Today we’d like to introduce you to Naomi Kong.
Hi Naomi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up reading books and playing music–I had no athletic background whatsoever. When I began my fitness journey, everything that was labeled “beginner-friendly” still left me dumbfounded and confused. On top of this, I also quickly realized there was little Asian representation within the online fitness community. My dad has always said that if you have the capacity to see a problem, you also have the skills and talent to solve it. Therefore, I set out to create content that broke down terms and concepts in a way that I felt was truly beginner-friendly as well as be one more Asian person in the fitness space. At this time, I was going to school full-time for business & marketing, working behind the chair as a licensed cosmetologist part time, taking gigs doing hair & makeup for weddings on the weekends, hitting the gym five days a week, and also spending 20+ hours/week on nights and weekends getting and editing content, and posting 5-7 days/week on my Instagram account. I truly didn’t know if creating content was something that I wanted to do at the time or if it would go anywhere, but I also knew that I would never know unless I tried. Even if it didn’t pan out, all it cost me was my time and energy which was going to go somewhere else, anyways, if not to building a potential business.
After about a year of posting consistently week after week and feeling like I was talking to no one but myself, I began to find my voice. Slowly, but surely, my audience started to grow from a few hundred to 5,000 to 10,000 to 25,000 and now over 90,000. After establishing a humble foundation on Instagram, I moved over to YouTube where I started the process all over again: having to learn a new platform, algorithms, editing styles, and build an audience from the ground up. But again, with a lot of dedication and consistency, I went from literally no subscribers to 5,000 to 50,000 to getting my Silver Play Button and now amassing over 270,000 people in my YouTube community. Eventually, as my platforms grew, I was able to leave my job doing hair that I had wanted to quit for a long-time. By the time I graduated with my B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing, I was able to simply keep creating content full-time and have been doing that since, never stepping foot into a traditional office job that I had thought I wanted when I began school. And of course, this journey would have been much more difficult if not for my husband, Chengchan, who has been my biggest supporter, fan, and of course, the best cameraman, videographer, and IT specialist. We have built this business from the ground up together; grown and learn all the ins and outs together, and kept each other afloat, and I am beyond blessed to have such an amazingly talented and patient partner.
It’s incredibly insane to me when I reminisce about how much we’ve grown in the past 5-6 years since starting the business and especially when I think about how far we’ve come as second-generation immigrants. Both of us grew up on WIC, getting our Christmas presents donated to us by local churches and the Salvation Army. My family of eight people lived off of a household income of $40,000/year for many years when I was a child. Younger me could have never even dreamed about making six figures in my lifetime or living the life that I do now. We went from young adults in our early and mid 20s who thought that we’d retire at 65 years old and travel whenever we had enough PTO accumulated to now being in our mid 20s and early 30s on track to retire early, traveling whenever we want to, and dreaming fearlessly without limits. It’s been an insanely challenging, but extremely rewarding journey. We are incredibly blessed to be able to do what we do and I am grateful for my community who believes in and supports me as well as all the companies who took a chance on me when I was just a young and budding creator. I look forward to what the future has in store for the us and know that this is simply just the beginning of the empire we will build.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
“Smooth” is the exact opposite term that I’d use to describe this journey. But without these never ending challenges, we would not continue learning and growing. For that, I am grateful for them and know that each obstacle has served its purpose and prepared us to take on greater challenges in the future. A few of the outstanding challenges I have faced and continue to face is having to keep up with continuously changing algorithms and platform trends, finding the self-discipline to stay consistent and committed regardless of the seasons I go through in my personal life, and continuing to push forward when I feel defeated.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Social Media Content Creator and NASM CPT. The content I create is focused on breaking down all things fitness so that the everyday person who has no professional–or even recreational–background in fitness can come to my platforms and literally have all the resources and information they need to step into the gym for the first time feeling comfortable and confident. I’m a very detailed individual, so my videos often include a plethora of tips and cues to assist my audience in lifting correctly, and really, help take their knowledge and fitness journey to the next level. I like to think that my YouTube channel is the gym beginner’s haven where they can come and learn everything they need to know to start their gym journey on the right foot and help calm any anxiety they might have around going to the gym. Because of this, I really do believe that the community I have online is one where people of all backgrounds and experience levels can come and feel comfortable and supported. I am extremely grateful for them and blessed to have such amazing individuals invest their time and energy within our community.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’ve grown to love quotes over the years and absolutely could not go without my Pinterest boards with all of my saved quotes plastered all over them. Whenever I need some motivation, encouragement, or a simple reminder, I know my Pinterest quote boards always have my back.
Contact Info:
- Website: naomikong.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/naomi.kong
- Facebook: facebook.com/naomikongfitness
- Youtube: youtube.com/naomikong
