When James Cork started TC1 (@tc1gel), he had one goal in mind: he wanted to make people passionate about their own physical wellbeing. He knew that it was going to be tough, but he was determined to make it work.
Now that TC1 has built a community of 200,000+ people on their Instagram, all with the same goal in mind of bettering themselves physically, he’s done his job. But it wasn’t easy. Along the way, there were plenty of ups and downs, and he didn’t always know if the brand was going to make it. But eventually, they did, and looking back on his journey to get here, James can only be amazed.
In the past, James and some of his team at TC1 helped other fitness brands market their products. But after seeing the success they were able to generate for other brands, they figured why not do it themselves. And that’s exactly what they did.
Looking back, James knows that there were a few key reasons why they were able to succeed. The first was all about having a clear goal to look forward to. James focused on the broad goal of making people passionate about fitness, so whenever times got tough, he was able to use that very simple, but powerful goal as motivation.
James believes that when you have a meaningful goal in mind, nothing can stop you. He thinks that all entrepreneurs should focus on something outside of money if they really want to make it. Because at the beginning of any business venture, you’re going to spend more than you make. If you’re just in it for the money, you’ll probably quit soon after.
Another thing that was extremely important for James was having a great team around him. He knows that as a CEO, you can only do so much. There are so many moving parts in a business, and you really have to have a team of people that can manage the business with you. He wanted to hire people with strengths different from his own. For example, James was a really strong marketer, so it only made sense that he hired someone great at product development.
As for marketing a business, James believes there’s no better way to do it than social media. His team uses Instagram and Facebook ads to reach potential customers, and they do an excellent job of it. He believes it’s all about having a human connection with your customer.
This is why many of his advertisements are simply customer testimonials that speak to the quality of their products. And if you browse their Instagram feed, you’ll see they do an amazing job of interacting with their audience. Often giving away free prizes in exchange for social engagement, they’ve found a sustainable way to grow their following.
When James thinks about the future of TC1, he believes they still have a long way to go. James hopes to help change the way people think about fitness from something you “have to do,” to something you “want to do.” He wants people to be passionate about taking care of their body, and not just because they will look better. He hopes that people recognize the physical, mental and emotional benefits to working out and getting proper nutrition, and he is trying his best to spread the message to as many people as possible.
For James, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing happy customers getting in the best shape of their lives.
To keep up with TC1, follow them on Instagram.
