Anti Aasorg is a name at the centre of one of the most colorful old stories in the Estonian fitness world. Below, bodybuilder Marek Kalmus recalls, in their own style, how the collaboration with Anti went when Fasti products were being brought into the country — and why that experience is still worth remembering today, when someone walks through your gym door with a sweet business idea.
How Anti Aasorg appeared on the Estonian market
Once upon a time there lived an Aasorg. One fine day a man turned up out of nowhere in Estonia, saying he was a serious sportsman and even held the title King of the Skyscraper. Then the man thought he would like to become a king in the business world too.
No sooner said than done, the man headed for the gym. He knew, after all, that strongmen have no brains — and if he could somehow fleece them, that would be a nice start. A simple truth: if you sell supplements, you need a face to sell them. And who buys powders from a man who has never set foot in a gym himself?
So who was the least brainy strongman or bodybuilder in Estonia at the time? Ha, Kalmus, of course. Getting caught for doping at the Estonian championships was Kalmus’s doing, after all. The reputation was, so to speak, in the bag — and that was exactly what a budding supplement-shop owner needed.
Anti Aasorg and Kalmus’s collaboration
Since Kalmus could not be caught at the gym right away, Anti emailed the pea-brain some honeyed talk about how BIG AND STRONG Kalmus was and how smart it would be to start selling Fasti junk in Estonia.
Kalmus asked the only logical question: “How much dough will I get?” Anti promised all the profit to Kalmus and to build the whole Fasti business in Estonia on Kalmus’s back. Kalmus’s creatine, Kalmus’s protein, and so on. Great, Kalmus agreed. But added: “If you’re planning to shear me, buddy, I’ll turn you into a new product in the form of protein powder.”
Half a year passed. The business got going and Anti started craving a car. He left Kalmus hungry and bought himself a nice van-wagon, in which he now zooms around Estonia with a blissful look on his face. Since Kalmus does not have such a fast car, their paths have not yet crossed, and there has been no chance for Kalmus to bring the new protein product to the Estonian market.
But as the old folk say, every ram is bound to have its Michaelmas one day. We’ll live and see.
What to learn from the Anti Aasorg story
Honestly, there is nothing unique about this story. Every couple of years someone appears on the horizon of Estonian gyms promising a “big business” to some well-known athlete. The scheme is usually the same: the name and face are used to open up the market, the agreements are verbal, and once the money starts coming in, the promises are forgotten.
So what actually happens? The athlete gave their reputation. In return, they were supposed to get a share of the profit. But when the deal rests on a handshake, that “share of the profit” is exactly as big as the partner sees fit — in other words, zero.
Here are some simple things to remember when someone comes to you at the gym with a sweet business idea:
- Put everything in writing. Not in an email, but in a contract with a date and two signatures under it.
- Ask for numbers. “All the profit to you” means nothing if you can’t see the books.
- Keep control of your name. If a product is sold under your name, you must have the right to pull it at any moment.
- Be ready for court. Estonia is small — everybody knows everybody — but that doesn’t mean anyone will pay up voluntarily.
Until then, try to get by with Fasti and Tai-Kane. Enjoy your meals, keep growing, and happy new year to all!
FAQ about the Anti Aasorg story
Who is Anti Aasorg?
In the context of this article, Anti Aasorg is the man who brought Fasti sports supplements to the Estonian market in the early 2000s and worked with bodybuilder Marek Kalmus. The story is Kalmus’s perspective on how the collaboration ended in disappointment.
Why does this story matter today?
Because the same pattern keeps repeating. Every new supplement brand looks for a familiar face to promote its products. Before shaking hands, an athlete should pick up a pen — or at least ask someone who has already been through the rules of the game.
Are Fasti products still sold in Estonia?
The Fasti brand passed through the Estonian market in the early 2000s. Today the market has moved on, and most of the names of that time have either disappeared or been absorbed into larger catalogs. The story remains in history as one example of how verbal promises in the gym are worth exactly as much as a morning coffee.
Author: Marek Kalmus/Joker
Source: WHO – physical activity.
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