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#startup101blogseries Episode 6

Hello Shapers!

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods or your city streets, where ever you may be. This is your main man Dee Best here to continue along this journey of creating a viable business.

My latest assignment from Jeff Henderson founder of www.AndThem.com creative agency was to now take my image with my logo along with the one sentence I had to create that explains who we are and allow 10 ppl to view it. The test is to see what they think it is saying to them or is it landing.

The most import lesson here is when you are creating your brand you want it to speak volumes without you having to always explain what your company is about.

I know when people would look at my logo initially they would instantly think Out Of Shape Fitness was about physically getting in shape. Then I would use this opportunity to blow their minds with the fact that their entire life was out of shape and posse the question how could they work out of the shape they were in and into a better life shape. Honestly, that’s doing way too much. It sounds good but we need elevator pitch time. 30 seconds.

So, I have worked on one complete sentence that says it all. Combining the sentence with my bold print logo should spark my potential new Shapers to want to explore the OOSF lifestyle. That sounds too easy, right? The truth is this is only the beginning.

Check with me on the next episode as I roll out how the new homework assignment worked on 10 strangers that I want to introduce to the brand.

Until the next time.

Keep Shaping!

Checkout previous episodes on OOSF.tumblr and on www.outofshapefitness.com

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Yooooooooo! This is your main man Dee Best and check me out on Monday with Episode 6 of my blog series. Thanks for the love. OOSF.tumblr.com #workhard #believe #lifechanging #smallbusiness

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#Truth #bebold #changinglives #believe #staytrue

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#startup101blogseries Episode 5

Good morning Shapers!

Last week was tough for your main man. But, as one of my business coaches told me (Shelby Parchman), you will always have life cards that you will be dealt. It is how you play your next hand in order to continue to press forward. Last week I had to really face some facts about what it is I am trying to accomplish. One is that I have to simplify my message to my target audience. What I am trying to translate has to land as Jeff stated in his notes from last week. I need to learn restraint and focus on simplicity. I have to admit, this is hard as hell for me to do!

Jeff wanted me to come up with one sentence that describes my company. As I told Jeff, I have so much going on that I feel consumed at times because I want to accomplish so much for my family and time is definitely not my friend. Jeff helped me to take a step back and realize the importance of crawling before you walk. Most of the time I am on a full-blown sprint!  Usain Bolt up in here! Let me stop, a comedian I am not, but you get the picture.

My elevator pitch for my company in one sentence is now; “Out Of Shape Fitness is a motivational fitness company that inspires its’ customers to work out of the shape their lives are in and into the best shape that elevates them.”  

We started this company using apparel as the catalyst to promote our new lifestyle. So we came up with an exclusive bold print of the company’s name and decided to place it on tee shirts. Once people saw this they instantly thought we were referring to physical fitness. BUT BEING OUT OF SHAPE IS SO MUCH MORE!

We came up with 2 more logos that would give a more premium feel. But to Jeff’s point, none of this matters if you can’t get your initial concept to land with the consumer. 

On Wednesday we will learn what are some of the next steps for my startup to become a functioning company. Until the next time, keep shaping!

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Miss these days sometimes. Have to find my way back. #setlife #filming #movies #director #script #writing

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#startup101 blog series Episode 4

Good morning Shapers!

Today is the day to put in some work! If you have been following closely, you know we are going to get into what Jeff thought initially and what are some of the first steps he wanted me to take on improving my brand/product. 

After a quick review, here are some of Jeff’s thoughts.

Jeff says, “ As a young brand you need to seal impressions with consumers.” I was using multiple graphics on multiple pieces with multiple colors. Jeff wanted me to take notice of what major brands do to make themselves stay relevant. Think of Coca-Cola, Nike, Panera bread or Kroger.  He stated not only do you see their logo but a color and sometimes a smell. This is not an accident, it’s restraint. Jeff said that this is dedication and belief.

Jeff then proceeded to give me a link to an article on Google (https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1384074) and why their homepage looks so plain. My take away from this article was that people are willing to follow your brand but you have to give them a clear path on how and why they should support and use your products. Without giving away the full article, just by making a simple addition they now garner over a billion unique visits a month.

For my first assignment, Jeff wants to see me create a sentence that defines my marketplace. What Jeff is looking for is my company’s mission statement. Also, he want’s me to narrow down my focus to three principle interest that I want the public to have access to. This is not a daunting task but one you should take very seriously if you want to be more than just a blip on the radar.

My company was born out of failures. Every aspect of my life from a spiritual, emotional, physical and a financial outlook was damaged. When I decided to create my company, athleisure apparel was the first thing that came to mind to display a message of strength, hope, and inspiration. So I looked to my favorite brands for motivation to help me mold my own authentic look and narrative.

My first order of business was to lay out my color palette for my company. Colors have distinct meanings and they can tell the story of your brand. Below you will see the color palette for Out Of Shape Fitness.

Black: Power

Silver: Wealth

Gray: Solid and stable

White: Successful Beginnings

My company uses it’s branded logos to solely represent a lifestyle of being out of shape. My logos look strong when lined up next to iconic logos. Even if I say so myself.

Our mission statement: “OOSF wants to spread a global message with our products that being out of shape is more than just three words.We are committed to everyday people who are striving to work out of the shape their lives are in and into the best shape that elevates them.”

As Jeff stated earlier, you have to be dedicated and believe. I definitely believe in my brand. Check back Friday as I get into what three areas of my business I want the public to have access to and how I start to create my company’s layout. Until then, keep shaping!

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#startup101 blog series Episode 4

Good morning Shapers!

Today is the day to put in some work! If you have been following closely, you know we are going to get into what Jeff thought initially and what are some of the first steps he wanted me to take on improving my brand/product. 

After a quick review, here are some of Jeff’s thoughts.

Jeff says, “ As a young brand you need to seal impressions with consumers.” I was using multiple graphics on multiple pieces with multiple colors. Jeff wanted me to take notice of what major brands do to make themselves stay relevant. Think of Coca-Cola, Nike, Panera bread or Kroger.  He stated not only do you see their logo but a color and sometimes a smell. This is not an accident, it’s restraint. Jeff said that this is dedication and belief.

Jeff then proceeded to give me a link to an article on Google (https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1384074) and why their homepage looks so plain. My take away from this article was that people are willing to follow your brand but you have to give them a clear path on how and why they should support and use your products. Without giving away the full article, just by making a simple addition they now garner over a billion unique visits a month.

For my first assignment, Jeff wants to see me create a sentence that defines my marketplace. What Jeff is looking for is my company’s mission statement. Also, he want’s me to narrow down my focus to three principle interest that I want the public to have access to. This is not a daunting task but one you should take very seriously if you want to be more than just a blip on the radar.

My company was born out of failures. Every aspect of my life from a spiritual, emotional, physical and a financial outlook was damaged. When I decided to create my company, athleisure apparel was the first thing that came to mind to display a message of strength, hope, and inspiration. So I looked to my favorite brands for motivation to help me mold my own authentic look and narrative.

My first order of business was to lay out my color palette for my company. Colors have distinct meanings and they can tell the story of your brand. Below you will see the color palette for Out Of Shape Fitness.

Black: Power

Silver: Wealth

Gray: Solid and stable

White: Successful Beginnings

My company uses it’s branded logos to solely represent a lifestyle of being out of shape. My logos look strong when lined up next to iconic logos. Even if I say so myself.

Our mission statement: “OOSF wants to spread a global message with our products that being out of shape is more than just three words.We are committed to everyday people who are striving to work out of the shape their lives are in and into the best shape that elevates them.”

As Jeff stated earlier, you have to be dedicated and believe. I definitely believe in my brand. Check back Friday as I get into what three areas of my business I want the public to have access to and how I start to create my company’s layout. Until then, keep shaping!

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#Startup101 Blog Series Episode 3

Good morning Shapers,

I hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to get back in the game! We left off last week with my initial contact email with Mr. Jeff Henderson, founder of &them creative agency.  I sought Mr. Henderson’s guidance since he is an expert in his field, that being, the world of design, marketing, and fashion. I knew in order for me to get my company on the right playing field, I had to learn from someone who is at the forefront of that landscape.

So here is the continuation of our email conversation last week;

Deebest1 <dbibeleve@gmail.com> Jul 17 (5 days ago) to Jeff, bcc: me Jeff, I want to say first and foremost thank you for taking the time to respond to my message. It’s refreshing to know that there are still people out here that remain humble and are willing still to do the little things. I appreciate that. Well, to answer your question, I know I’m not in the position to truly afford your companies services,  but I am at a point where I have created a small following and I know for me to get my brand where I feel it can grow, I have to get out of the backyard! I’m not a spring chicken anymore and my opportunities are now far and few in between. I know I am still a work in progress but I’m primed for a win. I need guidance on how to step beyond friends and family where my company can make an impact. I have a vision of this apparel company that is beyond your typical sports athlete or the hottest entertainer being an influencer for a product. My brand is for the regular Joe and Josephine. Everyday people who are fighting to reshape their lives. Mentorship from the right person could help me get that victory. Also forming the right partnerships that can honestly see my vision. I know I definitely don’t know everything but what I do have is a great story. I even wrote a book entitled I Am Out Of Shape, The journey from being down and out to shaping up. It’s on Amazon now. I have lost so much over the past 10 years from my mother, my sister, to almost losing my wife to cancer. Even after graduating from Full Sail University with my Bachelors in Digital Cinematography I still couldn’t catch the break I needed to continue forward. Not until I wanted everything to end for myself that’s when I was blessed with a new narrative hence Out Of Shape Fitness. Jeff, I need a coach plain and simple. I know I can make this company work, but I need true expertise to learn from. I just started two jobs to help fund the marketing and advertising for the company and also keep the wife and kids happy. Eventually, I would want to manufacture so I can get away from the mockups and third-party vendors. I do apologize for the long winded message. I am just so passionate about my brand. Let me know what I have to do and I will get it done. I appreciate your time once again. Thank you. Regards, Dwayne Bester

Jeff Henderson Jul 17 (5 days ago) to me I feel you. I’ll hit you with info once a week and continue as long as you have time to execute. Give me a week to process your work and get back to you. In the meantime, build a blog - I use Tumblr - to record thoughts like your email below in a diary. You like to write and write well. That’s a skill. Don’t waste it on me because your kids will want to read this as they grow and mature and when you’re successful so will Oprah and Ava. In fact, let’s make this conversation available for everyone to grow from. Start a Tumblr and we will go back and forth there. If there’s something proprietary we can keep it confidential in an email. But coaching will be public for anyone to see. We can point others with similar questions to our dialogue and they can grow with us. How does that sound? Good things

Deebest1 <dbibeleve@gmail.com> Jul 17 (5 days ago) to Jeff, bcc: me Jeff, That’s love! I am with that and I have a Tumblr account already at OOSF.tumblr.com. The transparency you speak of is what I cherish on every platform that I use. So lead the way and I will be ready to execute. I do have a blog on my website as well and I just uploaded a recent one called Monday Morning Shape up. I am willing to do whatever it takes to create a global message of inspiration using apparel as the catalyst. Thank you for this opportunity. I will wait for your instructions on what you need me to release first and how you want it formatted. Keep Shaping,

There are a few takeaways from our email conversation. 1) Always seek a mentor who has more experience in the field you want to go into. 2) Don’t be afraid to make contact with someone that you may feel is out of your league. You may miss out on an extraordinary opportunity. 3) Be humble! I can’t stress this one enough. Some of us allow our pride and or egos to get in the way of our blessings. 4) Be hungry! No one wants to just give you something if you aren’t willing to put in the effort. Too many green wannapreneurs are always looking for handouts and not willing to work for what they say they want. Lastly, be teachable. No one wants to share their valuable information and knowledge with someone who isn’t willing to learn, then execute.

Now it’s time to go to work! On Wednesday I will share Jeff’s thoughts on some of my social media presence and his homework assignment he has laid out for me to work on. Until then, keep shaping.

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I often read articles like this because many of the problems that happen in the world occur because everybody isn’t considered. To be considered doesn’t mean you need to be catered to. For choices to be made to improve the experience for everyone involved, you need to understand their experiences on some level.

Not every decision leads to a win/win solution but perfection is not the goal. Progress is. One article could lead to a lifelong passion to provide solutions for those in need. Or it could lead to making a few well-informed decisions that positively impact the lives of people that often feel neglected.

The words diversity and inclusion are becoming wallpaper that get ignored. But decision makers and problem solvers need to understand that the literal words are to be utilized in everyday conversations.

That would be great for everybody.

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Good morning! Have a great weekend Shapers! #weekend #fun #live #enjoylife #friends #winning #fitness #iamoutofshape #shape

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Yoooooo this is your main man Dee Best and you know life is good when your Mother n law rocks your brand! #family #love #winning #followme #newbrand #picoftheday #trust

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Startup 101 #2

Greetings Shapers!

This is how I greet new members when they buy apparel from my company and become apart of our community. When you join Out Of Shape Fitness you then become a Shaper! Now let’s jump back into the conversation from episode 1 as a new business owner and you are seeking guidance to help you move to the next level.

I want to share with you the email conversation that I had with Jeff Henderson founder of &Them. This is my first step in trying to gain valuable knowledge that will allow me to grow as a leader and move this company to a recognized brand.

Deebest1 <dbibeleve@gmail.com>

Jul 17 (2 days ago)

to us, bcc: me

Good evening Us,

My name is Dwayne Bester and I am the founder and CEO of a startup apparel company called Out Of Shape Fitness. I found out about your company while reading an article on LinkedIn.(bizjournal.com)

First, I was captivated by the name of your company. I was like wow! Here is a guy who thinks as I do, adding just the shock value of a name which in our culture we use affectionately to group people together. Brilliant! I was like that in naming OOSF.

When I looked at being out of shape, it really was more than just three words that have always been used to view ourselves negatively. The fact is, being out of shape is a lifestyle. We can be out of shape spiritually, emotionally, physically, of course, and financially. But, we can work out of that shape and into the best shape that fits our lives.

So let me get to why I’m emailing you at this hour from Chicago. I really would love if you took a moment of your time and viewed my site. In my heart, I feel that my brand can be the next wave of social consciousness using Apparel as the sounding board. I have done 95% of the work myself without a major budget in place or with a solid team. I have one guy who has done a lot of marketing campaigns and strategy for Nike and many other major companies and along with my loving wife who allows me to still dream.  The next level I want to reach with this company I know I need more.

Hopefully, this email can be opened and viewed with an open mind and allow the true story of this brand to resonate in your soul. I do hope to speak with someone soon. Thank you for the time.

Regards,

Dwayne Bester

Jeff Henderson <jeff@andthem.com>

Jul 17 (2 days ago)

to me

D’Wayne,

Appreciate you taking the time to reach out. We know that starting a business from the ground up is a daunting task. You’ve put a lot work into building a platform to tell your story. Congrats on that alone.

I’m not exactly sure how our team could support your venture or if you’ve decided on what your next steps might be. Checking out your site, it looks like you’ve got a lot going on. While our team isn’t equipped to tackle startups that aren’t funded, we do want to help entrepreneurs like yourself put your best foot forward. Again, we know it’s not easy, so we’re happy to offer the same critique we deliver to larger businesses. We may not be able to offer direct solutions/services, but we can give you critical feedback/steps that you should be able to put into action yourself.

Just remember, our feedback is no different than what you’d hear from a trainer - brutally honest. However, our views are simply our opinions. Our years of experience don’t always mean we’re right. We just bet that we are.

We like the energy you are building with. Very positive. So let us know what you’d like to do and we will see how we can help.

Good things.

The above is a great start! The lesson from this is not to be afraid to ask. Period! A lot of us are too afraid to ask or think we know everything it is to know about running a business. Find a mentor in the field you are attempting to get in and be teachable. Catch you Monday! Until then, keep shaping!

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Yooooooooo! Another *Exclusive*Bold Shaper is in the building! Thank you for becoming part of our family. #iaintscared #lifestyle #outofshape #winning #fitness #shapeup #followme #follow4follow #picoftheday

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Yoooooooo it’s your main man Dee Best and today begins a series on transparency. As a startup company, most entrepreneurs, in the beginning, are all over the place not really knowing where to start. All we know is that we have an idea and we want to share it with the world. Some of us do crack the champagne bottle on our small boat of dreams and set sail. But, the majority of us never leave the dock. 

I use to love when we had Show and Tell at school when I was a kid. Because it was set up for everyone to learn something interesting about their classmate. I think as adults we lose that sharing feeling. Most of us have been burned badly along the way and decided we would just go it alone. I am here to tell you when starting a business that gets old very quickly.

So, today I want to do something different. I want to show you my steps as I strive to take my company from startup status to a major player. I am not guaranteeing a win but I am going to show you the work. If done consistently, I should get a win. Let me start with who I am and my business model.

I am Dwayne Bester aka Dee Best. I am the Founder and CEO of a motivational fitness apparel company called Out Of Shape Fitness (OOSF). I am from Chicago and I started my company in the fall of 2016. I wrote a book entitled I Am Out Of Shape, The journey from being down and out to shaping up. I released this book in March 2018. It is the roadmap of how I began OOSF.

As time has gone on I am at a point to where I have done all I can as far as prepping my company for a true launch. My website is up and running, I am on social media, I am shaking hands and kissing babies all over the place! But alas I am still stuck in the backyard amongst my friends and family. 

I have a partner by the name of Jamiel who has helped me really formulate the narrative of the brand. In my heart, I know the true missing ingredient is working capital. Look, this is not Chinese checkers, cash moves everything! Channeling my Wu-Tang right there! But, I always feel you can make a way out of no way cash or not. 

On Tuesday, July 17th, 2018 I was reading some feed news on Linkedin. One of my favorite people to follow is a gentleman named D’wayne Edwards founder of Pensole Acadamy. He had liked an article featuring a brother named Jeff Henderson an engineer who dived into shoe design. He started a creative agency called www.AndThem.com and his story resonated with me. So I decided to jump off the cliff and reach out to him for mentorship and guidance.

I will post the emails in the next episode. Until then, Keep Shaping!

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Sometimes it is need to take several steps back to get one meaningful step forward. Being humble through the midst of your trails can help you accomplish anything you set your mind to do! #KeepShaping #winning #followers #leadership #faith #believe #forward

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Launch in 5 days! Out Of Shape Fitness Athleisure Apparel! Being out Of Shape is a lifestyle! You will soon see why. #truth #apparel #shapeup #fitness #fitnessmotivation #picoftheday #winning #brand #bemore #hero

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Yoooooooo it’s your main man Dee Best , Out Of Shape Fitness and we are stoked the the relaunch is coming soon! Check us out at outofshapefitness.com #life #picoftheday #apparel #fitness #follow4follow #followback #followme #winning #iamoutofshape #hero