Take a minute to read Matt Meinrod's rationalization of why Evan Centopani was fired from PrimeNutrition (below) as it appeared on Project Bodybuilding. Let me start by saying that Matt happens to be a terrific writer and he spends a lot of time making sure his articles are logical and well thought out. Having said that, it’s also important to understand that he's drunk so much of the Aaron and PJ Kool-Aid these past few years that his view of the situation is a little skewed. After reading Centopani’s resignation-from-Prime Nutrition "post" on social media, I could tell Evan was merely being a gentleman when he delivered his well-articulated message. No drama, no blame, no animosity... he merely thanked Prime for the experience and moved on. This peaceful resolution on his part does not mean that he didn't feel slighted, deceived, or mislead. It just means he walked away with dignity. But Aaron and PJ are not that passive. Their egos need the public to know that they did nothing wrong; Evan was the one who failed to live up to his end of the contract. Public perception is everything to these guys. They don't wanna be the bad guys; the guys who convinced Evan to leave his sweet deal with Universal and sign the "Blockbuster Deal of the Century" with them.....only to have them "change their mind". So they called on their "publicist" Meinrod to plead their case to the public.
Why did Aaron and PJ really get rid of their Superstar athlete? I’m sure most of you are wondering. Well, the truth is that Evan wouldn’t “sell out” his principles to their business model. What model is that, you may ask? Sell product at any cost! Hey, who am I to criticize them; they’re making a lot of money selling everything that people “want” and nothing that people “need”. Mazel tov! Good for them! But herein lies the moral dilemma Centopani had with Prime. Evan, actually, wanted to come out with a supplement line that would improve people’s health—vitamins, essential fats, etc…. Products that people should take to increase muscle gains, increase recovery time, and increase general well-being; not flashy “pump you up” products. But high potency vitamins, minerals and protein powders are not profitable unless there’s a huge education push to teach the public why these should be used. Aaron and PJ’s model is, “sell what people want, whether they need it or not”.
Centopani also had a huge problem with some of the questionable marketing techniques that Aaron and PJ used. Hiring a porn star, for one was offensive to Evan. Likewise, PJ having “mock” sex (on video) with an inflatable blow-up doll to promote a new product didn’t exactly paint the picture of what Evan was hoping to convey from “his” line of nutritional products.
But what about the claims that Evan refused to post on social media or that he failed to cooperate in helping to promote Prime in the same way as some of Aaron and PJ’s other social media mavericks do? On first glance, it appears that this is classic apathetic Evan-as-usual. But once you look closer the reasons become way clearer. Why would Evan help promote a company that is using embarrassing (in his mind) marketing technique; a company that refuses to make his promised line of high quality products; and a company that is run by two “supposed” friend who are now tyrannically dictating to Evan what he should and should not be doing? Evan is not your typical sponsored athlete. He’s supposed to be your “partner” in this business. Just because he doesn’t own part of the company doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be treated with the respect of an equal. This is classic bullying 101 and once Centapani saw the writing on the wall, he bailed emotionally. Once he was no longer emotional invested, Aaron and PJ realized they needed to cut this huge expense to their pocket books and they dismissed Evan based on his failure to comply with his contractual obligations. In one sense, I’m sure Evan was secretly relieved (despite the huge loss of a monthly paycheck).
Were Aaron and PJ legally wrong in what they did? Absolutely not. They have every right to fire an employee who isn’t complying with the spirit of their contract. So no one can doubt them for what they ultimately did. But, to paint a picture of Evan Centopani as an impossible-to-work-with athlete who never wants to leave his house or post on social media is unfair to him. I know Evan very well. He’s a very spiritual soul who is driven by his intuition. He doesn’t allow “the good opinion of others” to control or rule his world. He’ll always be this way; love him or hate him. And I respect the heck out of him for having such strong moral convictions. I usually don’t get involved in this gossip-mongering drivel online but I felt that Evan’s character was being assassinated and I felt compelled to say what he’s too much of a gentleman to reveal.
Centopani and Prime Nutrition Part-Ways: No Surprise from Projectbodybuilding.com
PROJECT BODYBUILDING MARCH 23, 2015 1
Evan Centopani and Prime Nutrition parted ways following the Arnold Classic weekend in Columbus, Ohio, ending a short 8 month business relationship. Last July, Centopani joined Prime Nutrition when he opted to not re-sign with his long time sponsor Universal Nutrition, but instead join forces with his close friends and owners of Prime, Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun. Due to Centopani and Braun’s friendship, many people online speculated that Evan had likely been offered an ownership stake within the company to secure the blockbuster signing. In the press release last year, neither side made any proclamation that a partnership was included in the structuring of the deal, however, it was made very clear that Evan would be used in a much larger capacity beyond an endorsed athlete. He would be called upon to formulate products and be directly involved with the decision making on the business as a whole.
Ok, so that’s the very open and public side of the story, but you’re reading this for the inside scoop. I’ve kept a close eye on the Centopani/Prime Nutrition signing since it took place last year. On the surface it seemed like such a great idea. Nobody understands social media marketing, the bodybuilding industry as a whole, and captivating fans better than Aaron and PJ. Then again, Centopani has an equally large following (perhaps even bigger), but done so in a manner that is essentially proprietary. To try and duplicate what he’s done is next to impossible. He came into bodybuilding as a wholesome boy from the northeast, still living with his family well into his 20’s, as many Italian young men do (although I find incredibly strange). Turning pro in 2007, Evan took nearly 2 years off until his pro debut (which he won), and followed that up with another 2 year hibernation before he took the stage again, and won, beating Dexter Jackson in the process. However, Centopani has been on cruise control since then falling in the pro ranks and making virtually no physical progress since his 2009 IFBB debut.
How can that be? Well, part of what makes Evan an underground cult-phenomenon are his holistic and often times eccentric views on life that contradict not only the bodybuilding industry, but American culture as a whole. If you know the story by now try not to skip ahead. Evan’s father was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, taking what might have seemed like a healthy obsession with alternative living and put a jet propulsion rocket on his back. Organic foods and grounding pads turned into glassware and at home vegetable gardens. His approach towards pro bodybuilding started to look less like his mentors Dave Palumbo and Oscar Ardon had intended and more like Suzanne Somers and Tom Cruise (but less glib). Why does this matter with Evan’s sponsorship with Aaron and PJ?
If there’s one thing I know about Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun is that they trust their instincts, but are very well-calculated in what they do. Very rarely do they act on things out of emotion or stumble upon success on blind luck. One business exercise I know they’ve practiced has been to ask themselves, “If money was no object, what bodybuilder would you sign to the brand?” And Evan’s name was always at the top of the list and for many obvious reasons. He’s well liked in the industry. He’s a critical thinker. And it never hurts to work side-by-side with friends. But alas, here’s the crux in the relationship between Aaron/PJ and Evan. What makes Aaron Singerman and PJ Braun very successful businessman is their innate ability multi-task. They juggle multiple companies almost seamlessly and never seem rattled (at least in public). Evan, well, he’s a bodybuilder: Eat, sleep, train, repeat. Sure, he balances his family and travel (at his chagrin) and has plenty on his plate, but certainly not at the level of his two former bosses.
Having once been employed by Aaron and PJ they can be quite demanding at times. But that’s to be expected by their employees, especially those with integral roles within the company. Because there are many moving parts at Prime Nutrition (along with their other business holdings) they do not micromanage their employees, however, with that freedom comes responsibility. And part of that responsibility lays in understanding what it means to be a team player. The brand of the company is more important than the personal brand each employee (famous or not) carries along with them.
Evan was tasked to help formulate many of the new products that would be hitting the shelves at retail stores across the world; but so was John Meadows. And while this responsibility is incredibly important in not only making sure the consumer receives an elite product, but as we’ve seen from the Intra-MD product, it literally has the man’s name stamped on the label. Now, having said that, understanding business is paramount in having a seat at the boardroom. If Aaron or PJ task Centopani with the duty of formulating his own mulit-vitamin/mineral supplement and he returns to them with a list of ingredients that will cost $79.99 at the wholesale level, nobody in their right mind will be willing to shell out $150 at the retail cost for a 30 day supply, no matter how much Evan Centopani believes in it.
Prime Nutrition is not a sponsor of Project Bodybuilding. And while PJ and Aaron are two of my friends, as of writing this article, they’re not contributing to my site via Prime Nutrition, which is why I feel my unbiased opinion counts. One great thing about Prime Nutrition is that they don’t hide behind prop blends. They use top notch ingredients and doses that actually work. This is a brand I could stand behind and promote. And maybe one day they’ll be part of the great lineup of advertisers already reaping the benefits of Projectbodybuilding.com
As an observer of all things bodybuilding, I was the first to point out that Evan was doing virtually no promotion for Prime Nutrition. He made some early videos towards the end of summer last year (very well produced I might add), but that concluded the coverage. And I couldn’t help but notice he wasn’t doing much on the Muscular Development website either. Of course, we all came to learn that Steve Blechman had been dropping athletes left and right, and even the golden boy wasn’t safe from the firing squad. While the MD cronies ducked and dodged the criticism, even now, no deal has been agreed upon. But during all of this drama and turmoil, we did see the launch of Centopani.com. His personal website with nutrition and training tips scattered throughout. Now while I think it’s great for personal branding and self-promotion, it’s only acceptable once all of your commitments are fulfilled with your paying sponsors.
Once Centopani realized his product formulations might not be delivered upon, I could sense the relationship was in shambles. After all, that’s what he prided himself on. He was more than just an athlete who did videos and posed on stage. And now his ideas weren’t being utilized. Unfortunately for Evan and many people in the supplement industry, ideas, formulations, and products are one thing and making them fit inside a business and marketing plan is another.
You would have to be blind to not recognize Evan’s poor promotion of Prime Nutrition. First and foremost, he’s not a social media fan. Back when I first met him I asked him what Facebook account he used and said he didn’t have one. And if I ever saw one with his name on it, it was a fake account. Since then, he’s found his way to Instagram, but beyond the occasional post or visit to a website that no longer thinks he’s worthy of a long term contract (MD) he’s not easy to find online. And let’s not forget, he’s a homebody that doesn’t like to travel from weekend to weekend on the guest posing circuit. All the while, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention another Aaron/PJ employee, IFBB 212 Pro Aaron Clark; who just happens to work as a sales rep and is on the road throughout the state of Florida every single week talking to store managers and owners trying to get product on the shelves for the company. And for all intents and purposes, Clark is ranked higher than Centopani in their respective divisions.
So there you have it. A bodybuilder with a massive fan base, who doesn’t like to promote. And although he may have great ideas for potential new supplements, in reality most people in bodybuilding are working on beer budgets, not champagne. Do I think Aaron and PJ would have liked to have seen Evan make a bigger splash at the Arnold Classic? Absolutely, but I also don’t think that had any bearing whatsoever in the decision to release him from his contract.
Going forward I think bodybuilders need to understand that the landscape of a sponsorship is not what it used to be. Bodybuilders spend more time on their personal Facebook and Instagram pages than they do promoting their sponsors. Last time I checked, the monthly income is coming from the sponsor and not the FB and IG followers. Muscle Phone (Isaac Hinds) has recently been on a campaign to not only have athletes start thanking their sponsors after winning a show (what a novel idea), but to also encourage athletes to stop thinking of their endorsers as sponsors, but instead as partners. This is undoubtedly what Prime and Evan had in mind, but to take it a step further, we need bodybuilder to start learning how to become businessmen. As great as it is to be an expert technician on social media, most middle-school kids have us all beat. The trouble with many, if not all, bodybuilders is that they often times never grew up. Too many have never held down “real jobs” or saved for retirement or even moved out of their parents basements.
It really is unfortunate that Evan Cenopani and Prime Nutrition weren’t able to sustain their business relationship, but I think it’s fair to assume that if this relationship wasn’t maintainable, than all bodybuilders need to start doing some self-evaluation and take stock of their current situations. The bodybuilding landscape is changing and somebody will be without a chair when the music stops.