Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Perry.
Hi Aaron, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“Find a need in the world and fill it” these words by Dr. Robin Davis laid the foundation of what you now know as Revolutionary Strength Technology. During my matriculation at the illustrious HBCU Claflin University, I majored in marketing. Dr. Davis entrepreneur class was part of my curriculum and I can honestly say I thoroughly loved it. The class taught us how to handle and deal with real-life situations and problems, which I appreciated and continue to use to this day. While my academia was my first priority, I was also a pitcher for the Claflin University Panthers baseball team. It was through baseball that I a lightbulb went off and I was able to answer the challenge Dr. Davis assigned.
As a pitcher, there is a repetitive motion we all learn. This motion utilizes every muscle from the top of the shoulder, the deltoid and all the way down the forearm, arm to the fingertips. The muscles work in concert, creating a fluid motion that allows you to throw the ball. This repetitive motion wreaks havoc on the arm and shoulder if proper and routine stretching, strengthening and technique isn’t practiced. This is coming from first-hand experience, because I eventually injured my arm and had to go to Emory Hospital for rehabilitation.
During my rehabilitation, my doctor requested that I strictly use resistance bands so that I could continue to work out those same muscles that had become restricted and rigid. The resistance bands permitted me to gain my fluidity and flexibility back, however I found myself hindered by having to always secure the resistance band to a stationary object as a rail or nearby fence. I needed something that would allow me to work out with resistance band without being in a sense chain-balled to something. I developed my first prototype, “Super Shoulder,” which was and is a compression shirt that allows you to use resistance bands handsfree. I was able to hook the resistance bands to the back of the shirt and then attached them to the wrist of the shirt, allowing free motion.
At the time, South Carolina State University, our neighboring school, held their annual Bulldog Startup Challenge. It was basically a program that allowed young entrepreneurs to pitch their products to a team of investors and after deliberation, the investors would decide if they wanted to invest in the product or not. It was SharkTank but for college. The previous year I pitched the same product but I was not the winner, however it came full circle when I pitched again in 2018 of course with a few edits and corrected my mistakes that I became the first person in history from Claflin University to ever win the Bulldog Startup Challenge. Initially, I was shocked because I did not expect to be considered, much less win the competition because I was the rival school competitor. Winning that competition definitely boosted my morale and not only motivated me to not give up on myself or my product but taught me about patience, resilience and self-worth.
I then graduated college in 2018 and naturally, like all entrepreneurs, I felt that this “Super Shoulder” was my golden ticket to changing the world and the way resistance bands are used. I believed that I would hit the ground running and that this vision of change I saw in my head would be instantaneous. I quickly learned the world was not that kind and not only hit the ground but landed face first. I had to get a job to financially support myself and this new baby, “my business.” I eventually found employment with the jewelry company Helzberg Diamonds. I was only making ten dollars an hour and of course with student loan debt and my product not selling as quickly to provide the revenue I needed to support me financially, it was a bit of struggle. I can remember working twelve-hour shifts five and six days a week and on my days off, I would try and network with different schools and organizations, hoping to catch someone’s eye.
This company definitely attributes to my character and way of thinking. As I juggled my job and my newborn company I realized that self-motivation was key because if you do not believe in yourself, then no one else will and that’s what translated in my work ethic with my company. I knew that I would have to put in the work if I wanted to see the results of success I envisioned for myself and my company. I wanted to make sure people not only knew about my product but had a genuine interest in wanting to work out with it and utilize the product to its full potential.
In my attempt to contact local coaches in the Atlanta area, things began to move but not at the pace I wanted. I needed to do something different because clearly my routine had plateaued my company. I decided to switch from networking what I was familiar with to taking a leap of faith and trying to connect with various gyms. This change was exactly what the company needed because I had finally made contact with one of the most influential gym, fitness trainer and businessman by the name of Jason Lobdell of The Loft Atlanta Athletic Gym or better known as “Mr2weeksout” on Instagram.
I was new to the fitness world and had no idea who he was in the fitness world. I sent this message again taking a leap of faith not knowing if he would read or respond to it. The message read “I know you may not reply but my name is Aaron Perry and I have a product called Super Shoulder and it is a compression shirt that allows you to use resistance bands handsfree.” I was amazed when Jason replied back and asked for a picture and video and how it worked! He was interested and our conversation ended with a meeting set for the following day to showcase my product to him. One of my favorite quotes is to treat someone how you want to be treated” because you never know who you’re talking too and that’s what happens to me.
I went to The Loft Atlanta Athletic Gym and pitched my product without realizing who I was pitching my product too. I later realized I was connected with one of the biggest and most influential names in the fitness industry. I am and will be forever grateful for Jason and his wife Halani because they opened a door for me. I was able to access and collaborate with a multitude of trainers, which eventually led to other doors opening for me.
Although my company took a giant step forward, I still knew that “Super Shoulder” still had so much more potential. I met an Atlanta trainer named “RouteKing.” RouteKing coached and trained those interested in football. It was because of this connection that he allowed me to let his players try on the product and work out with it. This of course provided showcasing for the product as it showed its functionality in football.
As I am networking with both RouteKing and Jason and finding my footing, I still feel like my company hasn’t reached top tier so I decided to have a conversation with Jason Lobdel and ask what I could possibly do different to get more people to want to wear the shirt. He then replied “You have to understand a lot of people have other brands they have to promote and if they have on the compression shirt it’s hard for them to do that”. That same night I had a conversation with my girlfriend Kia Jones and asked her about the idea of combining a waist trainer with the functionality of my current product and construct a completely new and innovated product the world has never seen before.
I was excited with this new idea and decided to test the prototype for several months and finally released a promotion video on my Instagram “revtechowner” on July 10, 2020. The new and improved product that allowed durability and more stability. I introduced it as a resistance waist trainer.
This newfound product provided the user a 2 in 1 workout. The waist trainer fastened securely around the abdomen enabling core strengthening and back support, while ensuring the user a thorough sweat session to burn off those calories. The product also came with four resistance bands that you could attached firmly to any of the loops linked to the waist trainer and then hook to the two wrist and two ankle straps guaranteeing a full body workout. It was then that I knew I made a special product people wanted because the first fifty sold out from preorders. Since then I have had the pleasure in working with some very talented and amazing trainers from various backgrounds.
If I were to give advice to the next entrepreneur I would really just want to highlight how crucial community is. It is so essential to be able to know that someone is there to guide, help and build you into the person you’re suppose to be and that will allow you to provide the same opportunity for the next one. I understand that in some cases it’s hard to find that person and the resources to network and build your community may be scarce but it’s important to have it in some light, shape or form. I would emphasize that it takes a village and to accept that the members of your village can come from all walks of life at different points in your life and that those different personalities and opportunities that you come in contact with become apart of you, your story and eventually lead to your success!
Please follow my Instagram “@revtechowner” to stay up to date with the new product releases. My resistance waist trainer set with complementary two bands are selling at $40.00 and the four bands set is selling at $60.00 at revstrengthtech.com.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road is never smooth even when you have met your goals for your company/product and want to relax there will always be challenges! A lot of the struggles I face as of right now are financially and exposure. The reason those are my two main struggles are for the simple fact of getting inventory and having enough exposure to sell it!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work for the Internal Revenue Service at night and work on my company during the day so when some people say they work 24 hours I sometimes actually do work the entire day!
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
I feel that in order for you to even think about starting an entrepreneurial journey you have to take the risk of knowing you could fail at every step until you get your first big break! I take a risk everytime I have to use my own money and help buy inventory not knowing if it will sell. I take a risk having to keep resistance waist trainers with me to have them to sell at anytime. We all take risks walking through our front doors not knowing if the person we will meet that day can change our lives or not! My opinion on risk taking is that it is necessary in order to succeed in life!
Pricing:
- Resistance Waist Trainer (2 Bands) $40
- Resistance Waist Trainer (4 Bands) $60
Contact Info:
- Email: revstrengthtech@gmail.com
- Website: revstrengthtech.com
- Instagram: revtechowner
