Meet Benjamin Duval: Owner of Pantheon Boxing & Fitness

We had the good fortune of connecting with Benjamin Duval and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Benjamin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting my own business is something that I’ve had in mind for quite a long time. My parents were both entrepreneurs themselves and had me follow what is considered a typical educational journey that led me to obtain my college degree in year 2014, back in my home country France. I graduated in corporate finance not out of passion for analytics, but thinking that it would give me a solid understanding of how to run a company. I never had any intention of pursuing a corporate career in finance my whole life. In my life, I was fortunate to meet numerous smart and charismatic people that fueled my optimism and my fire for entrepreneurship. I’ve always had a keen interest in business, most likely triggered by my hard-working parents and later by my interest for making my own choices. I believe that aspiring entrepreneurs are individuals that pay a lot of attention to their environment, see issues or things that can be drastically improved and act on addressing and fixing them. There is definitely a need for change, meaning and purpose in an entrepreneur before there is a need for commercial success. We now live in a world where a lot of companies are driven by profit but also stand by their own “corporate” values and culture. Most of us have the chance to ask ourselves if the choices we make in our lives conflict with our own values and purpose: “Should I accept Monsanto’s juicy job offer when I know they’re responsible for killing crops and causing cancer?” When it comes to the workplace and building a career, salary and benefits aren’t the only critical factors anymore. People now also consider factors such as the company’s social responsibility and values, work-life balance, interesting nature of work etc. Jobs are more than just a paycheck, and that’s great. They are a doorway which facilitates human connection, helps learning new skills, building a network and constantly create new opportunities for yourself and others. Another thing I’ve always been drawn to were businesses with a true sense of community, no matter the size. For example, it doesn’t matter how big Apple became, every time you step into one of their stores, you know you’ll be able to interact with employees who really care about their job and serve your interest to the best of their ability. I admire successful community driven businesses that offer amazing products or services and put people first, from the family-owned clothing store down the street to a multinational company like Apple. Let’s be honest, such deep considerations were not solely what motivated my desire to open my fitness studio “Panthéon Boxing & Fitness”. I wanted to be my own boss and to build something that has the potential to make a positive difference while doing something I love. I know that making passion your profession isn’t always the best thing to do but, in my case, it worked out pretty well. Over the past two years of owning a business, I’ve realized something I’ve always known. I found that caring about your clients and your team goes a long way. Always treat everybody with respect and the best you can, and success will come. This is especially true in a service industry such as fitness, where customers have so many different options to choose from. With this in mind, when I started Panthéon two years ago I did my best to offer a unique experience that I believed in and with a strong sense of community. I wanted a place where people feel at home, where they are greeted with a smile but also feel challenged and empowered after every workout. Creating a thriving community and a place where clients are looking forward to going is the key to my own personal accomplishment and happiness. Making money by making a positive impact, at your own scale. It doesn’t matter what you do or how big you are, starting your own business gives you the power and responsibility to make a positive difference in your environment.

What should our readers know about your business?
Panthéon Boxing & Fitness was born out of my desire to use boxing and fitness as a means of personal development and empowerment. I wanted to create a community that welcomes everybody regardless of your gender, age of fitness level as long as you are ready to put in the work and challenge yourself. Our community is all about getting better, keeping it positive and helping each other by sharing their experience and I’m very proud of that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I moved to Atlanta two and a half years ago and didn’t have a lot of time to do a lot of sight seeing, but I definitely have spots that I love and can vouch for. Eating; – Our neighbors Storico Fresco in Buckhead for an authentic Italian experience – Nina & Rafi for the best pizza in town – Dairies Coffeehouse for coffee – Ponce City market for a quick shopping and walk along the belt line – North Highland Avenue NE in Virginia Island for music, dinner and drinks!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am thankful for a lot in my life, but I would like to give a special shoutout to my girlfriend Avery to whom I probably don’t give enough credit for all her help and support. I know I’ve been sacrificing a lot for my fitness studio and she was always there supporting me every step of the way. You know what they say, “a man’s success is measured by the woman he chooses to have in his life”.

Website: https://www.pantheon-boxingandfitness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pantheon.atlanta/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pantheon-Boxing-and-Fitness-602785780169470

Image Credits
Pantheon Boxing & Fitness