Hey everyone! Hope your week has been well so far. As you may or may not know, I’ve been competing in NPC bikini for a couple years now. There have been ups & downs as with any sport and new challenges to face. Obtaining a sponsorship in an sport can be quite challenging, and very rewarding. For the past 2 years, I’ve wanted, hoped, and finally TRIED to go after this goal.

If you’re unfamiliar with sponsorships, these are agreements made between athletes/persons and companies such as supplement, clothing, tanning, or any other company or brand that sells a product or service in your industry (ie. fitness industry). There is usually a contract involved in which the athlete agrees to certain terms, such as promoting the product, providing reviews, handing out samples, basically being a billboard for the said product.

On the other hand, the company provides the athletes with the “tools” (supplements, clothing, samples, exposure, etc.) in exchange. While you may not actually be receiving money per se, you are gaining much more. It is the mutual relationship and exchange of support between athlete and company that provides such a positive benefit.

I am very blessed and humbled to have been given the opportunity by my sponsor’s at Athletic Xtreme. They are a supplement company that provide a wide array of pre-workout, during, and post workout products. Whether its strength gains you’re after, an extra boost of energy, or a fat-loss plateau buster, they’ve got the product for you. NOT ONLY do they have supplements, but also a community forum that you can join, where you can post questions, share and gain knowledge from other athletes from different backrounds. As if that wasn’t enough, they even have a personal training app that you can get with a purchase…COOL right? I thought so. Anyhow, check them out on Facebook and let me know products you’d like to learn more about.

In the mean time, some tips for you if you are seeking sponsorship:

• Partner with a company you truly BELIEVE in. Be real, and be honest. How can you represent a brand or product you know nothing about or don’t even use? This is KEY.
• Be ORIGINAL. Don’t give a cookie cutter essay as to why you’re the best candidate for sponsorship. Bring something to the table that no one else is doing. Be creative! Don’t be afraid of no. And YES, I got a few NO’s before I found the company that was right for me and vice versa.
• Be willing to put in some work. That is, seeking out the company you’d like to represent, showing them why YOU are the one for them, and then you’ll be doing plenty of work after ofcourse to maintain and cultivate that sponsorship.

Those are three things you can keep in your pocket as a reference….it’s still new to me too, and I’m still learning as well! I hope this helps someone out there