By: Terry Barga

Deon’s story is a story that needs to be told, a story that intersects with my own story. And has since gone on to touch so many lives for the last decade.

I met Deon quite some time. We met many years ago, just after I had relocated to Nashville from Dayton, Ohio. We were trainers at the neighborhood community center off of Nolensville pike called Coleman Park. I was new to the area and had only had my business off the ground for about 2 years. My success was partly because of Deon, and I’s mutual friend Stevon Neloms, the community center director. He had hired us both to be personal trainers. I just made it in before a hiring freeze brought on by a recent recession. Stevon is a giant in stature and kindness, so he saw fit to encourage us to bring each other up as we worked on our separate businesses. I say all because, at the time, there were 4 trainers at this community center. So how is this relevant to Deon’s story? Well, Deon, much like myself, headed Stevon’s leadership, and we all eventually found our niche. When we look back, we see the value of a relationship-focused galvanizing leader.

Deon and I would eventually go our separate ways. Me ending up here writing to you and him, his own gym. We pick up the story on video as we talk about how he built his business, Training Corner, and how Covid nearly took it away. You see, Deon’s story is much like all of our stories. One of sheer determination and another of complete uncertainty that it will all work out in the end.