From Rooftop Yoga to Wellness Festivals: How Swift Fit Events Scaled with Structure

How It Began

The idea for Swift Fit Events(opens in a new tab) was inspired by Founder and CEO, Lee Ackerly’s experience leading running tours through Austin as a side hustle. 

As time went on, companies began asking for runs, yoga sessions, and team-based wellness programming, and the gap became obvious. After crunching the numbers, Lee decided he could fill that gap, and Swift Fit Events was born. Awareness about mental health and wellness accelerated demand for Swift Fit Events as people actively prioritize in-person connection and movement.

The Challenge: The Growing Pains of Scaling

Austin played a major role in shaping the Swift Fit’s evolution and growth, specifically, its outdoor culture, running trails, and focus on health and wellness. This built-in appetite helped Swift Fit attract Fortune 500 companies looking to provide unique employee experiences beyond the typical happy hour. 

As the company continued to grow and evolve, so did the team. In the early days, Lee laid the foundation.

 “We didn't have a PEO… it was a lot of Excel spreadsheets… sending out payments through our banking system.”

Before Justworks, they primarily hired contractors because they couldn’t offer benefits to attract full-time hires. And as Swift Fit continued to grow, it was clear they needed a system that could keep up. 

The Solution: A System to Keep Up the Pace

Justworks offered much-needed structure at an accessible level for a startup with one system. With payroll, benefits, and HR centralized in one platform, the team could scale even faster and attract and hire full-time employees.

“As a small growing team, to be able to come on to a platform that was turnkey, user-friendly, offering a lot of help to small companies bringing on their first W-2 employees—that was exactly what we were looking for. Justworks really made it happen, was so easy, and startup-friendly,” Lee said.

Just as important was the level of support behind the platform—especially for a busy founder navigating rapid growth. Justworks’ dedicated human support is a major differentiator for Lee.

“If we have any questions, it is a phone call or email away… I’m getting an actual person who's invested in troubleshooting, whatever case pops up,” he said.

The Results: Reaching New Heights at Scale

Today, Swift Fit Events produces 1,000+ events, covering everything from rooftop yoga, farm workouts, and hybrid experiences. They’re now a major player in the wellness space across Texas, serving Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. What started as a solo operation has grown into a team delivering experiences for major companies, while also creating space for the broader community.

With the operational side running more smoothly, Lee can focus less on logistics and more on expanding that vision through new ways of bringing people together. 

“Justworks has been set and forget, and just let it do its magic. And, we can continue focusing on how to keep the wheels turning and the plate spinning, and making sure that the company is around in another year.” 

As Swift Fit Events has evolved and split into separate entities, Justworks has been there to support each new iteration. In 2026, Swift Fit launched Swift Fit Social, a new arm focused on festival-style wellness events that bring together movement, music, and community on a larger scale.

And with future goals and transformation in mind, it's clear that Swift Fit Events has the foundation in place for long-term success.