Name that monkey

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

So more than two years ago I came up with the idea of naming the My 1-2-3 Cents monkey. I viewed it as a way to better build the brand with a long-term goal of rolling out some merchandise with his likeness on it. The really long term I'm thinking stuffed animals and an animated series on Netflix and a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but I'm getting way ahead of myself.

But I am serious about getting some sort of name on the monkey. I recently opened a store with Pro Wrestling Tees (shop through Monday, Sept. 3 and save 20% on  your purchase #cheapplug). Right now there's one shirt available, but I am working on some other designs and I think with the right name it an help with some ideas as well as lead to more branding opportunities. 

I'm also bringing it up again because the My 1-2-3 Cents blog, podcast and YouTube channel (yeah it's still there) have all seen a growth in consumers. So with more eyeballs on this post, I figure more ideas will flow. And when I first presented this idea two years ago, I was still writing both pro wrestling and personal blogs on under the My 1-2-3 Cents banner. That has changed since the birth of Kevin Hunsblogger. The monkey will completely represent the pro wrestling brand.

Proud of my monkey suit
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

I got some good suggestions last time, including Monsoon, Jitter and Mondo. Please don't suggest Spanks. Half of the comments were that in 2016. 😃But I would appreciate your 1-2-3 cents on the issue. While we're at it, if you have merchandise suggestions let me know. What would you buy with the monkey on it? Thanks as always.

Let's get Funko!

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

One of my goals for 2018 is to make $20,000 in my freelance blogging and content creation business. Most of that work happens over at Kevin Hunsblogger. Part of that mission relies on partnerships or affiliates with companies. As of this post, my tag team partners (this is a wrestling blog after all) include COLLARxELBOW brand (use promo code MY123CENTS and save 10% on purchases). I'm also working with Amazon and Manscaped. You can see more on those partnerships here.

Funko's WWE Mystery Minis

My latest relationship is with the company Funko. I'm excited about this. Funko has a variety of figures from all walks of pop culture and sports. There are WWE Funkos, including the line of Mystery Minis. As you can see, I have the Andy Samberg half of the 'Dick in a Box' figure from Saturday Night Live. My buddy Tom has Justin Timberlake.

I've seen Funko Pops pop up all over in recent years. Their popularity is what prompted me to reach out to the company and see about creating an affiliate page. So how can you help? It's quite simple. Click the link below and do your shopping. There's no extra charge to you. Thanks as always for the support in all my projects.

Thanks a million!

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Over the weekend the My 1-2-3 Cents website hit a milestone. Sunday evening the counter reached 1,000,000. I'm not going to lie, I've been waiting for this moment since I started the My 1-2-3 Cents blog in 2010. Yes, it's been just over seven years and I had hoped growth would happen faster. But I'm grateful none-the-less.

Readers of this blog are the ones to thank for the continued growth. I have a few specific shout outs I'd like to make here though. I consider Jeff Rose my blogging mentor. It was his idea for me to start a pro wrestling blog. In the early years, I had trouble increasing numbers. I got frustrated and there were times I thought about calling it quits. Instead, I tweaked my approach and added "life" and "pop culture" to the tagline.

Along the way, I became friends with Tom Harness at Harness Digital Marketing. He suggested changes in the layout of my blog and gave me ideas on how to get the word out on social media. Then in 2016, I got inspired to start a blogging streak, thanks in part to Gary Vee. I've continued that tradition to this day (between here and my other blog page KevinHunsblogger). 

When I started the KevinHunsblogger page, I decided to return My 1-2-3 Cents to its roots of being a pro wrestling blog. Since March 2017, everything posted here has been wrestling related. I have found in recent months the posts I write about independent wrestling, specifically Stride Pro Wrestling, get the most reads. 

I've had a few guest bloggers through the years too, most notably Chad Smart. We've been friends for more than a decade and have been to nine different WrestleManias through the years. I appreciate his help and the prizes he sends to give out to readers and listeners (the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast started in 2014).

And that brings me to this. Now that the million reader milestone has been reached, I'm going to celebrate with a giveaway. Just head over to the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page, like it (if you haven't already) and comment on this post. Thanks, everyone.

Lucky number 7

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

September 3, 2010, the My 1-2-3 Cents brand was born. At that time, I was just looking to start a wrestling blog and share my opinions and memories about my favorite pass time. Some have questioned the name, My 1-2-3 Cents, so for those who don't know it's a play on the phrase, my two cents. The referee in a wrestling match has to make the three count, so I went with My 1-2-3 Cents.

Each year when I write a post commemorating the anniversary I thank Jeff Rose. He's a friend of mine and the most successful blogger I personally know. He gave me the idea to focus a blog on just wrestling. Of course, through the years this page was tweaked and I added other content to it, but since developing another brand this year, Kevin Hunsblogger, My 1-2-3 Cents has returned to wrestling only content.

Tom Harness & Kevin Hunsperger at a Cape Championship Wrestling show

I'd also like to thank my buddy Tom Harness from Harness Digital Marketing. He's helped with getting the word out about all my products and has given me some solid ideas for growing the My 1-2-3 Cents brand. Look for some new endeavors coming up in 2018. My hope this year is also to reach one million page views. As of this posting, the page sits at just over 957,000. It's been a long time coming but I have no plans on giving up. 

Thank you as well to everyone who reads and shares this blog. It means the world to me to see it reshared on Facebook and Twitter. I even occasionally run into people in public who comment that they've read the blog, watched the YouTube channel or listen to the podcast. 

Your feedback is critical to the development of the My 1-2-3 Cents brand. You can comment on this post or leave an anonymous review here. 

Mr. 50-0 vs. Mr. 1-0

Mayweather & Hunsperger
Courtesy: Associated Press & Jason Wilkey

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

By now you know that Floyd 'Money' Mayweather won his fiftieth  and final fight against Conor McGregor Saturday night. I've loosely been following the buildup to the match, mostly because of Mayweather's one-time association with WWE. Chad and I were in the crowd the night he beat the Big Show at WrestleMania 24. After hearing about the deal he brokered it inspired me to write this blog.

Floyd 'Money' Mayweather
Courtesy: Floyd Mayweather's Instagram

Now that he's retired from the boxing aspect of his life, Mayweather had already filed for five trademarks related to 50-0. It's a genius move to keep making money on an already impressive career. Five and a half years ago I started a wrestling win streak by winning my first match in All-American Pro Wrestling. That record stands to this day. So should I resume my in ring career and try branding myself like Mayweather? Would fans buy into a 1-0 line of merchandise?

Kevin 'Some Money' Hunsperger

Of course, I'm not being serious as I write this. I just wanted to recognize the efforts by Mayweather and his team. It's all about marketing and hype. Yes, skills in the ring brought the original attention, but he was able to capitalize on that and become a very, very, very rich man in the process. 

My hope one day is to grow the My 1-2-3 Cents brand as well as Kevin Hunsblogger. It's a slow process, but I'm enjoying the journey. I've also added the COLLARxELBOW brand to my efforts. Shop online for merchandise and use the promo code MY123CENTS to save money. Thanks for the support. 

Being 40-something isn't old

Facing 40 (2013)

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Twenty years ago I thought 30 was old. Then I turned 30 and my thoughts quickly changed. In fact for me turning 30 was much harder than turning 40. I spent my 20s establishing my career and my family. When 30 was looming I still had a lot I wanted to accomplish. Because I hadn't reached those goals I viewed myself as a failure. 

Right before my 31st birthday, I made a big move in my career. We uprooted our family which had been planted in Indiana and headed to southern Illinois. On paper, the move was lateral, but I quickly started to climb the ladder at WSIL-TV and became the morning co-anchor. About a year after that our daughter was born. By then I was nearly 33 and felt accomplished. So by the time 40 rolled around, I had no worries.

Eyes on the prize

Now that I'm in my mid-40s, I have my eyes on new prizes. Building the blog, podcast and my presence on social media are all on my new to-do list. Some days I feel like time is slipping away and I'm never going to reach the top of the mountain. Then I'm reminded of others who were well into middle age before they made their impact. Here are some of the inspiring examples I found.

Col. Harland Sanders

We all know KFC and Colonel Sanders. Like many people, I assumed the Colonel had been a long time fixture in the fast food wars. I was wrong. He was 65 years old when his blend of 11 herbs and spices made him a household name. Sanders actually used his social security checks to franchise Kentucky Fried Chicken. 

Grandma Moses in action

Grandma Moses was even older. She became one of the best-known folk artists of all-time and didn't even start painting until age 78. Sam Walton didn't open his first Walmart until he was 44 (the age I just turned last week).

Self-high five for DDP's first world title win
Courtesy: WWE

And finally a wrestling connection to all this. "Diamond" Dallas Page's in-ring career didn't start until age 36. He won his first world championship at 43. He's now one of the most loved and respected figures in the world of sports entertainment.

While I know we're all going to die one day, I also know being middle aged doesn't mean giving up. Too often people hit a point in life and think it's too late or lack the motivation to keep climbing. I just have to work harder to prove myself. I'm patient, I'm hungry and I'm determined.