual. But at USANA, we’re fortunate in that our core values likely align with many personal values.

USANA Core Values: Community, Excellence, Health, and Integrity.

Recently, USANA published a series of articles internally that are designed to help employees stay engaged during this unique and difficult time. Many of our employees continue to work from home.

I introduced the series by sharing some thoughts on incorporating USANA’s core values at home in order to maintain a connection to our corporate culture.

I wanted to mention that here since many of you reading this are entrepreneurs and likely encountering many of the same challenges as are USANA employees.

Staying connected while also maintaining a healthy work/life balance is vital to our success — and your well-being. Self-care and your family are just as crucial.

Our core values unite us as a USANA family. And to live in harmony with your own family, you need to take care of yourself and them.

Keep the Culture Strong

Above all, I’m so grateful to each of you. The entire USANA Family has stepped up to an unprecedented challenge.

But there’s something we should remember as we continue to work from home (and as business owners interact with the corporate staff): let’s keep the USANA culture strong.

Members of the USANA management team are writing articles and sharing strategies to do just that. Over the next little while, I’ll try to share their nuggets of wisdom publicly here. I believe we can all benefit from varying perspectives.

Among the topics:

Virtual Meetings
Communication
Trust
Having Fun and Staying Connected
Recognition and Celebrations
Wellness and Safety
Schedules and Time Management

I have no doubt about your dedication and passion. And as we continue to align our actions with our core values, I’m confident we’ll keep achieving success.

As I wrote in my book, I believe that by building a solid foundation, we take charge of our own destinies, have more fulfilling relationships, and achieve long-term, genuine harmony, and happiness in business and life.

To view additional articles in this series, please click here.

All the Right Reasons: 12 Timeless Principles for Living a Life in Harmony is available on Amazon. All proceeds benefit the USANA Foundation and its mission to feed hungry children. Each book purchase helps to provide 40 meals.

Thank You for Your Generosity & Support of The USANA Foundation

August 24, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

The 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention set out to provide 100,000 meals to hungry children and families. Thanks to you, we easily surpassed that goal. Thanks to your generosity, The USANA Foundation provided 920,000 meals globally. I can’t thank you enough for all you do to support The USANA Foundation. Please take a moment to read more about this amazing accomplishment.

I’ve spoken about self-care recently, and I made it the focus of my keynote presentation at the 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention. I believe it’s so important. If you missed the presentation, I invite you to read this blog post, or this one, where I link to an article I wrote that discusses many aspects of self-care.

In addition to taking care of ourselves, which is critical, especially in times such as these, it’s also important to serve others. Service is one of several key elements in building harmony in teams.

Giving Back: The USANA Foundation

When we decided our Americas & Europe Convention would be virtual this year, we wanted to create a unique way for attendees to give back to The USANA Foundation. In the past, at our annual event each August, we’ve volunteered our time to build food packs or we’ve registered for the Champions for Change 5K. Each of these activities supports The Foundation.

This year, with the USANA Family watching the event from home, we couldn’t organize these in-person activities. Instead, we offered a VIP Access ticket in which all proceeds benefited The Foundation. And we promoted a “virtual” 5K to create a sense of togetherness and community.

We set a goal to provide 100,000 meals for hungry children and families. But thanks to your generosity and tireless efforts, The USANA Foundation was able to provide an astonishing 920,000 meals!

920,000 meals. That’s a bittersweet number. On one hand, it’s heartwarming to know that families across the globe are benefiting from the good work done by The Foundation. On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking to realize that there are so many children and families facing food uncertainty—who likely don’t know when the next meal is coming.

Please visit The Foundation’s blog to read more about how you are making a difference and where additional help is needed.

Thank You

From all of us at USANA and The USANA Foundation, thank you for your service to others. The Americas & Europe Virtual Convention just ended, but our effort to create The Healthiest Family on Earth continues.

“The USANA family came through again! I’m not really surprised. Each and every time we call on them for help, they are there to answer. This has been a tough year for many and for some it’s been quite devastating. I’m grateful for our Associates who make such a difference in times of need.”

— Brian Paul, The USANA Foundation President

P.S. Learn how you can become a USANA Foundation Ambassador.

Subscribers to my monthly email list received a version of this message on Aug. 20, 2020, as well as additional content you might find valuable. If you’d like to subscribe, please do so here.

This Week: 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention

August 10, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the notion of togetherness. We need to feel a part of something, especially as typical social gatherings continue to be affected by social distancing requirements.

2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention Overview

An overview of what you can expect at this week’s 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention.

I believe it’s so important that we adhere to health experts’ recommendations. And you already know how I feel about building meaningful relationships.

Satisfying these two constructs requires that we become more creative in how we build, nurture, and maintain our relationships.

Fortunately, technology allows us to connect with others in ways that weren’t possible (or that were at least much costlier and more cumbersome) even a few years ago.

If you’re not yet registered for the 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention, please do so here. General Access is free, but if you’d like extra perks, I encourage you to select VIP Access. Proceeds benefit the USANA Foundation.

Adjusting & Adapting

Earlier this year, when we realized it wouldn’t be appropriate to gather in person for the 2020 USANA Asia Pacific Convention in Korea, we adjusted and created what we believed to be the next best thing.

Our incredible USANA Studios team, in partnership with countless other individuals, orchestrated and executed the six-part We Are USANA video series that featured many of the elements that make our live events so special (read my thoughts and watch the episodes here). It proved to be extremely successful. It gave us a glimpse into what the future of some of our events might look like.

Bonus: Here’s a clip from one of the episodes featuring excellent tips on how you can make your video conferencing sessions the best they can be.

Perhaps nothing will ever replace the face-to-face interaction that so many of us enjoy about live, in-person events. At the same time, I’m confident that togetherness isn’t bound by physical gatherings.

2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention

This week, we will welcome the USANA Family — Associates, Preferred Customers, and Guests — to our 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention. It’s two days filled with world-class speakers, exciting product announcements, and opportunities to interact with presenters and each other.

It’s going to be a historic event you won’t want to miss.

Yes, we won’t get to meet in Salt Lake City as we have in years past. Yet, I look forward to joining you Aug. 14-15 as we reunite — together, virtually — as part of The Healthiest Family on Earth.

A version of this blog post went to e-newsletter subscribers on July 29. If you’re not yet subscribed, I invite you to do so.

Training magazine: Take Time for Self-Care During the Pandemic

August 4, 2020/3 Comments/in Blog, Media Placements/by Tim Haran

Self-Care: 8 key tips to help you invest in yourself.

Kevin Guest, USANA Chairman and CEO and author of All the Right Reasons, published an article about self-care in Training magazine on Aug. 4, 2020.

Take Time for Self-Care During the Pandemic explains why it’s so important to practice self-care.

“Today’s pressure for profits and power is as unrelenting as the problems they produce,” Guest writes. “So much so that it may be more important than ever to reset, rebalance, and reconnect with values that got you to the level of success you enjoy today.

Good self-care practices are an effective way of keeping yourself firing on all cylinders. That’s important for all of the teams I lead. I need them to fire on all cylinders, and they want to do the same because that brings more satisfaction to them as they accomplish their goals.

If you’re feeling down and out, give extra attention to your self-care. You deserve the time, attention, and rewards that will bring.

Read the full article on Training magazine’s website.

Self-Care 101: 8 Key Tips to Help You Invest in Yourself

Take an inventory of yourself
Soothe your mind, body, and life
Forgive others
Spend quality time alone
Immerse yourself in nature
Slow down your mind
Read more books
Breathe

Earlier this year, Guest wrote about the notion of self-care on his blog. In 2018, Guest wrote All the Right Reasons, a book that includes 12 principles to living a life in harmony. Proceeds from the book benefit the USANA Foundation and its mission to feed hungry children. Each book purchase helps to provide 40 meals. Help us as we strive toward our goal of 2 million meals.

We Are USANA: A Virtual Asia Pacific Convention

July 20, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

A throwback to a campaign nearly a decade ago.

A throwback to a campaign from nearly a decade ago.

Tested. Proven. We Are USANA. Longtime friends of USANA might remember that campaign. It served as a rallying cry for a company built on science-based nutrition.

At the time, we were preparing for USANA’s 20th anniversary the following year. A few years ago, we composed a theme song.

More recently, we created this video that builds on the same idea. As it proclaims: We are science, nutrition, athletes, philanthropy, and more.

Nearly a decade later, the “We Are USANA” mantra continues to remind us that we are a global family — one that’s striving to be The Healthiest Family on Earth.

So when a global pandemic required us to cancel our in-person Asia Pacific Convention earlier this year, we turned once again to a familiar refrain.

USANA Studios orchestrated a six-part “We Are USANA” video series designed to educate, entertain, and demonstrate who we are. You can watch my segment in Episode 3. In it, I also discuss a book that I continue to re-read and get a lot out of.

I hope you’ve had a chance to watch all the episodes. If not, I invite you to do so now. Each is available on YouTube. Or, you’re able to watch the entire series on my Facebook Page.

As our lives continue to be impacted, I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

Watch ‘We Are USANA’

The weekly episodes feature product launches, exciting announcements, valuable training, and messages from top leaders and executives. Tap the play button above to watch Episode 1 (and here’s the full playlist on Facebook).

1: A special message from USANA President Jim Brown, an exclusive interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz, and more
2: Exciting product announcements, a celebration of mothers and women in business, and more
3: Future Labs with Dr. Rob Sinnott, interviews with CEO Kevin Guest, Dr. Myron Wentz and Prudence Wentz, and more
4: Hear from entrepreneurs who have discovered new ways to succeed during the world health crisis and some fun extras
5: Tune in to meet USANA Athletes, including an interview with Felicity Palmateer, and several stories of inspiration.
6: Learn about USANA’s core values, The USANA Foundation, and hear more success stories.

We Stand for Equality

June 26, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

I believe strong and healthy communities can weather even the most tumultuous storms. But when a community is divided by hate and racial inequality, it becomes weak and susceptible to irreparable damage.

For USANA, hatred and racism have no place in our community—one that is dedicated to improving lives around the world.

Earlier this month, I wrote an article expressing my deep sadness and heartache for individuals who regularly face racial injustice, violence, and discrimination.

I also looked inward and acknowledged that I cannot fully understand what facing daily prejudice feels like. I’ve taken the opportunity to listen and learn, and most importantly, reflect on what I can do to help.

Video published on June 3, 2020. If you’re unable to view it, please click here.

A Time to Learn

As you know, I’m always striving to learn. Reading books, listening to diverse points of view, and actively seeking guidance all help in my quest to expand my knowledge about the world around me.

The USANA corporate blog recently published an extensive resource of books, podcasts, documentaries, and more to help us learn.

I ask that you please read: “What to Read, Listen to, and Watch to Educate Yourself and Take a Stand for Equality.” And then take action to ensure your own community is inclusive and diverse.

Lead with kindness, tolerance, and love. There is no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

As the article says, a community is only as healthy as its citizens. It’s more important than ever that we “pause, listen, and refocus on what we can do to be an active part” of eliminating injustice and racial inequality within our communities.

USANA’s Commitment to Racial Equality

USANA commits to the following actions, as initially outlined here:

Volunteering. We have set a goal to provide 1,000 employee volunteer hours this year to support organizations that strive for equality. We’ll work with USANA employees to identify non-profit and business partners who will help us have the greatest impact. Stay tuned for details.
Training. Internally, USANA is committed to providing additional training and encouraging open discussions about overt racism as well as implicit bias, so that we can ensure a workplace where all employees can succeed and be respected. We also plan to implement a diversity and inclusion committee to help identify areas of concern and strength, and to ensure employees have a strong voice in implementing these initiatives.
Informing. We will provide educational resources to employees and Associates about what actions they can take to combat racism and discrimination at the individual, family, and societal levels.
Representing. We will evolve our brand to better represent and tell the stories of our diverse community.

Subscribers to my monthly email list received a version of this message on June 25, 2020, as well as additional content you might find valuable. If you’d like to subscribe, please do so here.

CEOWORLD Magazine: 7 Keys to Build Harmony in Teams

June 23, 2020/1 Comment/in Blog, Media Placements/by Tim Haran

CEOWORLD magazine: 7 Keys to Build Harmony in Teams in COVID Era, by Kevin Guest

Kevin Guest, USANA CEO and author of All the Right Reasons, published an article in CEOWORLD magazine on June 23, 2020.

7 Keys to Build Harmony in Teams in COVID Era outlines seven traits that create an environment of harmony.

The 7 Traits to Build Harmony

Honesty: Living an honest life endears teams to you because they know you have integrity.
Vision: A leader with vision inspires teams and lifts companies to heights unimaginable.
Relationships: When we value people, that very style causes them to reciprocate with loyalty and diligence to give their best.
Communication: Face-to-face collaboration remains one of the most influential methods of communicating with our coworkers.
Decisiveness: Carefully review issues, but avoid the paralysis of analysis.
Courage: Taking a leap of faith with every step into the unknown demonstrates the height of leadership in today’s fast-paced world.
Service: Find meaningful ways to give back and to make the world a better place.

Read the full article on CEOWORLD.

“When those seven characteristics combine, harmony envelops a company,” Guest writes. “It forges teams through difficulties. It drives organizations to higher levels, and teams generate results they never dreamed achievable. Harmony binds them together for success after success.

Guest says the best leaders he’s seen mentor teams with these seven overarching traits. In 2018, Guest wrote All the Right Reasons, a book that includes 12 principles to living a life in harmony.

Proceeds from the book benefit the USANA Foundation and its mission to feed hungry children. Each book purchase helps to provide 40 meals. Help us as we strive toward our goal of 2 million meals.

What I’m Reading: The Reality Slap

June 11, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

When life hurts, how do we respond in a healthy way? The Reality Slap, a book by Russ Harris, provides us with techniques and strategies to deal with issues that many of us are likely facing today. For me, the book’s helped me learn how to communicate more effectively with my loved ones.

I talk a little more about the book in the below video.

I’m on my third time reading The Reality Slap: How to Find Fulfilment When Life Hurts within the last several weeks. It’s impacted me, especially considering the challenging times in which we’re all living. As we continue to fight through a global pandemic, reality has slapped many people across the face.

Harris offers tips to help us react and respond in a healthy way.

The Reality Slap: Stop, Refocus, Breathe

One of the techniques that stuck with me is: SRB. S is for Stop, R is for Refocus, and B stands for Breathe.

If you’re slapped in the face with something that stops you in your tracks, it’s important to take a minute to ground yourself. If I’m feeling anxious, I look around and start naming things I see. Oh, there’s a red car. There’s a tall tree. I see a rose bush. I’ll stop, and I’ll name it out loud. Within a few seconds, I become present and grounded.

It also works with sounds you hear. “I hear a clock,” “I hear the wind.”

Moving on to refocus, it’s important to be curious about the feelings and emotions that you’re experiencing. Don’t try to put them away or brush them aside. Really accept what you’re feeling.

And then as you’re doing that, you consciously breathe. The breathing technique I learned elsewhere, and it really works for me, is the 4-7-8 method.

Breathe in for four counts
Hold your breath for seven counts
Breath out slowly for eight counts

Repeat that exercise four times.

A Calming Effect

I think you’ll find that if you Stop, Refocus, and Breathe, you’ll be calmer and react in a healthier way when life slaps you in the face. Your brain will function more clearly and you’ll be able to make better decisions, regardless of what’s happening around you.

For more on What I’m Reading, please visit my other blog posts.

A Giving Community: USANA Answers the Call

May 28, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog/by Kevin Guest

Giving back. It’s something I talk about a lot, especially as it relates to one of USANA’s core values—community.

This notion of giving back to our community, however close or far away, guides me. I also believe it’s so important to express gratitude and to offer thanks to the individuals who help those in need.

It seems we’re more aware of the helpers in today’s world. Unfortunately, that also means more people are experiencing pain and suffering. As we persevere during this challenging time, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve heard so many heartwarming stories about communities coming together to provide physical, emotional, and financial assistance. Perhaps you saw this list in the news recently. It highlights how the USANA Family all over the world has answered the call to provide much-needed relief.

Giving Around the World

From the United States to the Philippines to Australia to Korea and many countries in between, we’ve witnessed inspiring acts of selflessness.

Here are a few examples:

United States

The USANA Foundation and its Kids Eat program remain open to continue the mission to feed children in Utah who would typically go hungry. Each week, USANA Kids Eat provides 850 bags to participating schools. In addition, The USANA Foundation is working with its trusted partners at Convoy of Hope to provide 50,000 meals to families across the country.

Philippines

In the Philippines, the local USANA office plans to donate personal protective equipment (PPEs) and Mini CellSentials to healthcare facilities and workers across the country. It’s also supporting essential workers with financial donations.

Australia

USANA Australia is doing its part to donate money to national food banks and charities. It’s also donating $25,000 AUD to Foodbank Australia, the country’s largest food relief organization. The donation will provide 50,000 meals for those in need.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s KidsCan organization will receive a donation of $15,000 NZD from the New Zealand market and The USANA Foundation. The donation helps to support KidsCan’s goal of donating 3,000 emergency food packs to the most vulnerable children and their families.

China

Earlier this year, BabyCare-USANA’s Chinese subsidiary—together with its local sales Associates—donated $394,489.29 USD (2,795,430 CNY) to the China Foundation of Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and China National Health Commission. The money went toward emergency materials such as ambulances, respirators, disinfectant, and medical masks.

Korea

In March, USANA’s Korea office announced a generous donation from The USANA Foundation of $116,000 (130,000,000 KRW) worth of USANA HealthPaks™ to the Daegu Division of Social Disaster. The HealthPaks were given to medical staff and those in quarantine to help provide them with extra nutrition.

While the list of those helping others is extensive, I’m confident it barely scratches the surface of how much you and those around you have and will continue to give of your time and money. For that, I express my sincere gratitude.

The USANA Foundation

As you can see, many of our efforts over the past few months have been made possible by The USANA Foundation and its collaboration with trusted partners around the world. As you know, 100% of all donations directly benefit those in need. Your donations have made a real difference.

“The USANA Foundation was more than prepared to take action and help all our markets in putting together donation plans to help their communities during this time,” says Brian Paul, USANA Foundation president. “From big donations to small, every little bit helps, and I am so proud to see the work everyone associated with USANA is doing.”

So am I. Thank you for your continued support.

P.S. Speaking of giving, last month USANA produced and employees distributed thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer (video) to front-line workers and first responders. Read more.

A version of this article went to email subscribers on May 26, 2020. I invite you to subscribe here.