Meet Darien Pippens of Birmingham Al

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darien Pippens.

Darien, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, primarily in a city called Bessemer ,Or McCalla, Alabama, or whichever you prefer to pronounce it, depending on what part of the neighborhood you live in. That’s a unique thing about our neighborhood, whenever I wasn’t home, I spent about 8 years of my childhood as a “Marine Brat” spending years in Denver Colorado, Fresno California, and Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

I started my career path in high school. I played football and other sports, but I was also involved in drama. I did theater and music, so I had a desire to be either an athlete or something creative.

Fast forward to college, where I attended the University of North Alabama and majored in communication and mass communications. My goal was to work in television, sports television, or become the next Stephen A. Smith, a journalist turned TV talking head. I also had dreams of writing, producing, acting, and becoming the next Tyler Perry.

While pursuing these dreams, I still had athletic aspirations. I tried to walk on the football team and maintain my involvement in that area. However, injuries and timing didn’t work out, and those dreams never materialized.

Despite the setbacks, I stayed connected to football by writing for the school paper. It was my way of staying close to the sport, even though I wasn’t actively playing. I was watching basketball games from the sidelines and football games from the box, but I also interviewed players, coaches, and went to practices. This kept me in the field of sports journalism that I loved.

As a journalism major, I also got a local interview with a local television station, WBRC, to intern during my junior and senior years of college. This experience fueled my passion for journalism even more.

Fitness also became a side career for me. I had gotten hurt, torn my shoulder, and had surgery. I went through the rehab process and fell in love with it. So, I told myself, “Let me finish my degree. I’m not changing my major. It’s too late to switch from communications to kinesiology.” So, I decided to finish my degree and, when I graduate, I’ll start working in radio or get certified as a trainer. I did all of that. All of that happened.

Now, I spent the first five or six years of my career working in media. I worked and got an interview with ESPN, even though I was fresh out of college. I made it to the second round of interviews, but they didn’t bring me in because they saw my reel and resume and thought I was more interested in being on air. They wanted people who wanted to be writers and producers. Okay, fine. So that ended up falling through.

But I ended up getting a job at Cumulus Media, which is where I am to this day. I worked in their promotions department and met a lot of people. I did promotions, set up events like taking the radio show to different places, and even DJed or MCed at events.

I also spent some time with WIAT, a local CBS 42 channel. I worked with a desk worker, an editor, and did some video work for them. Then, I did contract work with ESPN and the SEC networks. I covered college games and high school football.

All of this was happening from 2017 to 2020. But then COVID hit, and a lot of that stuff was paused. It felt like my media career was going to die out until I started incorporating elements of my media into my fitness. We were talking about this right before COVID hit, during COVID, and after COVID. My social media started gaining traction with my fitness content. I leveraged my television background and communication skills to create engaging content, including reels, packages, and photo slides. This diverse range of fitness content helped me become the top trainer in the Planet Fitness Southeast region.

After a year and a half at our local YMCA, where I managed the sports wellness department, I found fulfillment in working with kids and helping them develop as young athletes. This experience also positively impacted the neighborhood.

My passion for fitness led me to take on various projects, including video work for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department , and local congresspeople. I also contributed to the strength of the fitness industry through my work with this new gym in McCalla, Alabama (OneLife Fitness)

Currently, I’m involved in fitness content creation at this gym and continue to host and produce a weekly show called Breaking Bread. Additionally, I produce a weekend show called Herbal Homestead, which focuses on natural remedies and their benefits for the body.

I’m also a leader in our media ministry at my church, Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. I collaborate with my close friend Devin Wyatt Johnson and her team, including Britney Sharp and a few others, at a PR agency called The Modern Mode Agency. Occasionally, I provide photography and video services to this agency.

This journey has been both challenging and rewarding, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to grow and contribute to the fitness industry. I’m married to a beautiful young lady named Mya Johnson Pippens. In the media world, she was a at reporter WTVM News Leader 9 in Columbus, Georgia, ABC 33/40 here in Birmingham, and she’s currently a Video and Digital Media Specialist for Jefferson County Schools.

We recently got married in June, and she’s the absolute love of my life. She keeps me on my toes and loves my ambition while also grounding me. She fuels my drive and motivation, so I truly appreciate her. Overall, God has been incredibly good to us.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Despite my packed resume, I’ve faced numerous shortcomings, failures, and setbacks. I’ve received plenty of “No’s” and even been let go from jobs along the way. This journey has been incredibly challenging, but I’ve managed to find joy in every moment.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for my work in fitness, as well as my work in production, From all media platforms, I also still dabble in music, singing and drum playing.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice to younger individuals entering the fitness and media industries is twofold: first, develop resilience and perseverance; second, embrace every experience as an opportunity for learning. Third, don’t hesitate to ask questions; a lot of questions. Lastly, seek a mentor and ensure that you treat others with respect, as they are the driving force behind the success of both industries.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Darien10
• Facebook: Darien Pierre Jonathan Pippens