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94 || FITNESS MAGAZINE || AUGUST 2015this line of work because I get to encourage and inspire people on a daily basis.FMM: We saw some pretty impressive testimonials on your website. We also saw that you are the Wellness Coordinator at POET Ethanol, and you are the CEO of your own company. Do you still perform personal coaching services, or are you solely offering your online training programs?BF: First and foremost is my job with POET. POET is the world%u2019s largest ethanol bio-refiner. I am a part of something truly great there and working for a company that is truly changing the world for the better. The best analogy I can give you is that just like I use clean foods to fuel my body, American ethanol is there to help our environment and give us a clean fuel for our cars. I am the President of %u201cFokken Strong Training%u201d which is my training business and company name/entity that umbrellas over anything I do within the fitness industry. I still do personal training but that is within the walls of POET. I am able to utilize my skills to do one-on-one consulting, personal training, nutrition planning, classes, etc. Jeff Broin the owner of the company has really made it a top priority to take care of his team members. The best part about it is that it%u2019s a true labor of love, and not because he feels he has to. Because it is freely given and truly to help others that gives me the opportunity to do a lot of really great things that most corporations would frown on due to costs, benefit, etc. However I can tell you that just like that company POET is out there changing the world and others lives for the better, they are doing the same thing internally with our wellness program. It really is a great place to work. To add to the question, I do periodically workout with my clients when I am in their area or if they are in mine. We also will do team/group (repetitive, choose one) workouts, and posing seminars to get them ready for the state. At this point in my career as much as I like that one on one time, my priorities currently don%u2019t allow me to commit to that. I am still very hands on and go out of my way to prepare every client for whatever we are prepping for. Should it be a show, a shoot, a reunion, or just to get in the shape of their life, I am never less than a phone call, text, or email away. I have a true %u201cteam%u201d environment, and give them every excuse to succeed and actually care about their progress and results. For those interested in my programs you can find my rates, programs, and contact at BRANDANFOKKEN.comFMM: You are a sponsored athlete on Bodybuilding.com and have a significant presence there with your contributions. What has that relationship helped you accomplish the most in your career, and what advice can you offer up-and-comers regarding sponsorship decisions?BF: It has been nothing short of a blessing working with Bodybuilding.com. My relationship with them started well before I was an athlete for the company. I started a Body Space account back in 2007 and followed the articles and tips to further my physique. I was later signed by them in 2012 after being a finalist in the Bodybuilding.com spokes-model contest. From there I wanted to really show them I belonged on the team, so I set out to differentiate myself and put in a lot of effort to grow. I wrote a lot of articles, speaking engagements, did interviews, helped other team members grow and develop their brands, and then I found the niche of sponsorships. I used BB.com as a pedestal of credibility so to speak. I used my relationship with them to gain the attention of other major companies such as my main sponsorship BEAST other than Bodybuilding.com. Over time I landed upwards of 17 sponsors all of which were different enough as to not conflict with the others. Companies like Fitmark bags, MuscleEgg, P28 high protein foods, ICON meals, Smartshake, etc. >>>