[quote style=”boxed”]I am an early riser. I consistently wake up early because I don’t feel right if my eyes are still closed after sunrise. This makes me truly productive, as not only can I address many business needs in the early hours, I am up and ready to go with my clients who like to have their personal training sessions before work.[/quote]
Carlos Daniels, CPowered2’s founder and lead trainer, has more than 20 years of physical fitness experience. His professional background includes professional football, mixed martial arts, and boxing.
From a very early age, Carlos Daniels Jr. exhibited a passion for fitness. As a youth, he trained under Buddy Morris who is now considered one of the most influential professional strength coaches in sports history. After a successful high school career, with two Pennsylvania State Football Championships, Carlos was inspired to commit himself to a life of athleticism and helping others to become more physically fit. Upon graduating high school, Carlos attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a full athletic football scholarship and ultimately went on to play in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings. Carlos also played with several arena football franchises, but his professional career was shortened after a sudden injury.
Although he faced many challenges in his professional sporting career, Carlos has always maintained his commitment to educating and challenging others to live their best lives. Today, Carlos enjoys a thriving personal training business with clients ranging from amateur and professional athletes, business professionals, and celebrity clients, such as Jasmine Guy best known for her role on “A Different World” developed by Bill Cosby. Carlos definitely has the knowledge and experience to deliver the immediate and sustained results his clients are seeking.”
Where did the idea for CPowered2 come from? What does your typical day look like?
About six years ago, I was working for a well-known and established fitness center in Atlanta. I helped them in one location and, due to my successful strategies, they sent me to assist with membership at a second location. I wanted to branch off and offer services privately rather than under employment at a gym. I had a meeting with a business associate to brainstorm business names. I didn’t want a name that only alluded to fitness exclusively. I wanted a name that would cover the multifaceted health and wellness business. This was around 2008 and the word empowerment was being used quite a bit, particularly throughout the Presidential election. The slogan, “Be Empowered” was stuck in my mind and after deciding that I didn’t want the company called Carlos Daniels Fitness, we came up with CPowered2. I am Carlos Daniels, Jr., so the “2” signified me being my father’s son and namesake. I later expanded my original slogan idea to “Be Empowered to Get Results Twice as Fast” which coincided with the CPowered2 name. I enjoy developing concepts and marketing ideas in this way.
My typical day involves marketing my business and services, meeting with clients for world class workouts and personal training sessions and staying aware of the latest trends in my industry. I’m currently promoting a fitness package I call “300 Minutes of Fitness” and I launched a campaign around it using the theme of warriors and gladiators synched with the timing of the 300: Rise of an Empire movie sequel.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Before 2014 I used to do everything by myself. Now I bring my ideas to life by seeking business professionals and wise counsel to master ideas and concepts. I have determined my strengths and when there is an area of the business where a consultant is best, I will seek out their assistance. In 2012 and 2013 I did my own website, but at the beginning of 2014 I knew I needed to go to the next level. I hired a well-established web designer who is responsible for CPowered2.com’s current online presence.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Social networks, while not a new concept, continues to be a trend that excites me. I enjoy investigating the latest and greatest social media channels and conducting the research to make my own social network profiles more presentable. I’m becoming more and more convinced that from YouTube to Google+ to Instagram, social networks primary are essential to the success of many entrepreneurs. When you look at social networks and the analytics and the functions they offer from phone apps to connecting with people around the world, they truly allow a person or business to grow beyond traditional boundaries.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I am an early riser. I consistently wake up early because I don’t feel right if my eyes are still closed after sunrise. This makes me truly productive, as not only can I address many business needs in the early hours, I am up and ready to go with my clients who like to have their personal training sessions before work. Even on the weekends, you won’t catch me sleeping in.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
The worst job I ever had was working in the meat department of a grocery store. This was so far from what I was most passionate about as a career and it’s really difficult to pinpoint what I learned from this experience. I think it helped me to realize that I didn’t want to settle for just “any” job for a paycheck. It pushed me to go through the necessary steps to pursue my dreams.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
If I were to start again, I would have done a better job documenting my progress as a business owner. Pictures, videos, historical information about what worked and didn’t work, etc. would really be an asset to me as I expand and grow.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
As an entrepreneur, I am constantly sharpening and renewing my image. I recommend that any business person, whether in a full time job or a business owner, take stock of where they are and where they want to be. No level of success is exempt from the growth process. You can always enhance your brand or determine ways to offer more services. Don’t stop growing.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Growing my business has been accomplished through two strategies. One has been the use of social media to increase awareness of the CPowered2 brand. I’ve grown my Facebook page to well over 5000 friends and fans. My LinkedIn and Instagram profiles are also well over 6000. This has helped me to market in the Atlanta area as well as build a firm following that will be in place as I expand into more services and products that are not location based. Secondly, I’ve enlisted the help of experts to grow my business through media opportunities and unique marketing strategies.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
In the early stages of my business one failure that I faced was the lack of policy and service documentation for my clients. I had customer service conflicts/issues that were the result of me not having simple procedures in black and white around basic items, such as the personal training appointment cancellation policy. Fallouts would occur because clients would say they didn’t know about the policies, even if I had expressed them verbally. I learned from this that communication is key and that clients need to have both written and verbal confirmation around both my expectations as the service provider and theirs as the client.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I would create some sort of enhanced travel service related to rail/trains. When I think about travel in Europe and Asia, it seems as if many more people are willing to take a train as opposed to a short flight. In America the train is really not seen as an optimal travel choice to go from one city to the next. I think there is an opportunity here in the states to offer travel by train that either has a luxury slant to it or is affordable, quick and easy for last minute trips.
Tell us something about you that very few people know?
Most people don’t know that I come from a very impoverished and depressed background. There was criminal activity that extended to immediate family and as a child I lived through those circumstances and have chosen a different and healthier path as an adult.
What software and web services do you use and what do you love about them?
I am a huge social media fan and I’m on just about every social media channel you can think of these days including Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus, Twitter and the list goes on. Personally, I also like Spotify, as I can create great playlists that get me through my own workouts at the gym.
I love the ability to connect with other business owners in addition to promoting my business. Social media sites allow you to reach out to people across the country and the world and there isn’t an easier or faster way to connect in this way.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I would recommend Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell. This book really opened my eyes to the impact of human interaction, how quickly impressions may be made and the best way to understand the things we process in an instant.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
I have been influenced by the thinking and philosophies of Deepak Chopra. I’ve read his books, attended his workshops and had the honor of meeting him. I definitely recommend that people take a look at his point of view on life and living. Robert Kiyosaki is another influential person. Many know him as the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad. I follow him on Facebook and find inspiration in his messages.
Connect:
Carlos Daniels Jr. on Facebook:
CPowered Two on Facebook:
Carlos Daniels Jr. on Instagram:
CPowered Two on Twitter: @CPowered2
Carlos Daniels Jr. on LinkedIn:
CPowered Two on YouTube:
Carlos Daniels Jr. on Google+:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.