Life is full of opportunities, but what they don’t tell you is there’s a certain way to go about it. I had no idea where to begin when I decided to start this journey into the fitness industry, so I did the only thing I knew what to do at that time.

Throw myself in the fire and learn as much as I can.

Now that I have a few years and shows under my belt, I’d say it worked out well. Now days, I’m in a position to be able to give back to the community of those who want to do what I did. So, here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re headed down this path.

Take failure as a compliment

If I just gave you a bodybuilding trophy or medal, you’d only want it for a few days until you forgot about it. Without the work, the reward is meaning. And without failure,  you'll never learn what it means to struggle and be hungry for what you want. Stay hungry and never take the easy way.

Don't expect anything

Get rid of expectations because it’s not a good start. You need goals to reach for, but don’t expect anything. Whether it’s a win or loss. Again, put in the work and earn everything you have. Keep in mind, some people are lucky and move along faster but slow progress is still progress.

Trust only real trainers and nutritionist

Unfortunately, the fitness industry has a lot of shady business people and wolves in sheep's clothing. Everyone these days are "trainers" and "diet coaches". Do yourself a favor; do some research, look at their past clients and their pictures. If you don't see real results, just pass.

Don't fall into the "ambassador" trap

I say this as every "clothing line" out there or off the wall supplement line out there is looking for "reps". Real companies will send you a DM (if interested) asking for an email address or you have to work for it not just get a spammed message on your post. Again, don’t expect anything and put in the work to form your own name.

Use relevant hashtags

Some people hate this but I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a sponsors/endorsement or even on the radar to some major companies by doing this! Use social media to your advantage. It’s the largest and best source of marketing. Learn the hashtags and use the hell out of them. It’s how you get noticed.

Only tag the products shown and hashtag

This sounds like common sense, but take my word for it. It’s not. Use hashtags they (The company whose product is in your post)  use themselves. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone post multiple supplements in a post. This shows no loyalty to a brand. And loyalty goes a long way with the right company.

Loyalty goes a long way

If you do get a supplement endorsement or become an ambassador only post their products. I've seen or had people hit me up about getting on with Evogen Nutrition but are with another brand. Skipping around brands shows no loyalty to a product as well and other brands will take note of this. You’re basically shooting yourself in the foot.

Post relevant material

One of my pet peeves is seeing people doing some idiotic workouts to get likes or bad press (that's good too right? wrong). Be a trendsetter and if you notice those "antics" never stay around long. Following the flow of content is tempting as everyone is doing it, but if you’re looking to establish your own identity in this industry, it pays to be different. Think outside the box.

Network

You never know who knows who in this industry so make sure you are treating everyone the same as you would as your boss. Remember this: In the business world, it’s ⅓ what you know. ⅔ who you know. You have to network, be seen, and be active. How can anyone know about the next big thing if you aren’t out there in the open?

People are always watching

Simply put, some companies will drop you if you are too vulgar, post rated R photos, or post hateful messages/trolling people online. So watch those post! That’s a hard pill to swallow if you lose a sponsorship because you didn’t think before you post.

There you have it. It’s not a lot of information, but it’s a really solid place to start. I always tell those who ask advice from me,

“Don’t be like me. Be better than who I am”

So if you came here looking for an answer, you came to the wrong place. If you came here looking for a direction to go, you found it.

Keep working and never give up.

Jesse James

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