Please introduce yourself and briefly explain what you currently do.
Hey everyone ^^, it’s Nae and Mo! We’re full-time fitness content creators and online fitness trainers. We run our social media brand, SquatCouple and offer our workout programs on an app.
How did you map your career from tourism management and hospitality to becoming personal trainers and fitness influencers? We did not have a career mapped out for ourselves in the first place, nor did we ever envision becoming full-time fitness content creators. We’ve both learned a great deal from trying out new things, trusting our gut feelings and following our true interests, which has helped us navigate our strengths and find true purpose. After exploring various career paths, we discovered our true passion lies in fitness, which we’re excited to pursue for life.
How did ‘Squat Couple’ start? In 2019, Nae started out online as NAEFIT simply to share his passion and expertise in strength training with others. For four years, he has primarily focused on educating people about strength training at the gym. Later in 2021, while working in the back office for NAEFIT, I decided to launch my own online fitness channels, MOFIT in 2021. We kept sharing fitness and home workout content on our individual channels, but we sensed that something was missing. We weren't successful in reaching a larger group of audience.
Together, we launched SquatCouple in 2022 to connect with more people and bring more audience to exercise. We want to engage everyone and help all individuals embrace exercise, motivating them to move together.
How did you build your brand as "Squat Couple"? What strategies did you use to attract and engage your audience?
Building a strong brand relies on being consistent and offering content that truly adds value. We believe that every piece of content we create should offer value, allowing our audience to learn something from each piece we share. Through ongoing commitment to sharing valuable content, the channel will continue to grow. Consistently providing useful information builds trust with the audience and guides followers toward taking action, whether it’s subscribing, purchasing, or engaging with our brand.
Can you talk about your experience starting your workout programs?
Our main business is now our workout programs. Launching a business is a challenging yet incredibly rewarding journey. We have always wanted to offer a valuable product that truly reflects our niche. We have built our brand, SquatCouple from follow along workouts. Therefore, we want to offer what we do best and genuinely believe in our product, allowing us to promote it with confidence. However, we're still in the early stages of building our own business, and we know there’s so much more to discover as we move forward.
What tips can you give to people who find it difficult to enjoy exercise? Try to explore different types of workouts and find what you truly enjoy :). Exercise does not have to be boring! Often, we overthink instead of taking action. The key is to start, and once you find a type of movement you love, everything else will fall into place, allowing you to stay consistent.
What is your next goal? Our vision is to grow SquatCouple as an internationally recognized brand, dedicated to offering high-quality workout programs that can be enjoyed by fitness lovers all around the world.
How was your student life at MUIC? What are your fondest memories?
Honestly, our time as students at MUIC was filled with some of our best memories. It really helped us build our creativity, confidence, and practical skills that shaped who we are today. We were encouraged to express our ideas and think outside the box, participating in presentations that challenged us. The atmosphere at MUIC encouraged us to take risks and tackle new challenges, helping us develop a mindset that values creativity and being assertive.
What advice would you give to younger MUIC students who are interested in starting their own business?
Always reflect on the WHY behind starting your business. Consider HOW your business can address people's needs and solve their problems. Be brave, trust your instincts, and take action today. Never be afraid of making mistakes because you will make so many along the way, but each one will help you grow and become better. Dedicate yourself to tirelessly working toward your goals and keep pushing forward.
Motto
TRUST THE PROCESS
Name: Mr. Phonlawat Wittayarungrote, Ms. Mana Vitayakorn
MUIC Class of 2014
Major: Tourism and Hospitality Management
Position: Fitness Content Creators on SquatCouple Channel, Online Fitness Trainers
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