by Christian Duque
Sometimes the stroke of a pen can mean the difference between simply getting by and changing your career. The sport of bodybuilding is one that has a lot to do with being at the right place at the right time and knowing when to strike the metal while it’s hot. Some athletes have managers, but the vast majority have to fend for themselves. They have to be their own financial planner, their own financial advisor, and sometimes even their own coach. This is not a sport for folks that like to procrastinate.
You have to be able to make decisions in a timely manner. Although more and more people are coming to the table, the pie does not get any bigger. This is perhaps one of the most competitive sports imaginable. Everybody wants to eat, but there just isn’t enough pie to go around. This is why finding a good sponsor and staying with that sponsor is absolutely critical to having success in the industry.
So many guys make the blunder of sponsor-hopping when the real recipe for success is paying your dues, going above and beyond, and being patient. Companies reward loyalty and hard work – not whining and ultimatums. And not all companies are created equal. The smart athlete looks beyond the paycheck and tries to get the most out of a deal. Likewise, so does a smart company owner. After all – this is all – just business!! When you strip it down, that’s what it’s all about.
With that said, I cannot express how happy I am that Martin Fitzwater, my favorite bodybuilder, has linked up with one of the fastest growing supplement company in the fitness industry. Hosstile Supps can put Martin on the map.
And yes, it’s true, Martin has put himself on the map through his hard work, through his achievements on stage, and through growing his social media. No one is denying that. He has done the legwork and truly built something special with his social media. That being said an athlete can only go so far on their own. This is an industry that requires the kind of push that a big sponsor like Hosstile can provide. That type of push cannot be built organically, even a guy like Sam Sulek – the most popular bodybuilding YouTuber in the world needed to link up with a big sponsor. Because he couldn’t get that extra bit that makes all the difference in the world. It’s so much more than a paycheck.
If it’s a question just about money, money can be made. You just get more followers and you get more reach. The more reach you have the more money you make. But if you want to take that next step and really catapult yourself to getting more media opportunities, you may not be able to do that just with buzz only. That’s where having a big-name sponsor comes into play. That’s the difference that really opens the doors that you need opened for you. Call it credibility or call it simply being connected. Whatever you call it, though, it is an indispensable part of taking that next step in terms of your career. It’s the kind of legitimacy that any serious fitness celebrity wants to have – needs to have in fact. And if you don’t have it, you will forever be relegated to a lower standing. As a competitor, it has almost undeniable benefits, and we’ll talk more about those benefits in the following paragraphs.
Let’s look at this year’s Olympia, for example. Martin is a competitor that nearly won the New York Pro. I called him the uncrowned champion because in my opinion, he wiped the floor with Nick Walker. That’s not just my opinion, it’s an opinion shared by some of the most respected talking heads and pundits in the sport. Guys like Bob Cicherillo and “Sugar” Shawn Ray also agreed. They couldn’t believe that Martin didn’t walk away with the win for the third most important bodybuilding show. Martin also won the Detroit Pro, but is still is not considered a top contender for the Olympia title. You don’t see him on any Olympia promo materials or talked about at length on Olympia productions. Even though he’s doing the show it’s almost as if he wasn’t. He is largely ignored. And that’s mind boggling considering the fact he’s got a huge social media following and is an accomplished competitor on stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz9e-Gy0vjI
That’s precisely what I’m talking about when it comes to having buzz and a huge following and maybe even having racked up top honors, but still not being considered a top contender for either the Olympia, Arnold, or New York titles. That is something that is the product of flying solo in an industry where whose got your back counts for a great deal.
Now that Martin is flying the HS flag and will hopefully become q fixture on Bro Chat, Bodybuilding and Bollocks, and be featured on prominent ad campaigns, that has the potential to be a real game changer. He needs to take advantage of every opportunity that he’s presented with and promote, promote, promote!! And that’s something The Martian is really good at. He works hard and he doesn’t complain. He’s been written off by the media and underestimated by competitors that live to regret it. He’s not just a good talker, he knows what it takes to be the best. This is very important considering the fact that once you are overlooked, it builds a tremendous amount of discipline in an athlete.
Some guys get the keys to the kingdom, other guys have to earn that recognition. If it was up to me, I would prefer working with an athlete that had to pay their dues as opposed to one that had everything handed to them. Overcoming trials and tribulations earns a level of legitimacy that an overnight success just doesn’t have. But then again, I have always gravitated more towards blue-collar bodybuilders who cut their teeth and overcame tough placings to make it to the winner’s circle than those that are essentially spoiled brats.
Martin has the physique, the work ethic, and has given his all. If Fouad and Hosstile show him love, then I think it will be a perfect partnership. And what I mean by that is that they will celebrate his accomplishments. Some supplement companies are just not tuned into what’s going on in this sport. How can you have an athlete that is receiving top honors and winning contests and not give them a pat on the back or some sort of recognition? You just can’t do that in the sport of bodybuilding. I think that athletes that are killing it deserve the recognition from their sponsors and I know that Hosstile is a company that understands the importance of that pat on the back because its founder is a bodybuilder who gets it.
I mean, think about a local gym and a local amateur athlete. When that athlete returns with the win, the gym puts their trophy on the front desk for everyone to see. It may seem like a small thing to you, but to that athlete it means everything. Every single person that checks in at that gym sees that trophy and takes pride in knowing that that champion works out in that facility. It’s a pretty big deal.
And that’s how it should be with a good sponsor. That’s love. A company that really cares about an athlete that gives it his or her all. It’s not just a paycheck. For the relationship to go the distance, it has to be more than a financial relationship.
I really want to see The Martian hit a home run with this deal. If the money’s right and the deal is a fair one – look out!! The sky’s the limit for Martin, Hosstile, and all parties involved!