MASTERBOOTCAMP : THE REFLECTION

It’s hard to imagine, we’ve gone this far.

Wait.

Is it really the time for us to say that? Have we really gone THAT far? If yes, how exactly far? We’ve been and still are doing this and that, here and there, now and later. But really, where is MasterBootcamp now, for real?

That fear of not knowing for sure where we really are does crawl in once in a while. Like the saying by Alfred A. Montapert, ‘a rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress; do not confuse motion and progress’. Is MasterBootcamp making explosive jumps that do not actually take it forward?

Oh well before this post become a Mario-Teguh-incepted splash of words, let me share bits and pieces of what have really been happening with MasterBootcamp since the last post in January 2012.

Basically, so far in 2012, MasterBootcamp has consistently run its regular session every Saturday at ABC Outdoor Basketball Court Senayan, Jakarta. With a stable 8 to 12 people per session, we have been able to keep the excitement not only among the participants but also among the trainers.

Four current official trainers are Edi Junaedi, Alvin Masli, Lasam Budisantoso, and lastly, me, Carlo Tamba. All MasterBootcamp trainers are certified. The three first names used to work as Personal Trainers for a well known gym which is franchised throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. In January, Edi and I attained our TRX Suspension and TRX RIP trainings in Singapore. The two day training marked my first two days as certified trainers.

 


TRX RIP Trainers Certification - F1 Recreation Center, Singapore, January 2012



Then came our peak week where we held Saturday and Sunday session consecutively, with so many excited and new participants! Both sessions on 18^th and 19^th February had each above 10 participants. Two of most memorable days of MasterBootcamp.

MasterBootcamp Session 18 February 2012

MasterBootcamp Session 19 February 2012

In March, I pursued two other certifications namely ViPR Trainer certification and Kettlebell Trainer certification, both in Long Island, New York.



WKC (World Kettlebell Club) Kettlebell Certification - AKC Fitness, Long Island, New York, March 2012



Certifications are paid on our own personal expenses. Why bother paying for these expensive certifications? We want to deliver the exciting fun training with the best quality, man. T’sall!



ViPR Certification (with 'Master Trainer' Derek Vandenbrink - Sky Athletic Club, NY, March 2012



Then, we even hitch-hiked ourselves in a brief TV exposure in April 2012. A program called Liputan 6 by SCTV covered one of our sessions, check the video out here (and the article here)!

With upcoming coverage this May 19 by the most well-known fitness website in Indonesia, we are getting more and more exposure. The most recent one is an article about MasterBootcamp by a Jakarta based female forum, FashioneseDaily. You can read the article here.

That’s all? Of course not. Also in April we finally secured a one-session-deal corporate deal with a law firm. Held at Pasadenia Complex in Gading, 15 staffs of the law firm were forced to exercise their hardest to win a USD 500 prize. A fun 1 hour session where 80% of the participants realized that their body is de-functioned. Hahaha. Gosh, sometimes you cry, sometimes you laugh, looking at people trying so hard to survive even 10 minutes of our session. To be perfectly honest, it’s really not THAT hard. It’s just that, YOU JUST NEVER EXERCISE!

And ultimately, the most interesting and latest piece of the journey is our fun and out-of-the-box participation in ‘Seal The Deal' a radio show on 87.6 Hardrock FM Jakarta. This show is an on-air business pitching competition for small business owners. Practically, the show intends to give opportunity to receive investments by third party investors, Kinara Indonesia (follow their twitter @KinaraID).

Hold on a second. Business pitching competition? MasterBootcamp is a business? We’ll get to that. Relax.

It was just another day when I overheard on the radio about Seal The Deal and decided to register MasterBootcamp. Universe aligned and early in March I received a phone call from HardRock FM that I must present MasterBootcamp live on the radio. In only 3 minutes. (Like, what the hell?). Next thing you know, we’re a semi-finalist. Then, I received a text message from HardRock FM informing that MasterBootcamp is the finalist of Seal The Deal. That’s about a month later on, April 04.

The exact same date my Dad passed away.

No intention to make it sound dramatic, but it was indeed the lowest point in my life, where happy and sad collided. I should be excited, but I wasn’t. The following week, I still had to wave the interview and I thought, well that’s it, I’m disqualified from the show. I've denied the interview TWICE!

But apparently the universe aligned again, (maybe it’s its hobby), and I got ANOTHER call from HardRock FM saying that I’m one of the top 3 finalists! WOOOTZAH!

So on May 02, I finally was able to come to HardRock FM studio to present MasterBootcamp on air with Iwet Ramadhan (from HardRockFM Jakarta) as well as Dondi Hananto and Michael R Tampi from Kinara Indonesia. Here's a bit of the 3 hour craziness that happened that night durint the show!

1. The On-Air Talk

The first one hour, Iwet, Dondi and Michael tried to dig more about my character and personality, as the said representative owner of MasterBootcamp. Questions like, my career wish, how I recover after being in extremely high-pressure situation, etc. And with my politically correct answers, I earned myself the title “Miss Indonesia”. Darn. I mean, what’s so wrong about wanting to become a Pastor as a secret career wish, right? :p

           

Then it went on with the standard drill of how MasterBootcamp runs, profits, future plans, and so on. During which my answers strengthen my image as Miss Indonesia. Too bad I can’t wear a bikini.

Bottom line, Dondi and Michael said, they want to invest in the people. Well guys, I'm your people! hahaha

2. The Off-Air Talk

To those who were listening to the show, the on-air interview may just be full of crazy laughters. To me, it’s the off-air talk in the studio with all three dudes Iwet, Dondi and Michael that really gave me streams of valuable insights. I already know most of these insights, but talking with this bunch of fellas really strengthen my understanding of what I’ve already known. :D

1. Sales & Marketing

Iwet hit the mind with his marketing advice. He thinks, MasterBootcamp is not connecting enough, with the right people with the right ways. Iwet advised us to invite people from many media to come and try our session. Which, stupid enough, we’ve never thought about before! In the era of free media, MasterBootcamp should’ve taken advantage of free exposure in the free magazines such as Area, Jakarta Expats, etc. All we need is a single click to send invite through emails! Also, as an “after-sales service”, MasterBootcamp needs to continually keep in contact with its participants. Iwet says, “there’s gotta be a MasterBootcamp “pecun” (that’s ‘whore’ in local slang), who maintains relationship with participants after every session, every week. For example, through a mailing list!”. Got it, Iwet!

2. Focus

Dondi then shared an important insight through his wife’s experience. Prior to becoming established like now, for 9 years (?), his wife managed her business relying on the so-called “security” from the fact that Dondi was still working as a permanent employee (with fixed income). That kind of dependency made his wife uneager to be more dedicated and serious with her business. It’s that cliché term called “comfort zone”. You’ve become so attached with monthly income that you’re unwilling to be fully committed with something that can’t seemingly provide you with the same kind of “assurance”. But then of course Dondi quit his job and as you all know, Dondi and Ligwina Hananto are now one of the hottest celebrity couples in Indonesia! :p And yes he immediately told me to quit my daily job and focus on MasterBotocamp. Especially since I don’t yet have a family, it’s the best time to hit the quit button and jump off the hill. Darn it. I gotcha but slow down, man! :D

3. Growth

And then enter the dragon, Michael. Okay not the dragon, but as Iwet said it, “Engkoh” (that’s like a geezer who keeps counting the money on his hands, which was exactly what Michael looked like, said Iwet). Yes, it’s true. From the business perspective, Michael argued that after 7 months, to keep having an average of 10 customers per session is too slow of a growth. Investors, Michael says, are concern about the pace of return from investment.

Which brings us to the question earlier: MasterBootcamp is a business? You know what? Initially, it wasn’t. When we started out, we simply got out there because of our love towards fitness. We really really want to get more people to exercise, not only in the gym. We wanted to give an alternative. That’s all.

But then there’s this simple math. If we want to get more people to exercise, MasterBootcamp needs to grow. If we want to grow, MasterBootcamp needs more resources (trainers and equipments). If we want to get more resources, MasterBootcamp need more capitals. If we want to get capitals, that’s business right there.

So, hopefully, we can keep the fitness and business spirits always on the same level.

3. The Challenge

Near the end of the show, close to midnight, all of a sudden, Dondi and Michael threw a challenge. With a surprised face which they mistakenly suspected as a sign of worry, I asked “What’s the challenge?”. Oh man if they only knew just how I was actually excited to hear them ask that. (OK fine, maybe there was a little pinch of worry).

Michael explained how he knows people in JIS (Jakarta International School), who might just be interested to have us held a MasterBootcamp session for kids. Would we want to take that offer?

Are. You. Friggin’. Kiddin’. Us. Michael?

Good jeebus, YES!

We are now carefully designing the program for this challenge. We really want it to be as close as possible to perfect.

4. The Grand Finale

So next week on Wednesday, 16 May 2012, we will be one of the Top 2 finalists fighting for the ultimate prize. Do we want to win this Seal The Deal? Hell yeah. Are we confident we can win? Hell no.

But you know what? In the end, with or without the prize, we have already invested a lot in MasterBootcamp anyway. We have invested our talents. We have invested our passion. We have invested our hearts.

If we win? Awesome. If we lose? Too late too quit now.

What we’re aching for is not winning a competition, but for people to get on their feet and start exercising with us! See ya on the next session of Masterbootcamp, every Saturday, at ABC Outdoor Basketball Court Senayan, Jakarta, from 06 to 07 AM!

Are you game?!?