This 28-year-old, who was once employed in a stock brokerage, took the pandemic as a sign to defy the odds by quitting his 9-to-5 to go all-in as a Fitness YouTuber.

Jacob Alava, one of the fastest rising fitness content creators in the Philippines, has always been an advocate of a healthy lifestyle through muscle-building workouts and flexible dieting. In 2018, he launched his own online coaching business, formulating meal plans and designing bespoke workout regimens for his clientele. Alava started by offering free coaching sessions to his friends. “But later on, I saw its potential and eventually turned it into a business,” he said.

Midway through 2019, he tried his luck on YouTube, consistently uploading videos as he juggled his day job and online coaching business. “It was tough. I’d come home tired after work, power through, and put a lot of time and effort editing my videos only to find out no one was watching,” Alava said in an interview with Carlo Ople, YouTube’s #1 sneaker content creator, on Kumu Live.

At the height of the pandemic, Alava was experiencing a quarter-life crisis and found himself at a crossroads. He had to decide whether to remain chained to the corporate world or freely ride through the highs and lows of being a full-time content creator. Alava made his choice. “I wanted to pursue my passion, which is fitness, plus I wanted more for me. I told myself: it’s now or never. If I failed, I could always find a new job.”

Clearly, this fitness creator picked the right track, paving his path to success. In just a little over a year, he received the coveted YouTube Silver Play Button when he reached the 100,000-subscriber mark.

His most successful video is “10 Skin Care Tips for Men in the Philippines,” which has raked in over 1.2 million views. “I never planned on making that video but a lot of people in the comments section were requesting for one. I did not expect it to blow up like it did,” Alava said.

Targeting those who do not have the time to hit the gym or work out at home, Alava produced another memorable video called “Paano Pumayat ng Walang Exercise | 10 Proven Tips for Men and Women,” which garnered almost a million views on YouTube. “It’s definitely possible to lose weight even without exercise. From my circle alone, I knew a lot of people who didn’t have time or they simply had different priorities,” Alava added.

But Alava also has a number of workout videos to help people stay active while at home home.

Today, Alava has over 222,000 YouTube subscribers. He also launched his own clothing line. He said, “Being your own boss has its fair share of challenges but I did not stop. As long as I am able to help somebody jumpstart their fitness journey, I won’t stop creating. I’ve made this my life’s purpose. Looking back, I have no regrets taking that leap of faith.”