It Goes Down In the DM's

As I track my journey, I wanted to share with you all where I got my inspiration to start my business from. As informal and non-professional as it is going to sound, it was the acknowledgment I needed to pursue my career. Here it goes…

Direct messages a.k.a “DM’s.”

For those who are unfamiliar with what a direct message is, I will explain it to the best of my abilities. On social media platforms like Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram there are messaging tools that allows you to directly message a person in private. You can ask them where they got an outfit from, contact information and other various things without anyone else seeing it.

Unlike comments, direct messages cannot be accessed by anyone but the person you sent it too. You can also hide or delete conversations or block persons who sends you unwanted pictures or text. It’s basically texting for social media.

My DM’s are usually filled with frivolous things that never interested me. However, last year I started seeing a pattern in my DM’s; people asking me how to lose weight.

Who am I to be giving advice, I thought, and why are people trusting me? I knew I had some sort of fitness experience but I was in no position to try to educate others. As I moved into 2016, I was actively researching and reading about being healthy. I previously had an on and off again relationship with being fit but couldn’t seem to retain it for more than 6 months.

As I became more committed and active, I watched my body change with me. I would post a picture and get 10 DM’s asking me what my fitness regime was. I started keeping track of the DM’s and the comments I received pertaining to working out.

I didn’t put it together until September, but this was my customer feedback or as I called it “reverse customer feedback.” Customer feedback is essential to making a great product because it helps you understand what the people want and how to perfect your idea.

For me, people were telling me what they wanted from me and I was beginning to think of a way to give them what they want. I hadn’t previous ever thought about helping people get fit or personal training because I was amidst a struggle myself.

Some of the messages that I have received.

But the people were talking to me loud and clear. To everyone who has ever asked me in person, in a DM or a comment on my social media, you are the reason why my business will exist. I am doing this for you.

By September 2016, I accumulated 289 DM’s and comments about getting healthy and working out. Not a big number in retrospect, but it was enough for me to actually want to do something to help other people.

Unlike other entrepreneurs who want lifestyle business or big enterprises, I just wanted a business to help these people who were in the struggle I was once in. I am not really looking for major profits or to become rich. Even if only 3 people support my business, that is 3 more people that I have gotten help because of me.

My business success is only riding on the happiness and success of its customers. Success is not measured by monetary values but overall happiness (to me). I am not sure how I extracted my determination and drive to do this from 3 word comments and DM’s but it happened and it works.

To say my business started from DM’s is comical.

However, it’s my reality and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Song – Difference (Cudelsac)

“I don’t know what it means, I just know that it’s worth it. I know I’m not perfect but I am original.”

- Childish Gambino