Cory Outten - Founder of OFN

For this interview, we at Gen-Achievers wanted to learn more about the opportunities one can pursue as an entrepreneur in the health & fitness industries. After further consideration, we reached out to founder of OuttenFit Nutrition (OFN), Cory Outten, to learn more about the determination, skills, and perspectives it takes for someone to grow a successful brand.

OuttenFit Nutrition has brought to market the pinnacle of premium supplements made of only the highest quality ingredients and synergistic formulas to ensure maximum potency and effective dosages at safe levels. It was in college where Cory found his passion for dietary nutrition and supplementation. Before being a business owner, Cory was an athlete, a Certified Personal Trainer, and a Strength & Conditioning Coach for many years while gaining experience about the ins-and-outs of the fitness field and dietary nutrition. The experience behind his products are made out of many years of research, testing, and precise detail.

We'd like to thank Cory for his time in providing in-depth feedback to our interview questions as well as congratulate his commitment in not only becoming a staple business in the supplement industry, but also creating a positive impact in our community. We hope that he continues to support others' through his expertise in health & fitness.

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Give us what a typical day looks like in the shoes of Cory Outten.

A typical day for me is currently working a job as a personal trainer well as running A typical day for me is currently working a job as a personal trainer well as running my own business, OFN. Mostly, it's me waking up earlier than usual to answer emails, respond to direct messages (DM’s) from customers who have questions on our social media accounts, updating OFN's website, and other general assignments. After this, I'm usually heading over to my first morning clients that I personally train, which I’ll have all of this completed at around 8:30 am. I then take a quick shower before getting ready to head into work at 9:00 am; I have a number of clients I train each day until about 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm.

Once I finish up with my morning clients, I will get in my daily workout which typically lasts a little over an hour. Next, I head home to eat, shower (again), and put together orders for my customers. I also answer additional emails that came through while I was out as well as do some outreach to prospective stores. Whether this outreach is a phone call or email, I try to contact at least ten new stores/gyms in that time - this normally occurs until 3:30 pm. The proceeding step at this point in my day is to head over to the post office to ship out the orders that I packaged earlier, followed by training my afternoon clients from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

When I'm finally able to head home, I don't usually have time to sit around. I eat dinner right away, and then get straight to the bulk of my work - this goes on from 8:30 pm until about 2:00 am. The reason for this is that OFN now serves its business overseas. This means that the later it is here, the more convenient it is to get some calls done for clients around the world. When I'm not talking to others, I work on a number of things including: formulations for new products, designs (i.e. labels) for up-and-coming product releases, researching potential ingredients to add to my formulations, market research, and reviewing the analytics from the day in order to see where I need to improve. I try to as much as I can before passing out...... That’s usually a typical day for me.

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Let's get straight to the point as to why we wanted to interview you.... You're company, OFN (OuttenFit Nutrition), has changed the game for fitness enthusiasts hoping to find the industry's most premier supplements & formulas. Could you go into detail about how you came up with the idea of OFN as well as information on what people can do to get their hands on your products (i.e. website, current deals, etc.)?

I have always had an extreme interest in supplements! Since going to college for exercise science at Bloomsburg University, I wanted to pursue the strength and conditioning route. During my studies, I was able to do this for a short period as an intern at a Division ! football program. However, when I started taking courses related to nutrition and learning more about the science behind ingredients & the effects they have on the body, it made me want to know more about them which grew my fascination.

After graduating, during my "testing the waters in strength and conditioning phase", I wasn't ordering protein like others. Rather, I was ordering raw ingredients and mixing my own products together - this is where my true passion for this came together. I have taken my fair share of supplements, but what I was making made me feel more clean & efficient, and the quality of my products were greater than most. With this is mind, I decided to follow a passion I originally didn’t know I had, and started my own business in dietary supplements.

I knew there was a lot to be done if I wanted to successfully create this type of company, so I began with the obvious including: reaching out to manufacturers, buying the rights to the name of my business (OuttenFit Nutrition), and learning & researching everything and anything that I believed was relevant. Currently, I am spread through various stores and gyms in the U.S, but do not have chains at the moment. I am also overseas in the U.K, Australia, and New Zealand.

If you are looking to get a hold of my products in the U.S, the easiest way is our website: www.outtenfitnutrition.com

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It seems as though being a personal trainer has supported you in successfully growing OFN. Not just for the benefits of having knowledge surrounding nutrition, but also for its networking capabilities. How critical is networking when it comes to building your own brand; not just for entrepreneurs like yourself, but anyone hoping for new opportunities?

You can never network enough! You can have the greatest idea or brand, but if you aren’t able to relate to others through building personal connections, it’s going to go nowhere. What I originally learned the hard way is that everybody can use help. Beforehand, I was in the mindset that if I make great high-quality products, it’s going to "pop off the shelves" no problem. However, this was a completely wrong mindset!

As soon as I started networking, things began to change. Once I started communicating with others in the industry, learning about who they truly are, hearing about why they do what they do, and really putting the time in, is when I started getting some notoriety from others. Strangers would approach me just to let me know how great my products looked and wanted to give them a shot. A lot of what I learned goes hand-in-hand with one of my favorite quotes, “If you are good at something, you’ll tell people, but if you’re great at something people will tell you" - Walter Payton.

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What were/are some of the hardest obstacles you had/have being your own boss? What were/are some of the greatest benefits you had/have controlling your own company?

The biggest obstacle that I encounter is being my own boss because I’m a perfectionist, honestly. The smallest of things will get to me even if it all comes out the way it was planned. Though it can be difficult at times to overcome, it’s also a strength in my opinion. I know who I am, and would never let myself take a shortcut or slack on any job whatsoever. The learning process has also been a major obstacle since I’ve never ran a business before, or maneuvered the behind-the-scenes work - this is the most tedious part of it all.

Owning a company has a lot of trial and error at first, but to me, that’s the part that will stick with you and make you learn quicker instead of just hitting success right away. There will be nobody more powerful than that of a person who has experienced losses or errors, but were able to bounce back as soon as possible to get it right. This individual will have the knowledge of both ends of the spectrum rather than straight luck (i.e. overnight success).

The greatest benefits of owning a business are the freedom that comes with it as well as being able to remain creative with no ceiling to hold me down. I love what I do, and I look forward to designing products & sampling new formulas; I just enjoy the process.

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Being an entrepreneur can take a lot out of anyone, even if it's just a side-hustle or hobby. However, maintaining a positive balance between multiple jobs, deadlines, and everything else happening in life is significant to "keep on keeping on". What are some of the strategies that you have done to remain involved within each of the things you enjoy without overwhelming yourself with any on particular area?

I’m just grateful for every moment. There are people that don’t know me personally, but have spent their hard earned money on my products - this is the coolest and most humbling feeling of them all. When somebody does this and messages me about how they love what they purchased since it's helping them get results, that’s what it's all about. I’m also very fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to run my own business and do what I love even though it’s not my only focus at the moment.

A good piece of advice that others should follow is to know yourself and learn to say no. I cut myself thin on a few occasions and overdid it a few too many times. This made me lose motivation and I noticed it immediately. Once I started picking what I thought was worth my time and "trimming the fat away", it wasn’t hard to stay positive with what I was focusing on. I knew my mentality was on things that were either going to teach, motivate, or lead me to where I wanted to get too.

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We're going to provide you with two situations, but would like you to chose only one of them with an explanation. 1.) Work a 9-5 job for a company where your efforts are only capable of reaching a certain limit, but you have greater job security and a consistent schedule, or 2.) Be your own boss where you make up the hours as you go, but are likely committing 12-14 hours a day to grow your business without knowing for sure if you will make revenue.

I’m choosing Scenario 2 without any hesitation. Like the saying, "I work to live, not live to work", what’s the point of going to a 9-5 job if you aren't happy? I know others who work a 9-5 job just for the security purposes, but still had to face the consequences of being laid off and file for unemployment; these are unfortunate situations that many people deal with everyday. So, if you are doing something you aren’t happy with and still have the potential to fail, then why not take a shot on an opportunity that genuinely makes you excited to get up in the morning?

Maybe it is a hobby or side-hustle for the time being, but can eventually turn into a career. For instance, while training to maintain a steady stream of income, I’ve put thousands of dollars into my business so far, which is all money I could have in the bank at the moment. I could be living a normal, comfortable life, but personally, I know I wouldn’t be happy stuck in the loop of a 9-5 job with no anticipation of something new. I’d rather bet on myself and work to earn the life I want.

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As always, we like to ask this question to see how others in our generations perceive our position in society. For some, they believe there is a shadow over millennials and younger generations in that we are "lazy" or "dependent" on others, and we are not striving to become tomorrow's leaders. What can you say to steer this perception into a positive picture for us all?

In my opinion, we’re in a time with new opportunities and different distractions. Those who talk down on millennials only look at a select few, which solidifies their perceptions of our generation. I'm the first to not deny that there are many people out there who are "lazy" and could care less about what they do, but it goes both ways. Most of the people I encounter are older than me. For starters, I’m only 24 years old and began my business when I turned 23. They see how hard I work, and respect me as a millennial; they won't see you for your age if you are committed to being a better you.

For me, I don’t like to group people together - I’ll always see you as an individual. I focus on what I can control, and that’s it. A lot of us spend too much time talking (negatively) about others, but while we do this, they are working behind the scenes. My outlook on life is to focus on what you can control, and lead by example.

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What other impacts/benefits does health & fitness have on your life aside from your company (i.e. stress management, healthy lifestyles, etc.)?

Health & Fitness has gotten me through the rough times in my life. While there were things that were out of my control, exercising and what I do with my mental & physical health has always been in my control. I feel as though it has made me a better person by teaching me a lot about discipline, respect, hustle, and just working for what you want. You can work as hard as you can at a job and do everything you can to make things right, but you can still not get paid for what you’re worth.

When it comes to health and fitness, however, you will get what you put into it. I highly recommend any form of exercise for those hoping to clear their mind, or wanting to get on the right path - whether that be physically or mentally. I bet you'll also will meet great people who you can network with by the means of making new friends, partners, business mentors, etc.

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Who are some people & influencers that you look up to? Are there any books, podcasts, etc. that you believe would benefit other young entrepreneurs?

I don’t have a direct go-to for who I listen to or read about, although I like a lot of everything. I recommend reading and listening to things that will either motivate or educate you as well as topics that may help you conquer your weaknesses. The biggest influencer I look up to in my life is my brother.

Currently, he is the tight ends coach for the Green Bay Packers and has been the hardest worker I’ve ever met because of his work ethic. There have been times where he had time off (i.e. personal vacation), and was still in the office working. That’s how you get ahead in life - you work for it and eventually people will notice.

Are there any upcoming events or new products that you are excited to talk about with OFN?

There are no new products that I am ready to discuss at the moment, but I have about ten products in the works at the moment. So, keep your eyes peeled in 2020 for some exciting stuff! If you want to learn more about the current products we offer, head over to www.outtenfitnutrition.com.

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Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers (e.g. tips, advice, etc.)?

I made my company motto, “Work Hard, Stay Humble”, for a reason. In fact, I put this motto on every product bottle I produce. This motto can be used not only in your health & fitness routines, but in your day-to-day life. If you want something, go after it, but stay humble. In the gym, work hard to reach your goals while helping others reach their own. In life, work behind the scenes. Just because you don’t gloat about accomplishments, it doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate them.

Be the person that others won’t stop speaking about, whether it's because they’re jealous of you or they respect what you're accomplishing...... And one day when you walk in a room, you won’t have to introduce yourself anymore.