Learning, Connecting, and Leading from the Front

In 2022, Mike Lebron was looking for a side gig. He joined Motivate as a member of the rebalancing team, moving bikes around the community to keep them available for customers. “You get to be independent [as a rebalancer] a little bit more,” he explains. “I genuinely do like being left to my own devices and being able to operate independently because I perform at a certain level for myself.”

After some time as a rebalancer, Mike took on an expanded administrative role to further build his skillset , after which he was offered an opportunity to interview for a management role. “Motivate’s super-good about internally hiring,” Mike says, going on to explain that his manager at the time laid out the process of applying and interviewing clearly for the team so they could prepare.

Now in a leadership position, Mike has developed his own style that combines lessons from his time as a rebalancer, lessons from his father, and his experiences growing up in the same neighborhoods as many of the people who now report to him. He says this combination allows him to understand and address the anxieties he knows many of his team experience day-to-day while also allowing him to connect in a more personal way with each individual.

When asked about his favorite part of the job, Mike points to his team, saying “It’s a blessing…being able to foster a team environment for these guys where they feel safe and comfortable enough to really thrive.” As a manager, he emphasizes that his success comes from his team, “We either fail together or win together. Whatever we do, we do it together.”