As part of our new customer spotlight series, we will be featuring Grasshopper customers who we think deserve to have the spotlight on them for the day.  This series is our way of giving back and saying thank you to all of our customers. Stay tuned for more customer spotlights each month.

In this month’s customer spotlight, we are featuring FiVi. FiVi can be described in short as “social networking meets online fitness.”  So, what does that mean?

FiVi is a comprehensive online resource for active adults looking to stay motivated, exchange advice, connect with other active individuals and get more from their workouts.  As Nabil Aidoud, the CEO and Founder, describes it, “the idea is simple – give people a platform to form active, healthy communities, provide them with good information, and let them have fun!”  It’s as simple as that!

Where did the idea for FiVi come from?

FiVi was born at about 9pm on a Saturday night in an IBM coffee break room when soon to be founder, Nabil, felt like he was at an all-time low in work/life balance.  I mean, being at the office at 9 PM on a Saturday night, wouldn’t you?

Nabil knew he wasn't alone in that frustration and as he sat there in the IBM coffee break room he began to think about it.  <> Nabil thought there was something wrong when an $80 billion dollar industry couldn't give people the motivation, peer support, and information necessary to lead a healthy life without spending tons of money on expensive gear, classes and services.  Fast forward 2 years to FiVi.com.

What does FiVi have to offer?

• A free social networking site dedicated to creating communities around a healthy and active lifestyle.

• FiVi offers over 1000 videos ranging from demo videos (for strength training, running, yoga, etc.) to general health literacy. From beginners to experts, there is something for everyone!

• Tons of interactive tools for tracking your active lifestyle ranging from user generated maps to plot your run, to detailed workout videos that calculate caloric burn for you.

• For users who want more on-going coaching, there are also numerous free training plans for things like yoga, strength training, and even running plans.  Users just have to pick a start date and they’ll start getting daily emails with their assigned workout for the day.

• Sick of your standard everyday workout routine? FiVi makes it super easy to find new workouts and even log them in your account so you can track your progress.

• In addition to the tracking tools, wizards and videos, FiVi makes it easy to find and connect with other active individuals for motivation and support or even to meet up for a run.

• If you’re a Facebook junky, there’s even an iFiVi App on Facebook.

In the past year alone, FiVi has built a solid, loyal user base, great community, and has been featured in numerous publications like Thrillist.com and Xconomy.  If that’s not enough, they were even a finalist in the first ever MassChallenge global competition!  FiVi found a way to make fitness enjoyable.  If you are looking to become more active, or want to start leading a healthier lifestyle, FiVi is definitely a good place to start!

To learn more about FiVi, check out their site or follow them on Twitter.