Actress, TV Host, and Pitch Woman: Forbes Riley
Most people know Forbes Riley for promoting Jack LaLanne’s Juicer and Montel William’s HealthMaster. Forbes Riley has sold health and fitness products for over twenty years and is a National Fitness Hall of Fame Inductee. This year Forbes Riley won three ERA Moxie Awards! The ERA Moxie Awards for the direct response marketing industry, recognizes the best in television, radio, online and mobile direct response campaigns.
You’ve seen Forbes hosting countless TV shows from ESPN’s X-Games to TLC’s Essential and she’s hosted some of the most successful infomercials of all time. Now Forbes has her name on her own brand new product called the SpinGym. Forbes gave me the inside scope on her new product and the inspiration behind it.
Lorraine:
What inspired you to sell Health and Fitness products?
Forbes:
I use to be an overweight teenager and dancer. Diet and exercise were always a struggle for me. I was always interested in new products because my dad liked to invent things. He always had wacky ideas. At age eight with my dad’s help we built a computer.
Lorraine:
I understand you were Miss Teenage NY.
Forbes:
Those were the days when Bob Hope use to MC the show. At the time the contest wasn’t about beauty. It was about your intelligence, talent, and personality. A written test was even required. I entered the contest because my dad was employed as a printer and severely injured his hand in a printing press. I needed to get a scholarship to attend college. It so happened that Miss Dallas won that year. Both my parents paid for my college education.
Lorraine:
How did you get involved with the SpinGym?
Forbes:
When I worked at QVC I met a gentleman selling a stress reliever product.
After trying the product myself I envisioned its many uses. I approached the gentleman about selling me the rights to the product which he did. Next I had to come up with a name for the product. It was actually my six year old that thought up a name. The name we came up with was actually owned by another gentleman. After several months of persistence and negotiations I was able to obtain the rights to call my product the SpinGym.
Lorraine:
How does the SpinGym work?
Forbes:
The SpinGym works by using gyrotronics resistance training. It weights half a pound but you can pull twenty pounds with it.
Lorraine:
What uses have you envisioned for the SpinGym?
Forbes:
I am working with Physical Trainers to develop a certified SpinGym program.
The SpinGym is also a great help for women that have had mastectomies.
Lorraine:
I understand that you have won some awards. How did you get to this point in your life?
Forbes:
It has been a wonderful journey for me. I have hosted shows on the Learning Channel and have been on Broadway. I have also traveled across the country as a stand-up comedienne. It was Jake Steinfeld the CEO of Body by Jake who asked me to host a show on a new network called Fit TV.
I have sold more that two billion dollars worth of fitness and wellness products via TV home shopping and infomercials and was awarded Best Female Presenter of the Year at the Infomercial Convention. The award was for excellence in a single show.
Lorraine:
What would you say has lead to your success as a Pitchwoman?
Forbes:
A positive attitude. I would say to be successful you need to embrace your positive qualities. Nurture what you would like to do and keep a journal of your daily activities. Be sure to like what you do.
Lorraine:
I understand that Jack LaLanne celebrated his 96th birthday. It was always fun watching him on TV. I remember at the end of his shows he would speak directly into the camera about how important it is to stay healthy. Forbes, do you have any particular ideas that you wish to share about nutrition?
Forbes:
There are a couple new nutritional products that I have acquired. One product is called Body by vi that my kids and I have been drinking everyday. In one shake you get the protein of 13 eggs, 5 grams patented fiber, the enzymes of 3 pineapples, chromium of 30 apples, vitamin a of 5 peaches, riboflavin of 20 spears of asparagus and vitamins and minerals. The shake tastes like cake with less than a gram of sugar. You can find more information about the product at ForbesRiley.bodybyvi.com
Another great product is called Vital Boost formulated by Dr. Victor Zeines, DDS. Vital Boost is a supplement with 72 uniquely combined nutraceutical ingredients. It is a powder that you can add to juice, a smoothie, and yogurt or shake which will make it incredibly more healthy and energizing. You can find more information about the product at vitalboost.com.
There are a few movies about the food we eat that I would recommend watching: Supercharge Me, Food Inc, and Fast Food Nation.
Lorraine:
What advice do you have for people that want to start their own business?
Forbes:
If you want to sell a product, start with the people you know. For example, when you lose weight by using Body by vi your friends will notice and ask you about the product.
Demonstrate your product. I recently attended a party where I didn’t know anyone. I brought my SpinGym with me by wearing it around my neck and everyone wanted to know what it was. By the end of the party I sold 22 SpinGyms from the back of my car.
When you have an idea for a new product, pitch your idea to a company that is in business making a similar product.
Lorraine:
Where can fans find information about you on the Internet?
Forbes:
On my web sites:
This all about Forbes. Watch it. It’s Great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgzE8fkY4aI
SpinGym OFFICE. Work out with SpinGym right from your office:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5I0JTYwXHJk
The Moxie Award:
Home Shopping Network:
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