Never in a million years did I ever envision myself participating in a fitness-focused photo shoot. Yet, when I was promoting Trust the Grind, my indifference toward the concept melted away. In reflection at 29 years old, I’m quite glad it did.
After covering all the bases in youth sports media as it pertained to marketing my project, I wanted to do something out of the box. As a young, hungry debut author who was eager to boost his book, I was willing to saunter down any avenue with a sturdy foundation. Of course, the sought-after street also needed to have a healthy set of pedestrians in the form of my story’s target audience. Once these two requirements were checked, it was game on.
Due to the nature of Trust the Grind—a self-improvement project involving individuals who excelled in physical activities—the decision to further publicize the product on a premier website in the health and fitness industry was a no-brainer. Sure, the bulk of Bodybuilding.com readers aren’t youth sports athletes, but whenever you get paid to post about your story, the fine details fall by the wayside.
How I got the opportunity was by way of Jeff O’Connell, who at the time was the Editor-in-Chief of the website. I was intrigued by Jeff’s past production in my desired realm, as he had co-authored a pair of fitness books with two iconic hip-hop artists: 50 Cent and LL Cool J. Being an avid fan of both rappers, I figured he would appreciate an ambitious up-and-comer who was trying to make a name for himself in the creative lane reaching out.
Following my proposal—a brief publication around how the advice presented in the story via the world-class athletes related to achieving one’s goals in the gym—I was given a few hundred bucks to bring it to life.
To enhance the blog’s creative value, I decided that, along with penning how the wise lessons from top-tier competitors like Chipper Jones, Mike Modano, Jason Kidd, and Terrell Owens would aid in one’s ability to stand out in the fitness game, I would also showcase how their teachings helped me in my own pursuit of being exceptional in the space. This meant snapping a few shots of myself—one of which was featured in the article and serves as the cover photo for this blog.
The snapshot included above was used for my profile on the website. If my memory serves correct, the lone time I wore that baby blue Nike hat was on the day of the shoot.
Overall, the piece turned out great. I was able to market my product to perfection while also time-stamping my 24-year-old figure.
After a major company facelift in 2025, the website has since removed the bulk of its back catalog and pulled all the inspiration-based matter. As a result, my story was scrapped, but I’ll always appreciate the team for giving me the chance to further inspire. It was a fantastic opportunity to dip my toes outside my comfort zone, and for that, I’m grateful!
