So you want to be a pro-Tao Berman

So you want to be a professional kayaker. First let me warn you, financially speaking, it's one of the more difficult ways to be successful. However, it may also be one of the most personally gratifying experiences of your life.

First you must have a good product. If you are wondering what that is then you had better keep reading. The product is you. The sooner you realize that, the easier it's going to be to sell yourself. How can you differentiate yourself from other paddlers? What is your niche? What makes what you are doing different? Remember if you are a product, how are you better or different than your competition?

A lot of paddlers think first of what they want. I take a different approach. I try to look at matters from the sponsors’ perspective—try to put myself in their shoes. Truth be told, they couldn’t care less what I want; they just want to sell product. I figure if I can outline how their giving me something will help them sell it, then I optimize my chances of getting on board. It sounds so simple, but so many would-be-sponsored athletes look first at what they want.

If you still want to be a professional paddler then good luck! I sincerely hope you are successful. But when I see you at the starting line before the race, remember that now you are my competitor.