Jake Monroe was broke, jobless, and living in his mom’s basement when he posted his first workout video.
It was 2019. He had just dropped out of college, unsure of what to do next. The only thing that gave him purpose was the gym. So, one morning, he propped his phone up on a stack of protein tubs and filmed himself deadlifting 400 pounds. No fancy angles, no professional lighting—just raw, sweaty effort.
He hit post.
Nothing happened.
Then, a week later, his phone started buzzing. Some fitness page had shared his video. A flood of new followers poured in, asking for workout tips. So, he kept posting. Short clips of his training. Meal prep ideas. Motivational rants filmed in his car.
People connected with his underdog story. He wasn’t a celebrity trainer or a fitness model—he was just a guy trying to better himself. And that made all the difference.
Fast forward to today: Jake Monroe has 4.2 million followers, his own supplement line, and a thriving coaching business. He’s proof that you don’t need a perfect plan to start—you just need to start.
And to think, it all began in his mom’s basement with a shaky iPhone video.