Welcome to another installment of the Student Spotlight.
Each installment highlights the cool things a current or past Stukent student is doing. Use these stories as motivation for reaching your entrepreneurial and marketing goals.
Meet Ben Champion
Champion studied business marketing and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado — Denver. He started his own personal training business, benjaminFour Personal Training LLC, specializing in helping national tour performers stay in shape while they travel. The business became well-known in Denver via social media and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Champion has worked with the School of Rock National Tour Cast, along with actors in “Aladdin” and “Hamilton.” He hopes to establish himself as a well-known trainer and health expert in the musical theater community.
He truly believes that life’s challenges are easier to overcome with the help of an active lifestyle. His ultimate goal is to help empower people via health and wellness.
Champion shared insights on becoming a business owner. You can read his interview below:
Tell Us About Yourself
Q: Why did you want to study marketing?
A: I have always had an interest in marketing. Understanding how companies position products to attract people is so intriguing. The right marketing approach can be so powerful!
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: Obviously, I love to work out! Any type of physical activity or time outside is where I find the most joy. I also love film and photography.
Tell Us About Your Cool Venture
Q: When did you start?
A: I started benjaminFour Personal Training LLC in 2017 after I decided to leave the corporate fitness world. I felt the desire to start my own business where I was able to create programs specifically for each client and develop a niche for myself.
Q: Why did you start?
A: Fitness and nutrition have been such an important part of my life. After my first year at college, I came back home needing to change my life. At that point, I was going through a really tough season. I started to work out and eat healthy in pursuit [of] a complete transformation. People come to me from all walks of life, going through different challenges. benjaminFour allows me to help them feel more confident, healthy, and happy through the power of fitness and nutrition, just like it did in my life.
Q: What is unique about what you do?
A: I have the chance to push people in areas that they have neglected or struggled to push themselves in. It’s very important to push yourself to see improvement, and I have the opportunity to be that trusted motivator.
Q: What has been the hardest part of running your business?
A: Starting my own business has been really humbling. The company has done well, but not without its fair share of challenges and obstacles. [Because] I started the business while still finishing school, balancing the two was really hard. There were times where I wanted to quit either school or the business to reduce the pressure that came with both. In hindsight, I’m so glad I stuck with both.
Q: How are you marketing your business?
A: I use my business Instagram account as the main source of promotion. Through content creation, I try to attract clients who are interested in personal training and seeing transformation in their own lives. Through word-of-mouth and industry connections, I have been able to find my niche in the musical theatre community, working with national tour actors.
Q: What advice would you give to a college student looking to start down a path similar to yours?
A: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t … you are right.” – Henry Ford
As students, we tend to underestimate our potential to create and produce. SO often we limit our own potential and neglect to pursue our dreams and ambitions. I was scared to leave my steady, corporate job to start benjaminFour PT, but I pushed past the fear and unknown. Fear is a liar. If you believe that you can do something, then you can. We live in a time where the pressure to have it all figured out is expected. Don’t worry about what others think or the lies you are telling yourself. Push past the resistance, and start something you have been dreaming about.
Q: Do you have a favorite book, website, or online tool / service that you’d recommend for Stukent nation?
A: My favorite book is “Own the Moment” by Carl Lentz. His book talks about making the most of small moments to build something great.
As for tools, I believe every student should attempt to learn Adobe products such as Photoshop and Premiere. Our world is becoming so digital, and those tools help create the content that companies are looking for.
Q: What Stukent product did you use, and how did your experience using it help you with this venture?
A: I used the online version of the Stukent “Social Media Marketing” textbook. The online format helped [me] engage with the class assignments more effectively.
Q: Is there anything else we should know about your venture?
A: Sometimes it seems like success is such an unachievable position. The key to becoming successful is defining what success looks like for you. And, it’s not a dollar amount! In my life, my perspective on success has shifted multiple times. There was a point where being successful was simply getting through each day. Depending on the season of life you are going through, you have to define success for yourself. Don’t let the world define it for you.
Champion has since transformed benjaminFour Personal Training into Finding Better, an app dedicated to helping people improve their physical and mental health. Learn more about Champion’s latest venture on Instagram and Facebook.
