Calling All Champions – Check Out MyOatmeal.com
Working for a few year
s as a writer and reporter in the fitness industry, I've learned a few important lessons. I've organized and promoted fitness seminars, conducted hundreds of interviews, and recorded dozens of various clips and features. In that time, it's become quite clear to me that everyone in this business – namely athletes – is starving for recognition from the judges and cash.
Yes, that's right, the green, because as you may have heard, bodybuilding and physique-based sports are very expensive. From the time off work to the travel to the food, the supplements, the contest fees, the gym memberships, the trips to the massage therapist, etc., you're looking at quite an investment. And these economic woes are felt by amateurs and professionals alike.
The key to landing a deal is to have a fan base, and how do you go about doing that? Well, the words of Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo come to mind, you have to "do the business of bodybuilding." You need to have a real presence on social media, you need to do interviews, and you need to put yourself out there.
I know of a guy that won a show here and I was so impressed th
at I went out of my way to get him an interview on Rx Muscle. I blew this kid's email up and wrote to his workout partner, trying to give him some exposure. But there was no response. So, you win a show and you do no press, what have you got? Zilch.
Everyone wants to get signed, because having a contract and some good placings make all the sacrifices worth it. When you go into a contest with a sponsor, fans, placings, and a great physique, you're set apart from everyone else. You're no longer just a person (God, I hate to sound like Miley Cyrus here), you're a movement. You're a driving force.
But who your sponsor is also factors into the equation. For example, let's talk supplements. If your sponsor is pushing a shitty product and you're the face of that shitty product, then that's going to take away from the value of your name. Yeah, you'll make a quick buck, but everyone will say hey, "That's the dude from the protein that tastes like shit," (LOL) for example. Also, if the company you represent is putting out gray area products, causing people to fail their drug tests or break out in acne or lose an erection (for example), that probably won't be the kind of PR you want for yourself.
Interestingly, some weeks ago I was on Facebook
and I saw my friend Anthony Collova publish a status update, offering now 2x Mr. Olympia runner-up Kai Greene a deal with MyOatmeal.com. I was stunned because I'd never seen a company publicly make an offer this way. It didn't come as desperate in any way, if anything; I was floored by its boldness.
Then I got to thinking, how many men and women have I come across over the last seven years that would kill to work with a company putting out a great tasting, healthy product catering to the mainstream public? This is a product that any athlete would be proud to be associated, it's a company that gives back to the community, that's family-friendly, and that potentially could be served at your local gym, coffeehouse, or kid's school.
It's true, food costs money and quality food is sometimes out of our reach. But as fitness-minded people, I think we realize that eating cheap food today is going to cost us tomorrow. And many parents, while unable or unwilling to opt for cleaner, more wholesome food for themselves, will cut whatever corners they have to, to serve children the best food money can buy. It's part of putting your kids first.
MyOatmeal.com offers custom-made oatmeal, where the customer builds his/her blend, using whatever flavors, sweeteners, fruits, nuts, and even what type of oats they find suitable. They even make a gluten-free variety. No one is excluded.
But if that weren't enough, MyOatmeal.com also offers a variety of dehydrated peanut butter spreads with favors including: Banana Bread, German Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Frosting, and, yes, of course... regular peanut butter! What's so great about these spreads? Well, they manage to taste amazing, while having 85% less fat than store-bought spreads, with less sodium and totally gluten free. A product that's friendly for contest prep and for raising a family!
Who wouldn't want to be signed to such a company? Well, the answer is simple; everyone would love to sign on the dotted line. Problem is, what do you have to offer? If you're the guy winning shows that does no press or the guy winning shows and doing interviews but who’s too lazy to develop a fan base then I don't think MyOatmeal.com wants either one of you. They're looking for the total package, the physique, the following, the personality, and the drive. This is a company that has the luxury to be highly selective – I mean have you been online lately? They're everywhere!
Since that post on Facebook, MyOatmeal.com MyOatmeal.com’s Anthony Collova has made some impressive signings, including IFPA Pros Tyler Mayer and David LeMaster! Other notable additions to the roster include IFBB Pro Troy Tate, power lifter Mike Peltz, and Promera Rep Matt Eubanks.
Though he still wants Kai Greene, there's room on the roster for the right kind of athlete. But what’s that mean, Christian? Well, for starters, Anthony would consider inking an NPC star, provided they have at least 10,000 followers on Instagram. Figures vary when it comes to Facebook and Twitter and I'm sure he'd talk turkey if someone had a wildly successful YouTube channel.
Anthony talked to me about a recent visit from Matt Ogus and Chris Lavado. Once these guys put up a video on their account, MyOatmeal.com sold 4x more product than usual! That's the kind of people this company wants. Remember, MyOatmeal is a 100% online company, and they know exactly what they need.
"I'd take a lower level athlete with 500k social media fans before I took a top level one with no internet presence."
– Anthony Collova, CEO, MyOatmeal.com
I'm very excited to put out this article because I think it's going to do a lot of good. There are a lot of guys out there "doing the business of bodybuilding," staying lean, making gains, competing, religiously answering fan mail and constantly updating their social media accounts. There are people that I just hint at giving coverage to, and they're all over it – from start to execution. They want the coverage; they're always thinking several steps ahead. Those people are the ones I want to bring to MyOatmeal.com. Those are the people you should encourage or, at the very least, name as potential MyOatmeal.com athletes in this special thread created on RxMuscle.com to help complete the MyOatmeal.com roster.
JUST FOR POSTING – I'll pick 3 people who have posted to this thread (see details below) to win a free $12 bag of MyOatmeal product for recommending a competitor or industry personality as a potential sponsored athlete.
It doesn't really matter what you say, as long as you suggest someone in good faith and write a little snippet as to why you
chose this person. If you're not yet a member of RxMuscle.com Forums, you really should get onto it. Aside from being the #1 Source for Contest Coverage, it also publishes excellent articles on training and diet, as well as an impressive roster of radio and TV programs and, best of all, EVERYTHING IS FREE!
Tips for being selected for the prize! Visit the Rx Muscle Forums thread @ http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthread.php?123769-Calling-All-Champions-%96-Check-Out-MyOatmeal-com
1. Post the name of the person you'd like to see sponsored.
2. Include a photo/image in this thread of your recommended athlete.
3. Include a write-up as to why you chose this person and why you believe they'd make a great representative of MyOatmeal.com.
Check out MyOatmeal.com – Over 22 Billion combinations right at your fingertips. Who knows, you might be the face of the company!
