When your 10 year old son Whoops you: it's time to get fit, seriously

blog 2015
Written By Andrew Ford

A few years ago I left the cushy corporate life to start my own business Social Star. I knew starting a new business would be challenging, but I didn't realise how much! The energy and hours required to grow something from nothing are extraordinary. I love what I do, but I was unprepared for some of the changes to my life. One of which was putting on weight and losing my fitness.

Now it's time to do something about it. But how can I change my lifestyle and focus on fitness without reducing work hours or time with the family? This is the 12 week challenge I am about to undertake. 

 

A BIT OF HISTORY...

Those that know me well would recognise that I have always had a high value of fitness. I run, swim and go to the gym and for the last 20 years have maintained my fitness and body shape. So when I started working more hours and thinking more about my clients than the gym, I thought I would be fine. Surely I had a strong base that would last me a few years - wrong. 

It was ok when I thought I was out of shape, but it didn't really affect my daily life. I still looked ok in the suit, I had energy and could do most things. But when my lack of fitness challenged my highest values - my kids - it really kicked me into action. I want to be able to keep up with my kids and be active. Hell I want to do that with my grand kids! 

I finally realised something was wrong when I went for a run with my kids a few weeks ago. Hudson is 10 and a strong AFL footy player, so we go for a training run during the season at the local footy oval. Thinking nothing had changed for me,  I confidently gave him a half lap head start boasting I would catch him after our ten laps. Wrong again! Not only did I not catch him - he lapped me! ME! That's when I realised I was struggling and it was time to do something about it.

THE 12 WEEK CHALLENGE

For a few weeks after Huddy whooped me. I had a lackluster attempt to ease up on the beer and burgers and get our for a run. However, being on the wrong side of 40, sitting at my desk for long hours and comforting myself with endless coffees and special treats meant it wasn't enough. It was time to get serious.

Therefore my 12 week challenge was born. The challenge is to run the Melbourne half marathon with my mate Bardy October 18th, roughly 12 weeks away. I will seek out the best diet and lifestyle advice to support me on this challenge and share my results.

My goal is to find a way to keep fit, while not taking my eye off the business still having quality time with the kids. I hope by sharing this with my community that I can get some help by the experts I know and also, just maybe, inspire one or two others to join me in this fitness kick. Time to begin...

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Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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