Rico Macaraeg of StriveWell.Co On How the World’s Best Leaders Build Burnout-Free Workplace Cultures
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Encourage Check-Ins & Walkabouts: Regular non-work-related check-ins, like a weekly team coffee walk, help build camaraderie and reduce stress
In today’s high-pressure business landscape, burnout has become an epidemic affecting both employees and leaders. The question is — how can companies create workplace cultures that prioritize well-being without compromising performance? To dive into this important topic, we are interviewing Rico Macaraeg.
Rico Macaraeg is the Co-founder and CEO of StriveWell, an investment group that buys and builds forward thinking brands in the health and wellness landscape, specifically franchises in recovery, longevity, and low-
impact fitness. A former marketing executive, Rico has held top leadership roles at iconic brands such as Lamborghini North America, Lord & Taylor, and others. He is a strong believer in servant leadership and applies the upside-down pyramid approach, where leadership exists to serve team members and customers, ensuring sustainable business growth.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My career has been a real-life game of chutes and ladders. I started in the United States Navy, serving eight years, primarily overseas, middle east and deployed regions. After leaving the military, a mentor, Donald Wild, saw potential in me that I hadn’t fully realized — my ability to understand people and solve customer problems. That insight led me into marketing, where I started, working nights, weekends, and handling Excel sheets for my bosses and working on the ground floor learning the way the customers ebb and flow. I eventually worked my way up through corporate America and high-growth startup environments, blending my military discipline, corporate structure, and entrepreneurial agility into my leadership style today.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
One of the most pivotal moments in my career happened at Lord & Taylor. I had just successfully executed a rebrand of the business and felt like the brand was headed in right direction. One day I was called into my leader’s office who was the CMO of the brand. She pulls me in to tell me unexpectedly that she is retiring at the end of the month and they have named me as their successor. I was feeling such a mix of emotions, both sad for my mentor to be leaving and scared for what was to come. Right after she tells me the news and we chat through a bit of next steps and strategy she tells me that the President wants to meet me in her office. I give her a big hug and head into the President’s office. She welcomed me with congratulations and have me a vote of confidence, she then asks me to sit down so she and I can chat. She handed me an NDA asking me to sign it, and after signing, she looked at me and said, “The board has decided to close Lord & Taylor.” My emotions were running wild — I had just accepted this role, and now the company was shutting down AND my name was going to be the CMO attached to it!
But instead of panic and letting my emotions get to me, I focused on the team. We then walk out to the area where our teams sat as the President announced my boss retiring and my taking over. I smiled and just buried the emotions that were running through me to show the team they were safe and the transition was exciting.
In the end, we were able to find a buyer, La Tote, which saved thousands of jobs — at least until COVID hit. This experience reinforced my belief in adaptability, strategic problem-solving, and putting people first in leadership.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Empathy: My military background taught me that regardless of where we stand, we are all equals. In business, this translates into truly understanding team members and customers, ensuring that their voices are heard.
Urgency: A former mentor instilled in me the importance of moving with a sense of urgency — not rushing, but moving with purpose. When a team knows their leader values time, they move more efficiently and with respect for one another’s efforts.
Servant Leadership: I embrace the upside-down pyramid model. Leaders exist to serve their teams, not the other way around. Whether at StriveWell, SweatHouz, or STRONG Pilates, my job is to remove roadblocks so my teams can thrive.
Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a pivotal moment in your career when you realized the importance of creating a burnout-free workplace culture? How did it influence your approach to leadership?
In my previous role, we were in an aggressive “growth mode.” Everything was a fire drill, priorities constantly shifted, and leadership was micromanaging down to how many hours copywriters worked. The result? team members were exhausted, paranoid, disengaged and leaving left and right. That experience made me commit to a different approach at StriveWell — focusing on strategic clarity, alignment, and transparency. By ensuring everyone understands their role and the company’s objectives, we’ve built a culture of focus and purpose rather than chaos and burnout.
What are some of the most common causes of burnout in today’s workplaces, and what signs should leaders look out for in their teams?
Lack of strategy — team members feel lost when goals constantly shift.
Fire-drill culture — Where everything is urgent, nothing is truly prioritized.
Micromanagement — A lack of trust stifles autonomy and engagement.
Signs of burnout include disengagement, reduced collaboration, and a shift from proactive problem-solving to merely going through the motions.
How do you personally balance the need to drive results with the need to ensure employee well-being?
I never sacrifice employee well-being for results because, in reality, burnout reduces performance. We involve our team in strategy discussions, ensuring they feel valued as we value their input and opinions. An organization is only as strong as the team that is involved in executing the mission. We set clear goal expectations and trust them to deliver. The best way to drive results is to make sure everyone knows how to win and feels supported in getting there.
What role does communication play in creating a burnout-free workplace, and how can leaders foster open dialogue about mental health and work-life balance?
Effective communication is the backbone of a burnout-free workplace. It goes beyond simply giving directions — it’s about fostering a culture where team members feel heard, valued, and included. When communication is clear, team members understand their goals, expectations, and the broader mission of the company. This sense of clarity and purpose makes work more manageable, reduces stress, and helps everyone stay engaged and motivated. When people know where they’re headed and feel aligned with their responsibilities, they’re less likely to experience burnout
Conversely, poor or no communication creates confusion and frustration. Team members who feel uncertain about expectations or constantly second-guess their decisions often find themselves walking on eggshells, unsure if they’re meeting the mark. This type of workplace dynamic leads to exhaustion, disengagement, and, ultimately, burnout. Without proper communication, team members
What is your take on traditional corporate norms, like long working hours and “always-on” availability? Are these practices outdated, or do they still have a place in certain industries?
I’ll be honest — this is a tough one for me because, personally, I’ve always been an “always-on” kind of person most likely due to my background in the military and the environment I was operating in. I work long hours, and that’s just how I operate. But that’s my personal choice, not my leadership style.
As a leader, my role is not to impose my work habits on my team. Instead, I believe in setting clear expectations, providing the tools and resources needed, and then trusting my team to get the job done in a way that works best for them. Team members should know the rules of the game — what success looks like, what deadlines must be met, and how they can “win.” But how do they get to that finish line? That’s up to them, as long as they deliver on what’s expected.
Trust and respect are the foundation of any strong team. We need to remember that the people we hire are highly skilled, talented professionals who chose to work with us — just as much as we chose them. If, for some reason, they’re struggling to perform at their best, that’s on us as leaders to try and develop them. It means we haven’t done enough to unlock their full potential or provide the right environment for them to thrive.
That said, I do recognize that some industries and roles require long hours, constant availability, or irregular schedules to meet business demands. And that’s okay — as long as we’re upfront about it and all parties are clear and understand. Transparency is key. If a job requires weekends, travel, or late nights, we need to communicate that from the start so that people know what they’re signing up for. No surprises, no unrealistic expectations — just mutual understanding and respect.
Ultimately, I believe in balance. Work hard, but also work smart. Give people autonomy, support them, and trust them to perform at their best. That’s how we build a culture of excellence without burning people out.
Ok, let’s dig into actionable strategies. Based on your experience and research, can you share “5 Ways to Build a Burnout-Free Workplace Culture”? If you can, please include examples or stories for each.
1. Normalize PTO: At StriveWell we require leaders to take at least two consecutive weeks off annually and offer a recharge stipend to encourage it.
2. Celebrate team members: Whether it’s birthdays, sales milestones, or anniversaries, recognition fosters engagement and motivation.
3. Hire Fast, Promote Faster: Give team members growth opportunities — whether through titles, special projects, or leadership exposure.
4. Encourage Check-Ins & Walkabouts: Regular non-work-related check-ins, like a weekly team coffee walk, help build camaraderie and reduce stress.
5. Foster Autonomy: Micromanagement crushes motivation. If you trust your hiring process, trust your people to do the job.
What do you say to skeptics who believe that creating a burnout-free culture may come at the cost of productivity or profits?
If your company requires 80-hour workweeks to stay competitive, you’re not leading effectively — you’re just disorganized. Studies show burned-out team members take more sick days and have higher turnover rates. Long-term productivity comes from sustainability, not overworking people into the ground
Can you share a real-world example of a team or organization where prioritizing employee well-being led to unexpected or exceptional results?
At our brands, we implemented clear workflows, goal alignment, and transparency in financials. Team members have ownership over their work, and as a result, we saw increased engagement and a significant boost in customer satisfaction scores. When team members feel safe, heard, and valued, they deliver their best work.
How can leaders in high-pressure industries (like tech, finance, or healthcare) realistically apply these principles without falling behind on deadlines or performance goals?
Using project management software or operating principles can be huge in keeping the organizations focused on the collective mission. Automating repetitive tasks helps team members save time and focus on the bigger picture. In other organizations where it was “high-pressure” we often worked in agile working principles as well to keep the team energized and focused. One thing we implement during our “pre sales” phase of a studio opening is shift work for leadership to cover sales and sign ups. This phase can be very time consuming and requires a high level of energy and personal connection. In an effort to ensure we aren’t reaching burnout we broke up a 12-hour coverage with 4 hour shifts. This way it keeps the team member fresh and every time a lead is met with someone from our team they are ready and energized to convert them.
What trends or innovations are you seeing in workplace well-being and culture that excite you the most?
One thing we see in the health and wellness space is employers covering the cost of employee memberships for businesses that are focused- wellness and recovery. Team members get access to a private suite which allows them to relax in an infrared sauna, cold plunge and enjoy a nice vitamin c shower. This also has helped with employers requiring team members to return to work and supporting their overall efforts to support health and wellness.
In your opinion, how does a burnout-free culture impact a company’s long-term success, its relationships with employees, and even its customers?
For all the reasons mentioned earlier, let’s dive into what burnout creates.
- High employee retention rates
This is key for long term success of an organization when it comes to tacit knowledge and business operations. Not only is there a building and transfer of knowledge, if the roles with high turnover are customer facing, this always does not instill confidence by the company to its customer
- Ability to execute
Most often following low retention of team members you’ll see stifled ability to execute on strategy because the organization has trained itself to be forever under siege, acting with urgent competing priorities clouded with lack of clarity and direction.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement to help more companies embrace burnout-free workplace cultures, what would it be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Requiring philanthropic or global service of an organization’s team members. I have seen from a far and experienced that organizations that really drive the spirit of volunteerism, philanthropy and giving back often have longer retention, more satisfied team members and often through this volunteerism develops a deepening appreciation for the work and organization.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can follow me on instagram @im__rico or LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/ricomacaraeg or visit www.strivewell.co
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur and Thought Leader with over 25 years of business experience. He has founded, operated, and exited multiple companies and now builds into a handful of high impact CEOs. Chad has launched multiple online communities, including a recent leadership development platform, and also serves as a strategic advisor for Authority Magazine’s thought-leader incubator program.
To learn more and connect with Chad visit: chadsilverstein.io
Rico Macaraeg of StriveWell On How the World’s Best Leaders Build Burnout-Free Workplace Cultures was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.