Balancing the Grind with Amanda Rees, CEO & Co-founder at Bold

Amanda Rees is the CEO & Co-founder at Bold, a pro-aging health company that makes it easier than ever to age well.

1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I began my career in renewable energy and working with business and nonprofits to advance environmental justice and equity. I managed the energy portfolio at The 11th Hour Project, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation, deploying $100M in energy grants and investments. My transition to my current role as the CEO and co-founder of Bold happened as a result of my personal experiences as a caregiver and a fitness instructor. 

I realised there was a huge unmet need to use technology to help millions of older adults age better by preventing falls and staying physically active. From living with my grandmother, I saw firsthand how losing her strength balance led to a decline in her overall health, and from teaching yoga, tai chi, and spin, I saw how movement could be used as medicine.

So, my partner and I founded Bold to deliver virtual exercise programs that were personalised, convenient, and accessible to individuals who wanted to improve their balance, manage joint points, and increase their strength at any age. 

2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

6:30am Wake up, quickly check emails and to do list

7:30am Walk dog while listening to a podcast or making a call

8:00am Make coffee and tackle a few high priority tasks before meetings

9:30am-5:30pm Most of my day is spent on zoom calls with potential customers, current customers, or internal team leaders. Since I’m based in CA, I tend to have calls with east coast folks earlier in the day, and then catch up with internal and west coast colleagues later.

5:30-8pm This is my recharge time, where I will make time for a workout, walking the dog, and enjoying dinner.

8pm- 10:30ish Over the last few years, I have found some of my most productive hours happen in the evenings, when I find I can think clearly and get more creative and deep work done. 

10:30-11:30 Bedtime

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine? 

Yes, Bold is a remote company. We ended up growing our team by 5x in 2021, and that was all during a time when an office wasn’t feasible, so our team became distributed across the U.S.

I have enjoyed the flexibility provided by working remotely, and the efficiency of being able to conduct meetings and build relationships with less commuting. Of course, our team still loves to gather together in person, so we organise in-person meetings twice a year to ensure everyone gets good quality time face to face as well. 

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

Staying healthy. I love my work, and I can spend a lot of time working without feeling burnt out. However, I think it is important to have a diverse schedule, spending time with family and friends outside of work, as well as taking care of my body and mind with exercise and good sleep. 

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life? 

I think my socialisation patterns and eating patterns have changed the most over the past year. We had been living in a small town in Oregon with only a few local restaurants. It was a wonderful time because of our proximity to nature and we were cooking most of our meals at home, which I enjoyed.

When we moved to Los Angeles a few months ago, I started seeing more people in person, and cooking less because of all the tempting and convenient restaurants across the city.

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

For healthcare news, I like the weekly digests from Health Tech Nerds and Out of Pocket Health, as well as the written and audio content put out by a16z. Two of my favourite non-fiction reads are Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

I should probably spend more time off of it, but my phone is essential in my day to day work life. One product that I’ve become almost addicted to are the Roll Model massage therapy balls to relieve muscle tension from sitting, travelling, and working out.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?   

Jack Dorsey. 

Before you go…

If you’d like to sponsor or advertise with Balance the Grind, let’s talk here

Join our community and never miss a conversation about work, life & balance – subscribe to our newsletter