Zen4 founder and CEO Sarah Merkle wears several hats.

The local resident is an author, health coach, yoga teacher and motivational speaker with a mission to change lives.

A two-time National Fitness competitor, she has participated in events produced by the National Physique Committee, the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the U.S., and the Organization of Competition Bodies.

For the past year, she has operated a company that provides new approaches for companies to invest in their potential and well-being of their employees.

Often, at the start of a new year, a company will re-examine its productivity and accomplishments from the previous year and weigh approaches to improve on results, said Merkle.

“A lot of companies get stagnant, and I can help them,” said Merkle.

Employees are encouraged and supported in four areas including mindfulness, nourishment, movement and lifestyle.

“Utilizing a hands-on and data-driven approach, Zen4 builds a foundation for happy, healthy and fulfilled employees,” she said.

Her target audience is companies with 25 to 300 employees. Her programs help employees enhance productivity, efficiency and innovation.

Involvement with General Mills, AT&T and Amazon resulted in a 30 percent increase in employee engagement, said Merkle.

She and her co-founder, Eric Walker, work out of their Fountain Hills home and visit company executives at their work sites.

Walker founded The Next Step Agency, a management consulting company that helps businesses define what success means to them and how to achieve it.

Zen4 can be contacted at 602-845-0929.