It seems that anyone with over 5,000 followers on Instagram is an ambassador for at least one brand. But how do you know which brands will present the best opportunities for you?

I have recently linked up with UGD Apparel to become one of their ambassadors. After speaking to Sam at UGD for a couple of months, I have an excellent feeling about this brand. The company is run by athletes for athletes, and they produce hard wearing, comfy and fashionable gym clothes, all of which I would wear. However, their lovely garments aren’t the only reason I chose to join the team.

I had to establish what my objectives for the year were before comparing them against UGD’s to ensure they were the right fit. I find that communicating and getting along with like-minded people makes a relationship much more effective and mutually beneficial. I’ve witnessed a few CrossFitters jump in at the deep end with companies they know little about. What they forget is that any association with a company could tarnish their reputations.

By posting my CrossFit journey on Instagram, I have gained a significant number of followers; this has made me an easy target for small brands and companies to promote through me. Most small companies often offer free products or services in return for promotion on social media platforms. This is great as with little effort you can get free things, such as supplements, food, drinks and clothing. Most people who have 5,000+ followers are regular everyday people who have a story to tell, so freebies are just a bonus right? Wrong. What most people don’t understand is that it can be stressful and mentally taxing! Posting promotional images which do not fit your personality can be damaging to your social media profile, as it falsifies you as an athlete. For example, loyal followers often fall in love with someone’s job, hobby or personality so changing this on behalf of a company for a freebie might mean that you lose followers. Also, if you haven’t done your homework on a brand, you may become associated with them and get dragged down by their bad reputation. Of course, the opposite can happen, and an excellent brand can help improve your reputation.

Both UGD and I are striving to make an appearance at more competitions and raise our profile in the CrossFit sphere in 2017. Just one example is that I want to compete with like-minded individuals in larger team competitions in the future such as Wild West – UGD has a lot of other like-minded ambassadors who I could link up with and learn from as part of a team. The owners are very understanding and genuinely appreciate what I do, why I do it and where I want to be. Their philosophy of producing for athletes by athletes has given me the chance to contribute feedback and become a part of their team. They have already implemented some of my feedback, making me feel valued as an ambassador. It feels great that they take my feedback on board and are interested in what I think regarding products, web design and their marketing activity. The opportunities to raise my CrossFit profile, contribute ideas to a growing company and maybe compete in larger team competitions meant that it was a no-brainer to join the team.

I’m excited to watch UGD, and I grow, and I’m looking forward working together in 2017 to achieve success and shared goals.

#TEAMUGD