Happy Black History Month! As many may know, Calistoga Fit and Donavan’s Wellness Solutions is a black-owned business. Our owner, Donavan Almond sat down with our marketing coordinator this week to discuss his personal and professional experiences, and what Black History Month means to him. Let’s dig into it! You can listen to the full interview here.
Let’s Talk Training
How would you describe your professional position?
Most people would identify me as a personal trainer. So, professionally, when most people see me or meet me, that’s what they see me as. The CEO title is something I only use business to business. The skill I have as a personal trainer is what has given me the ability to build everything around it.
How do you think being a personal trainer has assisted you in becoming a CEO?
I think the skills I’ve developed in the profession or the skills I had as a young person have continued to develop. In the personal training position you do a lot of evaluation and problem solving. You have to assess each person and see where they’re currently at, and put together a plan that will get them to a place based on their goals or health. You have to do that all the time in business, assess where you’re currently at, and what business partner you might be working with. Based on your own skillset and what can help bring their business to another level, and re-evaluate as well.
I think the other big skill is being a people person. I believe in meeting people where they're at. When they come in wanting to better themselves, communicating with them in a way that is positive, but also forcing them out of their comfort zone and making sure they feel comfortable doing so.
When you say meeting people where they’re at, do you mean physically, psychologically, emotionally?
Upon first meeting them, I’ll meet them in the physical form. But as you get into it, it evolves. Let’s say I meet with a client and don’t get a chance to meet them, I just send them a program and say “if you do this, it will fix your problem,” it might not fix the overall issue of why that problem is happening. Even if I give you a plan to get stronger, it doesn’t mean you’re going to execute that plan. It might fix it temporarily, but it makes it hard to get to the root.
What motivates you as a business owner, and as a black business owner?
The biggest motivation is to help people get to their best self. Through interactions with me or people that work with me. At first when I came here, it was through interactions with me. Then you start to learn “can I do this in a bigger way” and those are the arms of DWS and Calistoga Fit. Plus trying to partner with the city, we have levels for everything. I try to meet people where they’re at financially, physically and emotionally if possible. That’s the biggest motivation, any way I can add some type of value to their life. If I feel like I can help in any part of the world, I try to do it.
What do you think are some essential responsibilities to help people become their best self?
I think one thing, ego removed, I try to be honest in the ways that I can help. There’s the “I’ve done this before so I know I can help.” Then there’s the “I haven’t done this before, but I think I can figure it out.” Then finally there’s knowing that maybe a person needs to go see a therapist and I can’t help with my own skill set. Those are the essential responsibilities I feel. I want to help people, but sometimes the best way for me to help is to say “I don’t know if I can help you.”
Family, History, and everything in between
Who has been your biggest inspiration in your family?
Definitely my parents. They’ve both given me different aspects of myself. There is a level headedness and an approachable presence that I get from my mom. There’s a hospitable and welcoming persona I get from my dad. Another thing is consistency. He was very consistent. If you take those qualities and mix them together it’s very important.
My cousin. He’s been a very successful business owner. His name is Mac Wilburn. When I was younger he owned different restaurant chains around Atlanta. Then later he bought a few restaurants in the airport, he owns all the vending machines there as well. Over the years, he’s been an inspiration on the business end.
There have also been multiple clients who have inspired me as well.
What’s the greatest piece of advice you’ve received?
You get a lot of different lessons and wisdom. I think one thing I’ve learned is to know your boundaries. Know to what level you’re not going to compromise yourself.
Do you have a story about your grandmother that you’d like to tell?
One of the things that she was known for in the neighborhood was that her door was always open. So it was a safe space for people in the community to go to. She was very welcoming.
She showed her love to me through food. One of the main reasons I went to graduate school in Atlanta was that I missed going to my grandmother’s house to eat. Even if it was just me and Jacqi, she would cook us some food, watch the game and hang out.
Similar to the memories and impacts you have with your grandmother. What’s an impact you want to make on your children?
I want them to see how hard I work. I want them to see that me and their mom work very hard for what we have. I do check-ins and I will ask my kids if I’m working too much, or if I need to spend more time with them. I hope they recognize that the reason I do those check-ins is because as much as I’m doing other stuff through my career, a lot of it is based around them.
What are some challenges you’ve experienced while trying to balance everything?
One thing is that I’ve made a pact with myself that I will be home for every dinner. I start early so that I can be done by 4:30 to 5, so that I can help with things. My Sundays are for them. And I move things around to be there for special events. Plus those check ins, communication is key.
What’s a lesson your children have taught you?
They’re all teaching me something. It’s amazing how they can teach you in different ways. One thing is how your energy affects their energy. Sometimes the reason they’re acting in a positive or negative way is because of how you’re acting.
Our oldest, Caleb, who’s autistic. When your first child is autsistic, the vision you have in your head of what you child is going to be, shifts. He’s shown us how to be grateful. You start to realize what’s truly special when you have those moments. With him, I learned patience and different ways to communicate. I have clients who don’t speak much English, and because of him I’ve learned different styles of communication.
Experiences and Black History Month
Do you believe you had any difficulties getting to this point in your career due to your race?
I try not to overly think about it, but I’m aware of it. If you always think about what might be (from the outside) a potential weakness, if you think about it too much, then you’re going to start to believe it. I’ve had situations with the police, I’ve had those types of situations in Napa Valley and in the South with people who don’t know me. But it’s not a thing that is tangible. My parents grew up in the projects. They both went on to get their college degrees and I grew up in that upper middle class lifestyle. I had made role models of them as professionals to give me some kind of background to work into. When you’re in situations here, it seems like people are two generations ahead of where people are a few generations ahead.
What has been beneficial to me, since I’m one the few black people in this area. When people see me on the streets they might think “Oh, that must be Donavan,” so from a marketing perspective it can be beneficial to stand out from the crowd. I believe my skills are what got me there, but I also think I’m approachable because they know who I am based on that. I think it has been a little bit of an advantage to be a rare bird in the Napa Valley.
In Atlanta, the population is 50% black or African American, and in Napa Valley it’s .8%, how has that affected your experience?
Representation matters. Being from Atlanta, you see black business owners, black doctors, black personal trainers. When you grow up around that, maybe subconsciously, that gives you the mindset of “yeah I can do anything” because you’ve seen it.
I think a benefit of working with people in the Napa Valley and people who are of a different race, I can give them a subtly different experience or context to things that happen like George Floyd, things that happen culturally or things that happen in sports, that’s just a different angle. And they know they can talk to me and I won’t judge them. I’m not going to run to social media or talk behind their back, that this is a safe place for conversation.
What does Black History Month mean to you personally?
Big picture- It’s cool seeing different content that is geared around acknowledging a group of people who have contributed toward society. I personally don’t gravitate towards Black History Month as a huge thing, because I think about aspects of that in my daily life. My grandmother passed away last year, so thinking about her story is something that’s been on my mind the last 6 months. The things she went through, you think about how she made me possible.
Do you know of any black-owned businesses in Napa Valley that we can support?
Locally, Buster’s, which is a BBQ style restaurant. Outside of Calistoga, there are people who have made their own way in the wine world.
What do you believe that well-meaning people can do to support and celebrate black history month?
Celebrate it. Bring it up to your kids. Tell them the history just like you would share the history of any group of people. The subtle thing would be, if you’re attached to the position of experience, then provide that experience to a kid. I believe a lot in kids. I’ve seen organizations take a group of children to go to colleges when they’re in middle school. Some of the kids aren’t thinking about college because they don’t believe it’s a possibility. If you’ve never seen it before, then how do you know how to dream for it?
As a Black Business owner in an area that’s predominantly white, it’s evident that there will be challenges as well as opportunities to bring a new and fresh perspective to the minds of neighbors. This interview was a great way to bring new insight into the life of a successful business owner.
As Black History Month comes to an end, it’s important to continue the celebration that is Black and African American History. Let’s keep the conversation going. If you know of any Black Owned Businesses in the Napa Valley, email us the name and Owner!
