If you are thinking this blog post is going to be about hats you should, probably, stop reading right now. I say that with the utmost sincerity too! Ha! I am kicking off this week by talking about my “work hats;” yes, the “many hats of Janine Serio” is a question I get asked a LOT, and one that I am going to share with you today.

The many hats of Janine Serio is something that I am asked all the time, even from my own family & friends. It is not coming from a “wait, what do you do” as a “is this a real job” but a “wait, what do you do” as a “I am very intrigued.” There are still people who feel what I do is not a “real” – and that is perfectly okay – but I am going to break it all down for you. The good, the real, the struggle, etc. For those who feel it is not “real,” you may think differently once I give you the 411 on how successful you can be in this space (and it is 2021 after all; influencer marketing is HUGE).

Many Hats of Janine Serio #1: Co-Principal & CEO of 2 Health Nuts

Health & wellness has been at my core since, well, what seems like forever! My background is in fitness & nutrition; I have of B.S. in Exercise Science & hold a handful of certifications (i.e. ACE Certified Personal Trainer & Health Coach, Precision Nutrition Level 1 and YogaFit Level 1 Certified) in addition. This marks my 15th year in the industry and, when I say I feel like I have done it all, I have done it all. I got my start at a local, “big box” gym working as a Personal Trainer, as well as mentored with some other trainer’s in the Baltimore area who worked independently. From the start, owning my own business was a dream & passion of mine.

I spent 8 years working the gym circuit, forming my own, personal LLC to do independent work, dabbling in strength & conditioning and, ultimately, moving into corporate wellness. It was in late 2013, early 2014, when I knew I had to break away from having my hand in a lot of different entities. I was tired, stressed, my personal life was taking a turn, and I was done with helping build everyone else’s businesses and not moving up the professional ladder myself.

It was in April 2014 that 2 Health Nuts was born; a blending of all my favorite wellness things wrapped into a business model that was going after my dream – a business owner, making a mark in the industry, and providing nothing less than the utmost in service to our clients.

Alongside a former colleague and, now, dear friend, we developed 2 Health Nuts with the mindset of servicing the corporate sector in Baltimore, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania and, eventually, nationwide. Our focus is on high-touch, onsite engagement that spans a multitude of wellness options – group fitness, personal training, lunch & learn seminars, behavioral change & lifestyle coaching, wellness events, and so much more.

Over the last 7 years, we have shifted gears a handful of times and, as I am sure you can imagine, 2020 brought its own set of struggles and “new rules.” With the goal of bringing our wellness services to the online space in the future, our hands were a bit tied and we were “forced” to make that transition within a few months last year. We went from having a business and then, ultimately, wondering if the company could survive since “onsite” became, virtually, non-existent as of March 2020.

A new business model was created, and one that had to be done on the fly. It was a leap of faith, and a lot of money was invested in the process (i.e. brand new website, new programming, and contracting with a lot of independent health professionals). The end result? While we hope on-site wellness will, once again, become a “thing”, we are set-up for our business to be, solely, online should this be the new norm for health & wellness. Not only can we assist our clients on the world wide web BUT we will be rolling out DIY programs very SOON (and something you should, absolutely, check out)!

Being a business owner has so many pros and, at the same time, has a handful a cons…but those are the very cons you know about going in. It’s a risk. A HUGE risk. It’s easy to say “I can’t do this; I need a paycheck; I am tired/stressed/frustrated, etc.” I have said these very statements more than I can even count, but where does that get you?

I have so much faith in 2 Health Nuts, and, as we rebuild, I know that this business is going to get stronger, gain more notoriety, and be better than it was before! My personality is not to give up; it’s to level up, as hard as it can be at times.

As for my role in the company, I have gone more behind the scenes over the last 5-6 years. I had been in the forefront with everything I had done before that I needed a breather. I focus on the research, writing & developing of the programs we offer, constantly re-working & tweaking the business model, assist in the upkeep of the website, and keep my finger in the pulse with the latest in the industry. And I still have a handful of personal training clients that I see throughout the week too, whether in person or virtually.

The many hats of Janine Serio – Part 1. 

Many Hats of Janine Serio #2: Creator & Developer of the Brands “Janine Serio” & “Fit4Janine” 

FYI: Giving you the Reader’s Digest version on this “work hat!”

It was 2016 when I was really feeling defeated. Yes, 2 Health Nuts was not even 2 years old but I was feeling the effects of “pre-business owner” as well as my personal life doing a complete 360. The fitness & nutrition world started to feel like it was defining me. I know this may sound very contradicting to what I just shared but its relative. Here I am, Entrepreneur, living out my dream and it wasn’t fulfilling. It was the beginning of 2016 when I was accepted into a 12-month business coaching program that was intense – I learned so much – and allowed me to travel for workshops & conferences. I got out of Baltimore, focused on the business side of things – go figure, it was how to build a successful & lucrative online business – and I tried to figure out how to get the passion back. How to feel more like me?

It was around this time when this concept of “influencer marketing” was becoming BIG. I mean, it was hot. Blogging had been around but, now, it was being tied into this bigger picture of social media, specifically on the Facebook & Instagram platforms.

This was the start of both my brands being created. While it is hard to pin point the exact tipping point for me, I always remember people making the comment when they would see me outside of the gym. “Wow, you actually have clothes other than athletic wear!” I always laughed it off but, it got me thinking, there is a whole side of me outside the fitness & nutrition spectrum that people do not even know about!

I love FASHION! If the wellness path did not pan out, I would have channeled my love of fashion & gone into the industry.

I am a huge FOODIE! I love to cook, and I love to wine & dine too!

My BEAUTY regime; yes, it is a process but I am passionate about hair, skin, and body health!

I love to DECORATE and can throw a party like nobody’s business!

Need I say more about TRAVELING?

When I was living in Santa Monica back in 2017, I got my first set of professional photographs and I launched my online presence – only a handful of social media channels – of “Fit4Janine.” The concept was all of the things that are, literally, “fit for me” outside of the fitness arena. Get it?

And, so it began…

A lot of trial and error. A whole new world, and a learning curve, for sure.

In the Fall of 2018, the “Fit4Janine” blog was launched, and I was smitten. I got in the groove of blogging on the regular, posting, at least, once a day on social media, and just tried to figure it out as I went along. Something, though, still did not feel quite right.

In March of 2019, I attended a conference out in Palm Springs that is one of the largest for creators, influencers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, etc. It was very exciting, yet very overwhelming at the same time. It hit me one day during a presentation I was listening too.

I think I am doing this all wrong, yet there is no “right way” to do it. This mindset is not good for someone who is a perfectionist, like myself, and wants the answers. I guess this is WHY this has become such a fitting role for me. It challenges me in a very different way.

It was shortly after this conference that “Fit4Janine” became a 2nd brand to “Janine Serio.” Having the presence be of my name made it feel more relative, inclusive, like “home” and more like an influencer. Less “these things are fit for me so they ‘should’ be fit for you (which is not at all what it meant)” and more “hey, these are my favorite things and this is why I love them and tout them so much.”

While Fit4Janine stayed stagnant for a bit, 2020 came with another switch as well. A new blog was needed; I wanted it more user friendly and more opportunities for monetization (more on this shortly). Also, I needed a company who had 1st hand experience in creating, and marketing, a blog such as my own, and to help me with back end promotions, campaigns, and then some, which are time consuming and costly.

Basically, this is GO TIME. With the world shifting gear to everything being online, it was now or never to get things in check.

Summer 2020 came with hiring a new web development/marketing company, obtaining the rights to the “Janine Serio” URL (funny story, I have met the Janine Serio who owned it), creating a brand new platform that is super easy to navigate (designed by yours truly) and turning “Fit4Janine” into my online closet.

Everything started, and continues, to click, including the addition of film/commercials to my resume as of 2021. Who would have thought?

The biggest aspect of this, though, is time, patience, and consistency. I cannot stress it enough. All three of these are interchangeable.

• In order to make money, you need to build an audience.
• In order to build an audience, you need to be consistent with your content and draw a “line in the sand” when it comes to why you promote and tout “x,y,z” brand.
• As a public figure/influencer, you need to recognize yourself as an “authority” in the areas that you promote. You need to have the mindset that you would be remised if it was not put out into the online space because you believe in it that much.
• You need to understand your audience’s “pain points.” What is the solution that you are offering?

Ready for this next one? You need to lead with the mindset that you are not going to generate money in order to make money. 

Let me be real, of course, I want to make money. And, there is a LOT of money to be made on this platform (which I will show you momentarily); but being a public figure/influencer means being authentic in your space. You should be the same person whether someone is reading your “voice” as if they met you in person. When we start developing content that is coming only from a place of “how can I make the quickest buck,” your audience can see right through it.

Trust me.

It does not matter how good you can write, or how could a salesperson you are, that realness that people want to relate/connect to goes away. It becomes pushy. It becomes fake. People become un-interested. Think of it like being at a department store and 20 sales people ask you if you need anything or have been helped (think commission in mind). This happened to my Mom and I over the weekend and we ended up leaving & going somewhere else because it was a “can we just shop?” Yeah, you know what I mean!

Finally, how exactly do I (or can I) make money?

Generally speaking, if your blog is optimized, correctly, for search engines (also known as “SEO”), coupled with consistent content – ghosting your audience for 2 weeks is not going to get you very far – on your social media platforms, your blog should start making money in the first 2-3 years. The goal is to get traction towards your blog, although Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest (which is huge right now) all have ways to make money directly through them. Additionally, growing your email subscriber list is another way to potentially attract more sales and new customers as well! Click HERE to get on my list to receive content in the realm of food, fashion, beauty, & travel!

I am going to be perfectly honest; I spend more than I make right now. For me, and my business goals, it is the nature of the beast…and you have to give a lot of FREE away first. There are bloggers who came in at the right time, who made money before they needed to spend, and others who spend very little yet gain a lot of traction. There is no rhyme or reason – yes, Facebook/Instagram advertising is a great way to gain new followers – but it comes down to having a consistent audience.

Think of it like repeat customers. You never want to, solely, rely on new business. It’s the continued income stream that you are making, even when you sleep. See, the many hats of Janine Serio can even be happening at 1:00 am! 

Blog/Social Media Monetization

These are in no specific order, and a non-exhaustive list.

• Affiliate Marketing: Receive a varying commission, dependent on product/brand, on any sale made through a generated link.
• Sponsored Social Media and/or Blog Posts: Receiving a monetary fee or product in exchange for 1 or a series of social media and/or blog posts.
• Google Adsense: Ad placement that generates income from traffic coming to your blog
• Personal Product Development: DIY or courses lead by you, personally
  • eBooks
  • Online Courses
• Sell Physical Products
  • Fit4Janine Closet
• Freelance Writing/Guest Posts: Writing for brands that are part of your niche. Not only do you get compensated but you are getting exposure as well.

With all of the above, the more followers and traffic coming to your social media & blog, the more of a return you are going to see. I am going to give you a monthly breakdown based on the sources above.

Since I am still very much a “micro-influencer,”I am going to get a rough estimate on having 5000 followers on Instagram/Facebook & 5000 page views a month on my blog. FYI: No, these figures are not real life; only examples. Just think, if this is what you can make per month, imagine what happens when your following goes to 10,20, 30, 100,000+

I am going to take the 5% rule when making purchases; meaning, of the number of followers, only 5% will purchase.

Affiliate Marketing: If, on average, each of the 250 people spend $50 a day through one of my affiliate links, this equates to $12,500. While all commission are different, let’s use 5%. This means, I would make $625 per day. If using 30 days, this comes out to $18,750. 

Sponsored Social Media/Blog Posts: For a small audience, there is only so much money a brand will offer. Now, that is not always the case; being small but having a high engagement rate is, hands down, much better than having a large following with very little engagement. At 2 sponsored posts a month, I will say $1000.

Google Adsense: You really need a a decent amount of page impressions, per month, to see a decent revenue stream. For right now, I am going to say $100 per month from ad placement.

Personal Product Development: Online courses would be factored into more of a quarterly/yearly breakdown, depending on what & when it was offered, so I am going to leave this out for now. An eBook is something that would have a permanent spot on my blog to purchase at any time! If my eBook was $9.99, and 250 purchased, this would equate to $2497.50, which can vary month to month. I will break this out over a year which becomes $208.13 per month.

Sell Physical Products: The Fit4Janine closet varies, so I am going to estimate $250/month.

Freelance Writing/Guest Posts: While you are looking at a “per cent word,” this can be an easy way to bring in some extra money a month. To be realistic, I may only be able to dedicate 5-10 hours, extra, per week to something like this. This could be anywhere from $250-$500 per week; we will say it could bring in an extra $1000 per month.

Based on everything I just shared, minimally speaking, and based on 5000 followers and blog page views, the rough estimate I am sharing is $21,308.13 per month. Play around with the numbers. Even if you have 1000 followers, you are still looking at a healthy monthly income and then, the flip side, if you are in the 10,000+ range, well, you get my drift!

Again, these are rough estimates and based on research and my, personal, thoughts. And, if you are wondering, no, I do not make that a month. It’s going to happen, and then some!

Hope you enjoyed reading all about the “many hats of Janine Serio.” I love what I do but the struggle is very real. You have the highs, and the lows, the 7 day a week work life, paychecks few and far between (for now), and all the responsibilities of being a business owner. At the end of the day, though, I would not trade it for a 9-5 desk job.

Here’s to a wonderful week!

xoxo