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  1. #1
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    Default Forbes Covers the John Meadows Story

    He Quit A Secure Banking Job -- And Created A High-Revenue Fitness Business

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepo...ness-business/

  2. #2
    Managing Dir., Rx Muscle Forums Curt James's Avatar
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    He Quit A Secure Banking Job -- And Created A High-Revenue Fitness Business

    By Elaine Pofeldt
    August 29, 2015

    It’s not easy to leave a thriving career to start a business—even one built around your passions—but John Meadows did just that. In 2012, the father of now six-year-old twin boys left his job as a senior project manager at Huntington Bank and dove into growing Mountain Dog Diet, an internet business in the Columbus, Ohio area that is built around his passions for competitive bodybuilding and fitness.

    “I’m conservative by nature,” says Meadows, 43. “It was hard for me to give up my salary and nice bonuses at the bank when I had a family relying on me. But with many clients seeking him out as a bodybuilding coach, he saw there was evidence his business would succeed and finally gave his 30 days’ notice. “I had done well in the corporate world,” he says. “I figured if it doesn’t work out I can always go back to it.”

    Today, Meadows is among the growing number of entrepreneurs approaching or hitting seven-figure revenues in what the U.S. Census bureau calls a “nonemployer” firm—one that doesn’t hire any W-2 employees. U.S. Census Bureau statistics released this year show there were 30,174 “nonemployer” firms that brought in $1 million to $2,499,999 in 2013–up from 26,744 in 2011.

    Meadows dived into full-time entrepreneurship because it began to feel inevitable. A competitive bodybuilder since age 13, he competed on the side throughout his banking career—which included a long stretch as a vice president at JP Morgan Chase—and coached other bodybuilders when he wasn’t at the office. After he and his wife became parents to their twins, he found his schedule jam-packed. Wishing he had more family time, he toyed with the idea of expanding his body building ventures, for which he’d formed a business entity in 2010. “It got to a point where I basically had no life left,” he recalls.

    Finally, he told himself, “I’ve got to make a decision: Do I want to give up my corporate job and try this out?”

    He took a leap of faith, and today Mountain Dog Diet sells products such as ebooks on training and diet, clothing and fitness equipment, training programs such as the $95, 12-week “Novice Workout Package” and Skype consultations for $200 an hour. He also coaches athletes, who pay him $3,000 to $5,000 for six months of coaching. In between all of this, he writes for fitness publications such as T-nation and Muscle & Fitness.

    “I’ve always had the mindset you want to have several different sources of revenue,” says Meadows. “If you lose one, you don’t want to say, `Oh my gosh!’’

    About a year ago, Meadows signed on with a supplement company to develop a protein bar called The Best Bar Ever that recently came to market. “Most bars are chewy,” he says. “These are moist. It’s literally oatmeal, almonds, nothing but real food.”

    Meadows didn’t put all of this in place overnight. He initially offered a low-priced $9 monthly subscription to his site where body builders and fitness enthusiasts could learn more about the sport. “When you signed up, it would give you a log in credential,” says Meadows. “You could see the diets I was using with some of the champions. I would literally outline exactly what I did with them.” Generally in his industry, he says, that type of information had been closely guarded, so the bodybuilding community was very responsive.

    There was also information on the science behind bodybuilding. When it comes to developing a training plan, says Meadows, “You have to be able to combine experience with a little bit of scientific knowledge. Just about any plan you do works for a while. Then you get stuck. Then what do you do? You need to have really good intuition, try to understand the body, not be constrained by what you’ve seen with other people, and be creative.”

    When it comes to marketing, Meadows has taken a matter-of-fact approach and studiously avoided claims that he can shrink three inches off customers’ waists. “I just say we’re going to work hard, make good choices–and if you do these things you’ll get better,” he says. “I’ve always tried to keep a real honest approach and not overpromise. If you take good care of people, they’ll stick with you.”

    One crucial element of his success, he says, has been relying on mentors such as Eric Serrano, a medical doctor who has treated him, and Dave Tate, owner and CEO of EliteFTS, where sells conditioning equipment and other products to those involved in strength training. ”With really good mentors, I have been able to minimize the mistakes I made in the business,” Meadows says.

    Although Meadows has no employees, his wife helps him run the business, and he has hired freelance writers to develop articles for the site. Not trying to do everything himself has given him some free time—enough to compete annually, as he did in Canada earlier this year. He finds that competing helps him stay in shape—and keep his business growing, too. “I like to walk the walk,’ he says. “It’s a good opportunity to learn more. It generates ideas and thoughts I can turn into something really good for clients.”

    Quote Originally Posted by Musclepapa John View Post
    He Quit A Secure Banking Job -- And Created A High-Revenue Fitness Business

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepo...ness-business/

  3. #3
    Managing Dir., Rx Muscle Forums Curt James's Avatar
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    Great story.

    Thanks for posting, John.

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    RisingMuscle.com
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    Why didn't he mention Aaron and Pj?

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    Administrator Mac's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anders JP Eskilsson View Post
    Why didn't he mention Aaron and Pj?
    The story wasn't about them perhaps?

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    OLYMPIAN davidcua's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac View Post
    The story wasn't about them perhaps?
    You must spread some Reputation … again.
    Last edited by davidcua; 08-30-2015 at 07:39 PM.
    David Cua also called Donald Pump known for "making bodybuilding great again" !

  7. #7
    RX MEMBER FitSprite's Avatar
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    Great article! Thanks for sharing!
    Watching a grown man be so completely thrilled, as John displayed on stage and interviews, is so nice to watch. Maybe it's the mom in me being happy for someone who has worked their butt off for years to achieve their dream that gets me ready-eyed for the guy!
    Mots also nice when someone is successful doing what they love!

  8. #8
    Physique Critique Judge Jude2's Avatar
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    I wonder who is making 7 figures?

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    Managing Dir., Rx Muscle Forums Curt James's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mac View Post
    The story wasn't about them perhaps?
    You're right, Buuuuuut the article does include that "he writes for fitness publications such as T-nation and Muscle & Fitness."

    The author could have included the names of other companies he's associated with. Maybe the author didn't ask or simply didn't have a good quote?

  10. #10
    Managing Dir., Rx Muscle Forums Curt James's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jude2 View Post
    I wonder who is making 7 figures?
    This.

    This is also pretty interesting...

    U.S. Census Bureau statistics released this year show there were 30,174 “nonemployer” firms that brought in $1 million to $2,499,999 in 2013–up from 26,744 in 2011.

  11. #11
    RX MEMBER bigmikecox's Avatar
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    Good shit

  12. #12
    OLYMPIAN davidcua's Avatar
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    Very impressive !
    David Cua also called Donald Pump known for "making bodybuilding great again" !

  13. #13
    MyOatmeal.com Rep Mr.Dedication's Avatar
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    It's about time. I think john deserves a lot of respect. It's not easy leaving a VP position at JP morgan and starting your own business. That is a super scary thing. That's a lot of money to give up and follow your heart.

    But i've always wondered how much he pulls in. Especially from his site alone.

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