More than 800 business owners gathered at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida’s (AACCCF) 20th Anniversary of their Eagle Awards Gala. Patrick and Amina Anderson, owners of D1 Training Downtown Orlando knew they were one of three finalists for the Emerging Business of the Year but were shocked when their names were called as the winning business, and said it was an unbelievable moment.
“To God Be the Glory!” Amina said. “We were up against two other amazing businesses. When we heard them call out D1 Downtown Orlando as the winner, we were shocked but also humbly thankful to receive such an award.”
The award is voted on by a select AACCCF committee and given to entrepreneurs who have been in business for one to three fiscal years, having demonstrated substantial growth over that time.
Originally from New Jersey, the Andersons took a leap of faith and moved to Florida in 2020 during the pandemic and opened the doors to their D1 Training fitness franchise in November of 2022. “What we most enjoy about the business is the ability to provide a service which helps people be the best version of themselves,” Amina said. “It feels good to build a community of like-minded individuals focused on their health and wellness.”
Nothing pleases the Andersons more than hearing stories from their staff as well as each athlete that comes into their facility, about the impact D1 is making on their lives. For example, a mom told them she is seeing the growth in her daughter’s confidence. D1 Training programs are prescription-based, which allows for a customized approach to help athletes reach their goals.
“They are feeling stronger, have more mobility for day-to-day tasks,” Amina said. “These are the things that make it all worth it. The Andersons also believe that the business is good for their marriage. “The business partnership as husband and wife has brought us closer and stronger in ways we never would have imagined.”
Patrick, who has been a basketball coach for many years, knows not every athlete is going to be the next LeBron James, but that training at D1 can be greatly beneficial to any athlete. “We can build up great people by coaching them and teaching them good character.”
The Andersons chose the D1 Training franchise opportunity because it lines up with so many of their core values. “We wanted a business with a positive community impact and a focus on health and wellness, something that helped build up our youth, and an environment where likeminded people could come together and build each other up (#ironsharpensiron).”
D1 Training is a fitness franchise concept that has made franchise ownership broadly accessible with a strategically designed 4000 square foot footprint. It’s a franchise model with tons of backend tech and operational support. With more than 100 franchise units in various stages of development, D1 Training is an exciting franchise opportunity for financially qualified candidates who want to create a fulfilling lifestyle for themselves while giving back to their communities.