Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Blandon.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
My story starts at the age of 6 when my family moved from Colombia to the United States for a better future. But as you can imagine starting from zero my parents worked 16 hour shifts to make sure I had a roof and food on the table. Seeing this from an early age taught me that if I ever wanted something in life I would have to earn it through hard work. Now as a 28 year old looking back I realize I would never be where I am today if it weren’t for my parents. As we started to settle in the United States i fell in love with soccer and this is where my journey in the states began. I slowly became one of the top youth soccer players in the United States representing my state team and Regional team when at the age of 13 I had my first breakthrough when I received a full scholarship to attend Shattuck st. Mary’s prep high school a top Atheltic program for student athletes in Minneosta. After 4 years of preparation I was scouted by creighton university D1 where I was part of the programs golden era being part of two college cups & elite 8 appearance. After college I was fortunate to play professional soccer in Colombia, Portugal and represent the United States in beach soccer. After my playing days I found my passion in help others and started my own business called Bold Nation Sports.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
In life you will always face challenges so you have to be able to adapt, learn quickly and solve problems. Don’t dwell on the issue but work on the solution and when you make a mistake own up to it and take full responsibility and acknowledge that you can do better. In my career, I’ve had to overcome building a company with no capital and understanding to create value to my customers first and then the money would follow. At times it is smart to work for free to prove your worth and show with actions not words that you can actually bring value to a company. Another obstacle we faced early on was hiring the right people who fit the company culture, you can not have people that don’t represent your values working with you. You must have a way of vetting employees to increase the likelihood of a good prospect. Lastly, creating operational systems and communication systems that allowed us to function the business more efficiently at times it could be frustrating when you don’t have a system in place but once you do it runs smoother.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
The work we do at Bold Nation is truly special to me. Our mission is help empower the world through sports and create future leaders in the process. At Bold Nation we not only teach sports at a high level and help our athletes get to the next level of playing collge or pro but we also focus on the human development of our athletes and use the platform of sports to mentor and teach our athletes to create better habits off the field, In areas such as nutrition, mindset, self development and goal setting. That’s how we want to separate our selves and be known for more than just teaching a sport but making an impact that will last for a life time. We also have our in house media company Bold Nation TV that provides a full social media service that provides story telling videos , editing, photography, branding and ad placements to help companies grow their brand awareness and share their story with the world. Lastly we are working on our very own sports wear eccomerce store that will be launching June 2022. The best part is that through our company we have been able to intern student athletes and help them prepare for the work force providing them with real life skills that they can take to the workforce.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
Find something that makes you feel alive. That makes you wake up with a purpose. I find that many people are trading their happiness for a dollar sign instead of creating value in their life and doing something that fulfills them. Yes it’s hard but anything that’s hard is worth working for and at the end you will thank yourself for committing to something you love. Also be patient but work smart and hard as if you will not get another day to get things done and that will help keep you on your toes. lastly, when things get hard don’t give up. Keep pushing through as it will build character that you will need in order to get to the next level. Also better your self by educating yourself each day, exercising, eating better and surrounding your self with quality people who bring value and positivity to your life.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success means freedom to do what you love with the people you love, while impacting people’s lives in a positive manner. You will be remembered by how you made people feel and what you did to leave the world a better place. To sum it all up success to me is creating your own legacy that you can be proud of.
What’s next for you?
For our company we are set to expand operations in the US by June of 2022 and will be franchising Bold Nation Sports to provide an opportunity for people to benefit from our sports business model while impacting the world through our “sports meets life” approach where we mentor our athletes. Eventually we would want to become a big brand where people shop online to get their sports training wear and equipment and believe if we can grow the brand with our future partners we will get there.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
People can connect with me through Instagram @boldnationofficial or by texting us directly with any questions to 305-614-2375 our team will respond within 24hrs.
