LifeSpeak Inc.

Yes, your company book club can have a Halloween plot twist and your PTO can include random “Take a Breath” days!

Meet LifeSpeak, the wellness-first SaaS company where collaboration isn’t just talk and every remote employee really does have a voice, whether you’re dialing in from Toronto or Minnesota. In this episode, Jena sits down with Amanda Martel, Director of Human Resources, to dig into what it’s like working for a team that makes well-being and connection part of everyday work.

What you’ll learn:

• How LifeSpeak evolved from mental health to a holistic digital wellness platform for organizations and individuals
• The reality of building a collaborative, innovative culture in a remote setup
• Perks like flexible unlimited time off, well-being resources for employees, and company-wide unplug days
• Structure, roles, where the team is growing, and what Amanda looks for in applications

LifeSpeak highlights:

Founded: Over 20 years ago
Team Size: About 130 employees in Canada and the US
HQ: Toronto, hub in Minnesota
Work Model: Remote-first
Culture: Collaborative, innovative, and wellness-focused
Perks: LifeSpeak resources for employees, unlimited flexible time off, “Take a Breath” days, book club and sports chat channels

To learn more about LifeSpeak:

• Careers Page (They're hiring!)
• Linkedin Page
• Amanda's Profile

Transcript

Jena Dunay: Hello friends and welcome back to another episode of Culture Uncovered where we go behind the scenes of the coolest companies to work for all around the world. Today I'm super excited for our next guest, Amanda Martel, who is the Director of Human Resources for LifeSpeak. So Amanda, thank you so much for joining us today.

Amanda: Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for having us.

Jena Dunay: All right, why don't you give us a little update on what LifeSpeak is?

Amanda: We are a SaaS company. We're a mental, physical, and family well-being solution. We help organizations, health plans, and individuals take a proactive approach to health. We're just helping people thrive at work and in life.

Jena Dunay: So is it kind of like a benefit for organizations essentially? When were you founded?

Amanda: Yes, that's exactly what we are. We've been around for over 20 years now. I don't know the exact date off the top of my head, but it's over 20 plus years.

Jena Dunay: Which is kind of crazy. The benefits space didn't really start booming until the last 15 years. So you were kind of ahead of your time. Do you know anything about the founding story or what prompted the introduction of this company?

Amanda: Honestly, from an overall perspective, there was a heavy need in the work life and people's family lives. Our founder identified that and saw a need, so decided to create the solution. Since then, we've evolved and added not just mental, but now physical and family solutions, so we could be that proactive approach to health.

Jena Dunay: If I double click on what you said, what are those actual service lines?

Amanda: It's a holistic approach instead of just mental health, because everybody has different needs.

Jena Dunay: You were founded 20 plus years ago. How many employees are you now, and where are you located?

Amanda: Our headquarters is in Toronto, but we have about a 50-50 employee split. We have about 130 employees now, with about 50 in the United States and the rest in Canada. Our main headquarters is downtown Toronto, but we also have a hub in Minnesota.

Jena Dunay: Very cool. You're in Minnesota. I couldn't tell by your accent. I'm around a lot of Southern people and they have Southern accents. I wish I had an accent, but I'm grateful I don't have one from Pittsburgh, because nobody wants that accent.

Amanda: I am in Minnesota, yes.

Jena Dunay: I've never seen the movie Fargo, so I have no reference, hopefully that's a good thing.

Amanda: Everybody references Fargo, but that is not me. I get it a lot. I just traveled recently and people pinpointed where I was from by my Fargo accent.

Jena Dunay: Love it. Are people mostly in the office, remote, or hybrid?

Amanda: We are a remote first company. Although we have two headquarters and a hub in Minnesota, a vast majority of our employees work remotely from anywhere in the United States or Canada.

Jena Dunay: For you, Amanda, how did you find out about LifeSpeak? What made you join?

Amanda: Actually, LifeSpeak found me. A former finance person for WellBeats, an acquired company, connected with me through a gym we both went to. She reached out because she knew my passion for fitness and nutrition and wanted to pull me into HR for WellBeats. At the time, we weren't a remote first company, and I had little kids, so I couldn't commit. COVID hit, and she reached back out when remote work became possible, and I've been here ever since. 

Jena Dunay: You were recruited. What was her role? How did you know her?

Amanda: She was SVP of finance for WellBeats. I knew her because my husband and I used to own a gym, which we sold before COVID. She was a member at another town's gym.

Jena Dunay: This shows the power of networking. Most career pivots come from connections.

Amanda: Absolutely.

Jena Dunay: How would you describe the culture at LifeSpeak? What are some words you'd use?

Amanda: Collaborative and innovative. Those are our two biggest words.

Jena Dunay: Why those words? Any examples?

Amanda: As a small team, we need to be collaborative in all our departments, working together for one goal. That's the feedback I get from our employees. We're very collaborative and have to keep driving forward. In the tech space, things change quickly. We need to pivot, so we're innovative by nature. 

Jena Dunay: How does that culture play out across multiple states and countries?

Amanda: We're still figuring out the best way to make that happen. COVID forced us into it; there hasn't been decades of experience. Some companies have nailed it; others, like us, are still evolving. Day-to-day, Teams has been a lifesaver, with cameras on. We try to bring teams in person when we can, town hall meetings, group chats, and company book club. On Halloween, they're doing a mystery novel and a contest.

Jena Dunay: So you bring people together around shared interests. What other team channels do you have?

Amanda: We have football and hockey channels. We try to unify people around the things they love.

Jena Dunay: Even cameras on is important. It's mutual respect. What are some perks and benefits LifeSpeak offers?

Amanda: Our product itself is a perk for employees. It's a proactive approach with resources for caregiving, pregnancy, dementia support, all kinds of life moments. We also offer unlimited flexible time off, so employees can take time as needed, no accrual. Our CEO picks "Take a Breath" days when the whole team is expected to unplug, just to focus on themselves.

Jena Dunay: What departments do you have, and what does growth look like?

Amanda: We have structured departments: finance, engineering and development, content, account management and client services, IT and operations, and sales. Growth focus for the next years is on expanding technology and client success teams and increasing marketing and sales for US and Canada market presence. We're also looking for people with strong experience in AI. 

Jena Dunay: Who thrives at LifeSpeak? Who doesn't?

Amanda: We look for people who are passionate about wellness: mental health, physical health, caregiving solutions. Most candidates are drawn to LifeSpeak because they have a story. Collaborative people thrive. We're remote first, innovative, and wear multiple hats.

Jena Dunay: For candidates, how do they get their resume seen?

Amanda: AI isn't embedded in our screening; the hiring manager and I look through resumes individually. LinkedIn and our website are the top places to find postings, and people can always email me. If you aren't a fit for an open role but have strong skills, I keep resumes on file.

Jena Dunay: What makes a good resume? A bad one?

Amanda: It's subjective. For marketing manager roles, cover letters are important. I read those first. Short, easy to read resumes with recent history are best. Long, multi-page resumes are challenging.

Jena Dunay: What makes a good email?

Amanda: Short and sweet. My time is packed, so two sentences is best. If it's a long email, I might forget to come back to it.

Jena Dunay: It's been a pleasure learning about LifeSpeak. Sounds like LinkedIn and your careers page are the best places to learn more and get connected.

Amanda: Yes. Thanks for having us.