All You Need to Succeed Is Hard Work and a Little Bit of Luck
I get emails every week from people looking to get into the supplement industry or become a writer. Each one tells me their story of what they have been through, what they are working on, and how great it would be to finally “get the break they’ve been waiting for.” Here’s the unfortunate news, there is no “get the break you’ve been waiting for.” Those who “wait” miss out. Period. You need to put in the hard work. This piece is for all those individuals who want to make it into the industry, but aren’t sure what steps to take.
Hard Work and a Little Luck
For me, it started in college where I was a kinesiology major at Penn State. I always enjoyed learning new things and sharing that new-found knowledge. Writing was an outlet for me and came naturally. Some may call it a blessing while others call it weird. Either way, I was always the kid who would jump on an essay whenever possible to bypass the multiple choice and true/false exams. My journey began when I frequented the forums of a bodybuilding website. It was there that I answered questions month after month — helping people in their search for a healthier and stronger physique. One day I got an email from the owner of the website asking if I would write some content for the site. One thing led to another and before I knew it my work was plastered all over the internet. My hard work was paying off. Emails were flooding my inbox from people who enjoyed my work and who gained something from one of my content pieces.
After a few months of writing for this website, I was contacted by Iron Man Magazine. They asked if they could run one of my articles in their print publication. May 2007 that came to fruition. From that moment on, my life was never the same. I caught the bug. I was hooked — bad. I wanted to be on thousands of websites and hundreds of magazines giving people the knowledge they need to make well-informed decisions regarding their health and fitness and I wasn’t about to let anyone tear down my dream. I was willing to do whatever it took and put in the time and hard work. I’m proud to stand here today and say I’ve accomplished just about every writing goal I have set for myself. There are still a few on my bucket list but since I began my writing career I’ve crossed off my fair share of “things to accomplish.”
My writing was getting around the industry as well as around the world and I was starting to build a name for myself. It was then that a large supplement company asked me to work with them on the forums and educate the members on their line of products—which I did as a forum representative. This was another door that I was able to get my foot into. Things started to take shape and mold into something amazing. I enjoyed working with the company so much that for months I begged them to bring me on full-time in some capacity. Eventually a regional sales manager position opened up and I was offered the job. I jumped on it and stayed with the company for the better part of 9 years—spending six years on the road as a regional sales manager, and the remainder running their Team Sports division myself. At the end of my career with this supplement company, I decided I wanted to pursue my own business. No more did I want to be a part of corporate America and report to people who quite frankly weren’t even qualified to be considered my boss. When you know nothing about the products you’re selling or even the industry that you are selling into, the surmounting frustration is one that keeps you awake at night. The timing was right and clearly there was no looking back.
So where does this story lead? It leads into a place where you can accomplish anything you want if you work hard enough for it. My story isn’t the only one of its kind. There are many. And there will be many more after I’m long gone. Now here’s your chance to find out how you too can create your own legacy.
What’s Step 1?
Gain knowledge. And never stop learning. Find something you are passionate about and become an expert on the subject. Learn as much as you can about that particular subject and once you think you know everything, keep digging deeper into the topic. The better your skillset on the subject, the more marketable you will be. Once you gain the knowledge and skillset, don’t boast about it like you’re the only person out there who possesses the same knowledge—you’re not, and there are tons of people out there smarter than you (that might sound harsh, but that just reality) that will put you in your place in an instant. Stay humble and work hard. Never be outworked. The instant you become complacent is when someone knocking at your door will swipe your dreams. Don’t let that happen. Don’t EVER let that happen. Stay hungry.
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