Fitness coaching isn’t just about programming workouts; it’s about what makes a coach distinctive, relatable, and impactful. This Black History Month, we’re spotlighting four Black-owned coaching businesses in the Everfit community that have turned their cultural values and lived experience into competitive edges in how they coach, lead, and grow.
Instead of waiting for change, these coaches built it, using resilience, purpose, and clarity to fuel their success.
D.J. Gibson: Turning Preparation and Clarity Into an Advantage
- Business: D.J Gibson Fitness
- Niche: Pain-informed Strength & Conditioning Coach
D.J.’s journey into coaching began long before he launched a business. Athletics had always been part of his life, but a serious ankle injury just before his collegiate basketball season changed everything. Rehab was intimidating, and the uncertainty was real. Through physical therapy, he was able to return and play that season. That experience sparked a deeper fascination with performance, recovery, and the adaptability of the human body.
That moment shifted his focus from simply training hard to understanding how to move well.
Strength training, in his words, is about independence, confidence, and resilience. It is preparation for life. He became driven by helping people take ownership of their bodies, teaching them how to manage pain, move efficiently, and feel capable navigating the world on their own terms.
His Black cultural values shape how he approaches this responsibility. He speaks openly about respecting culture while also challenging narratives that do not serve long-term health. In many fitness spaces, he is often the only Black person in the room. That reality pushes him to hold himself to a high standard. Prepared. Professional. Clear. Consistent.
That consistency is part of his competitive edge.
Rather than relying on hype, D.J. focuses on education and fundamentals. He believes clarity is an advantage. When people understand how their body works, everything changes. Those “aha” moments, when a client realizes they can help themselves, are what keep him going.
Culture, for D.J., translates into discipline, pride in preparation, and a refusal to blend into mediocrity. His edge is not noise. It is knowledge.
Jeanyce St-Victor: Building Representation Into the Foundation
- Business: Beyond Aesthetic LLC
- Niche: Fitness & Wellness Coach for Women
Jeanyce didn’t start her journey with a perfect blueprint. After joining the military, her training shifted from core work and cardio to weightlifting. But the lack of proper guidance caused many injuries and slowed her progress.
Instead of accepting that as the norm, she chose to learn.
She committed to gaining the knowledge she once lacked, not only for herself, but for family members dealing with chronic illness, prior injuries, and physical limitations. What began as personal frustration became professional purpose.
Her lived experience as a Black first-generation woman in the U.S. Army deeply shaped how she leads. Many of the microaggressions she faced centered around education and fitness, subtle doubts about her knowledge or capability. Representation was scarce.
Jeanyce built her coaching business to ensure other Black female service members wouldn’t feel unseen or unsupported. Her leadership is rooted in respect and lived understanding.
What challenges have you faced navigating the fitness or coaching industry, and what lessons helped you move forward?
“I am still facing challenges, finding clients, pricing, branding, all of the above. The one thing I’ve learned is to lean on those around you that are willing to give advice, ask for advice, do research, try other things if something isn’t working, and don’t fiddle with what is working.”
For Jeanyce, “No” is never the answer. She started for a reason, and she bet on herself.
Kareem Rawlins: Help others the way you were helped.
- Business: Good Fitt
- Niche: Personal trainer
When Kareem started coaching, his goal was simple: help people the way he was once helped.
The first person who truly believed he could build something lasting was his wife. Her belief became the battery in his back when doubt crept in. 17 years later, that battery is still fully charged by the clients who trust him to stand in their corner.
Kareem doesn’t just train the physical. He empowers his clients to quiet self-doubt and step boldly into challenges, not just pushing through them.
What challenges have you faced navigating the fitness or coaching industry, and what lessons helped you move forward?
“My biggest battle has been with my own self-confidence. There were moments I questioned whether I was on the right path, especially when I felt like clients weren’t progressing, even though they were.”
Kareem had to learn patience and adaptability. He realized that when he adjusted, his clients adjusted. And seeing them keep moving gave him the confidence boost he needed
What advice would you give to Black coaches or fitness entrepreneurs building their businesses today?
“Focus on getting better so your attitude and commitment naturally rub off on those you coach. Treat every client like they just joined your team: smile, listen, encourage, and challenge them beyond what they think they can do. They can. They will.
Donyea Murray: Resilience, Realism, and Mental Fortitude
- Business: Fierce Body Don
- Niche: Hybrid Fitness Coach
For Donyea, coaching began with loss.
After losing her mother to colon cancer, health became deeply personal. What started as grief turned into a responsibility to prioritize her well-being and break patterns wherever she could.
Stepping into coaching took time. Her culture taught her to be strong, supportive, and realistic. What keeps her going today is watching herself overcome self-doubt and the obstacles she once believed were bigger than her.
To Donyea, physical strength begins with mental fortitude: the ability to face adversity and move toward your goals, no matter what.
By openly sharing her own physical and mental journey, she motivates her clients. She offers practical, relatable solutions that lead to real transformation, both mentally and physically.
What challenges have you faced navigating the fitness or coaching industry, and what lessons helped you move forward?
“I had to learn that a client’s negative outcome isn’t always a direct reflection of my ability as a coach. When I know I’ve given my all, I can’t carry every result personally. I’ve learned to give guidance and support without overwhelming myself.”
Failure is part of the process. But Donyea knows she must first be strong within herself, so others can trust her to lead them forward.
Culture as a Competitive Edge
These four coaches did not build their businesses by separating identity from strategy. They built by leaning into who they are.
Discipline became preparation.
Underrepresentation became motivation.
Faith became resilience.
Adversity became clarity.
In an industry saturated with trends, aesthetics, and comparison, their advantage is not louder marketing. It has stronger foundations.
This Black History Month, we celebrate not just representation, but the ways culture, lived experience, and conviction shape businesses that are resilient, sustainable, and deeply impactful.
When you build from your roots, you build something no one else can replicate.
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