Today we’d like to introduce you to Durran Dunn.
Durran, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a husband, father, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), an entrepreneur and an athlete to name a few of the most meaningful “hats” I wear. However, long before these roles and designations, my life as I knew it then as a child was far less than a fraction of what I have evolved to over the years. I am grateful for the blessings and achievements in my life; however, frankly speaking, I’ve had moments where I reflected on the start of my life as a child in Jamaica and realized that by societal standards and stereotypical beliefs, I wasn’t supposed to be where I am today, nor destined to be. In fact, I didn’t even have the wherewithal to imagine what “better” could look like, or that I had anything inside of me to even achieve “better.” I felt like my chances of what anyone would define as success were probably questioned even more after migrating to the US and became conscious that I am not only an immigrant but now a black man in America that brought about new issues.
Well, as I’ve matured and reflected on the start and journey of my life, the truth is – I’ve realized and appreciate that I’ve been blessed beyond measures to have overcame hurdles, had some achievements and hopefully inspired others along the way. Why do I believe that? Well – for starters, I have always had my mothers’ prayer as a foundation in my life. I’ve divinely had people and opportunities consistently placed throughout the seasons of my life that I’ve been able to capitalize on. I also now have my own family, which not only gives me a greater sense of accountability but a wife that supports and believes in my aspirations. All these factors played varied seasonal and life-long roles throughout my journey to date.
I was that kid that was born and raised in humble beginnings in Kingston, Jamaica, that discovered my passion for track and field at eight years old with encouragement within the community. I took this initial passion and carried it forward to high school competition. After graduating from Jamaica College (High School), I later migrated to New York, where I spent a couple of years at Paul Robeson High – School of Business in Brooklyn. I graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with an Accounting degree. I was a four-year letterman award track and field athlete and a member of the Kappa Iota Chapter of The Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity Inc. and was heavily engaged with mentorship and community service.
After college, I began my professional career at a global big four accounting firm, where I earned my Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. I later transitioned to work for Fortune 500 companies even at present. During the journey of my career, while I was generally physically active, I wasn’t as committed and consistent like I was in college until 2015-2016. I had made up my mind then while on a business trip to Australia and seeing the film, What The Health to make the lifetime commitment change. It’s interesting because while I enjoy my professional career and continue to have high aspirations, I’ve always maintained my passion for healthy living and physical fitness. So, with a renewed focus and demanding training program, I went on to compete in various national and international track and field meets with USA Track and Field Masters and with RaceTrac’ beat the Freeze event in partnership with the Atlanta Braves.
Most recently, in the middle of the pandemic, while understanding the risk, I chose courage in the face of the unknown and became a local business owner in the gym and health club industry. I am now the owner of Anytime Fitness East Cobb in Marietta, GA. With this Club, I get to maximize my passion for healthy living and physical fitness both as an athlete and gym owner.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, not at all – it has not been a smooth road; and in fact, I have grown to be appreciative that the road was not smooth. The struggles I experienced represents the spark that was necessary for me to achieve and exceed my potential.
My struggles throughout life varied, but I realized very early on that some struggles were meant to overcome, and others were meant to be managed. In other words, not having access to adequate meals as a child, not having access to textbooks during school or having enough money to pay my school transportation fare were struggles that I had to overcome, which led to my strong work ethic today. However, there have been some challenges where I’ve had to manage by faith and courage, and I’ve done just that. Don’t get me wrong, while I would have appreciated a journey of less struggles, I would not have wanted it to be smooth. Reason being because these very struggles defined me, my achievements, and my destiny.
Anytime Fitness East Cobb – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Anytime Fitness East Cobb in Marietta is an upscale club that offers a safe, convenient and affordable membership offering with state-of-the-art cardio, strength and free weights strength equipment. There is a heart rate monitoring system, as well as live and digital group fitness class options. The Club is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and members use their personal secure key fob to access the club. Members also have access to over 4,000 clubs across the world.
Additional membership options include an initial health assessment with the use of cutting-edge technology in the Evolt 360 – Intelligent Body Composition Analyzer. The Evolt 360 is a simple-to-use 60-second scan that provides detailed data about a body through more than 40 measurements. Fitness consultations and exclusive access to appointment-based full-body recovery sessions that feature the NormaTec Compression, the Game Ready Ice Machine and the Theragun Handheld Percussive Massage Device are also included in membership packages. Along with personal training, there is athletic coaching with high-performance equipment and qualified coaches for athletes across sports, including baseball, track, football, soccer, tennis, golf and more. Under the guidance of coaches, athletes will have access to designated turf space to train using some of the world’s leading athletic performance training equipment, such as the Vertimax vertical, resistance and speed training systems, SimpliFaster Technology for athletic speed development, as well as the Assault AirRunner Treadmill and Elite Bike.
Enhanced and rigorous cleaning and sanitizing procedures are being practiced throughout the Club to ensure a safe fitness experience. Procedures include temperature checks, personal sanitizing baskets and stations throughout, signage, distanced equipment throughout encouraging members to physically distance, sanitizing stations, facemask offerings and the closing off from certain equipment.
Current partnerships in place include programs with Healthy Contributions Wellness such as Silver Sneakers and Active Fit, along with Global Fit. Youth program offerings are under development with an inspired focus on general activities through functional movements. New member enrollment is free through October 1st, 2020 and includes a free initial fitness assessment. A grand opening celebration is planned for October 1st, 2020 at 11:00 am. Please stop by to enjoy giveaways, games, food, music and the chance to win a year free membership
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I am not sure if I have a single most proud moment as I celebrate successful moments as it represents achieving a milestone goal and being prepared to embrace the next challenge. So, here are a few highlighting moments where I was proud of my achievements or was able to positively impact the lives of others:
• Obtaining my CPA
• Being awarded the National Chairman Award at a Big Four Firm.
•. Serving on the National Board of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA)
• Serving on the board of The RISE Schools here in East Point.
• Partnering with the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as a representative to inspire young professionals and students across the country to pursue a career in Accounting.
• Becoming a health club and gym owner with an amazing team.
Pricing:
- Memberships starts as low as $39/month
Contact Info:
- Address: 4880 Lower Roswell Rd Suite 520
Marietta, GA 30068 - Website: www.anytimefitness.com
- Phone: (678) 909-5095
- Email: eastcobb@anytimefitness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afeastcobb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anytimefitnesseastcobb
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