For the last 12 years I have been learning how to become an internet entrepreneur. More specifically, a fitness entrepreneur.
It all started when I was training for my first weight lifting competition. I was 16 years old and a sophomore in high school.

The Influence of Fitness

Growing up I played every sport I could. I always wanted to be the best at sports and make it to the professional leagues.
I soon learned that dividing my time between three or four different sports is not the way to become the best at any of them.
My freshman to sophomore year I was bullied for being over weight and an outcast. This lowered my confidence and sparked a fire in my soul. I had to find a way to be the best at something so I could feel good about myself. I thought if I was bigger and stronger they would leave me alone and I could live in peace.
My dad had been weight lifting the last 20 years and was pretty big at the time. I started asking questions. He showed me a routine that increases strength at a fast pace. So I began working out.
After a few months I noticeably increased my strength. However, my body hadn’t gone through any major transformation.
So, back in 2001, I went on the internet to find answers to my fitness questions. I was amazed at the resources and information available. I found recipes, nutrition facts, workout routines, instructions on what I should eat for specific fitness goals, and an entire community of health and fitness experts.
The combination of exercises I learned from my dad along with the food and nutrition tips I learned from fitness experts on the internet exploded my growth in strength and muscle mass.
When the weight lifting competition came at the end of my Junior year I came in first place in two categories and second place overall. The following year I broke every record my school had and came in first place in all four categories.
Thinking back to the fitness experts I learned from online, these fitness experts had not yet become fitness entrepreneurs. They weren’t really making money from their ventures. There weren’t enough people using the internet.

Fitness experts 15 years ago

In 2001 the internet was nothing like it is today. People didn’t trust the internet. Internet connections weren’t reliable and it wasn’t embedded in our everyday lives as it is today. It was still being thought of as something that would come and go.
There are still so many spammy fitness pages that claim to have all the answers to your food and fitness questions. 10 years ago there was a good chance they only had you on their site that one time. They had to get the sale from you at that moment or they may never see you again.
The ‘Average Joe’ couldn’t sell ebooks, build membership websites that people paid monthly fees to access, or offer phone applications to maintain deeper engagement with clients.

Fitting into the future

Now here we are 12 years later. The health and fitness industry is one of the most searched on the web. I see passionate food and fitness experts like you build an incredible community around yourself. You may have hundreds to thousands of followers and each person wants to be connected because you inspire them on a daily basis.
You spend a lot of time building a community around your passion. Your followers look up to you. You inspire them.
Are you earning a living from your passion for health and fitness?