As I sit here typing this, the rational part of me is telling me to wait, calm down and reply with your business head on. For those of you that have known me for awhile, will know that I am direct, blunt and speak the truth.

10 minutes ago I received the following email  –

Hello PE

I’m letting off steam because I feel a bit annoyed. I’m doing your show in 2 weeks, which I’ve never done before with your federation and entering the muscle model category. I’m excited to do the show from all the hard work I’ve done to get into the best shape I’ve been in. Everyone seems to know each other in our industry via social media but I was told recently on my posing class that a lad in my category (won’t mention his name) had a photo shoot recently (which I can’t afford to do) and that the pure elite owners have been tagged into them on Facebook to be used for pre judging. (someone else in my class said he would have been told he will win if he is getting publicity) Seriously???????? Do I need to post pictures on social media so I can be anaylised or pre judged ????

At this stage of my prep my mind is all over the place and for someone to tell me this has made me feel angry and because I haven’t had a photo shoot it feels like it has put me back for the show and not to bother turning up. It’s all about who you know not what you know.

Sorry to vent

To say this took me to the next level of pissed off is an understatement. Tagging anyone will never have an impact on where you place. Let me give you some history on myself and Pure Elite…

Before Pure Elite I was the head of 7 departments at a FTSE 100 company called Lexis Nexis (Look them up they sell legal content). During that time I probably fired 3000 people… yeah I am that guy… The guy you hire to restructure departments, the guy you get to make all the decisions that no-one else wants to make. My fiancee worked for me and I in fact fired her… twice! That is not to say I am ruthless, I am not. Most of the people that have worked for me would still talk to me now as I was honest and direct with them. I point this out so you understand that judging competitors on stage is easy for me.

The idea of Pure Elite came about after I went through a body transformation myself appearing in a few local papers and magazines. I went to watch a few shows contemplating entering and also to support a friend who was the manager at my local gym. As an outsider looking in at the show I didn’t like the way somethings happened and it made me question why things were done a certain way. This was the spark for Pure Elite. Instead of just complaining like most people do I put my money where my mouth is and started Pure Elite. One of the things that we do differently at Pure Elite is that we do not do call out’s. To me it seems logical to not to call out’s (For those that don’t know call out’s is when you have X number of people on the stage, lets say 20 and then the top 5 or 6 get called forward with the rest staying on the back wall. Instantly knowing who the top 6 are in the category). Everyone thought I was crazy to not do call out’s. People will have to be on stage longer, you will have to move people around…Missing the whole point. That is precisely why I do it. If judges have to spend longer judging and everyone is on stage for longer and I have to move people around then good! Everyone is treated the same at Pure Elite.

So now we get to tagging. I have mentioned this before on social media… If you are going to tag myself or Pure Elite on anything do it for the right reasons. The reason’s are to help promote the show, to be a part of a community, have a bigger audience, get more sponsors, for you all to be a part of an amazing day. All of these things. If you are tagging to increase your chances in placing, then you are wasting your time. I really do not care. There is no business reason why someone who does not deserve to win would win. How would I or my company benefit from that?

I mean this in the nicest possible way, I do not need more friends and my ego is huge. My arse does not need to be kissed.

What I do want is the best show/federation what ever you want to call it in the world. I want the best competitors. I want the best atmosphere, I want the best sponsors. I want a community that is bigger than just show day where people make life long friends and enjoy the sport. The same as you would if you played Sunday league football or any other sport.

Pure Elite is my business but more importantly it is my passion. I quit a career and a salary that most people would love to have to follow my dream. The dream to have a show unlike any other.

So if you are going to tag me, tag for the right reasons!

Oh and whilst we are at it… I don’t care where your bikini is from, who does your tan, where your shorts are from, where you get your shoes, who does your posing, who trained you, what your middle name is, how many followers you have or anything else for that matter. All I care about is that you come and enjoy the day and realise that Pure Elite is completely different than any other show and that is a deliberate business decision.

Stewart Armstrong

CEO

P.S. All I can think about now is the Jerry Maguire memo. There is a reason I had PR and lawyers when I was working at Lexis Nexis.