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

Hi Donnell, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process was two-fold; I started my business to remind as many people as possible of their inherent connection to nature, and to do my part in facilitating a safer, more welcoming environment for peoples of my ethnicity to enjoy the outdoors!
To my first point, I can’t help but think about how industrialized our society has become. We idolize our cities. We see them as places of refuge, as fortresses. Many of us get our food, clothing and shelter in them. In fact, we spend so much time building and sustaining the systems that govern city life that most of us fail to put that same energy and effort into ourselves. And when we do have that epiphany to take charge of our physical, mental, emotional or spiritual well-being, we tend to seek out help within the same source that much of our worries derive from, the cities! Although there are some good things about them, cities require massive efforts from each of us to keep them functional. They do not run themselves. While we pour so much energy into the upkeep of them, we often feel broken and worn down from all that constant maintenance. In most cases, city living fails to give back to us what we put into it. Alternatively, nature is a self-sustaining and healing entity that just simply needs to be, in order to serve her purpose. Just like the mother that she is, she seeks to feed, nourish, clothe, and to maintain her inhabitants! Much more than round-the-clock maintenance from us, she essentially needs to be revered and respected for the all-powerful force that she is. I’d like for people to recognize her as such so that we can always remember to unplug from the chaos of our daily schedules and to seek out the love, guidance and support that nature offers.

Secondly, I’ve come to realize that a lot of the people who share my black American ethnicity seem to have a deep-seated fear of the wilderness in general. Whether it be the fear of drowning, falling from some great height, being attacked by a wild animal (or any combination thereof), we collectively tend to shy away from activities that are dubbed unfamiliar or dangerous by us. And then we pass it off as being “too cool” to do things like that, or we’ll utter statements like “that’s white people stuff” and “black people don’t do stuff like that.” Well, those thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth! Ironically, those very same recreational activities and survival skills that we’ve steered clear of for so long are the very same things that our ancestors thrived in! They were planters, farmers, surveyors, hikers, guides, explorers, divers, climbers, nomads, cattle rustlers, and the list goes on! They intuitively understood their connection to the land, as they depended on it for their sustenance. They could read the stars and use them as a GPS to guide them in their travels. They knew how to read weather patterns for safety’s sake. They could count the moons to track the season changes and know when to plant/harvest. They were people of the earth, and so are we! Those same traits are embedded deep into our bones, and I started this business to bring those traits out of us and back to the forefront. But it begins with us reacquainting ourselves with our first mother, nature herself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My reason for starting my business Donnell McCant Outdoors transcends any notions of merely wanting to make money. I created it to help people find their true selves through purposeful connection to nature, as I myself have. My love affair with the wild did not begin as a bed of roses. Although I had enjoyed fishing and other outdoor recreational activities from my pre-teen years, I typically did so in places that I considered at the time to be “safe,” in moderate-to-heavily populated cities. I was quite fearful of leaving the safety of the city to go out into any semblance of wilderness. I was not willing to venture out into the woods alone, let alone to lead others out there. There was once a time when I would see a trailhead at tamest of parks and would really want to go explore the trail, but I dreaded the idea of being attacked by a pack of wild animals or getting lost. At that point I’d quickly bolt back to what I’d consider a safe space. An even bigger trepidation I had was not being welcomed into outdoor spaces by other races or ethnic groups that were not used to seeing people who looked like me out on the trails. Thoughts of what could potentially happen to me by them were dominant enough to destroy any notions of me wanting to take the leap of faith out into the wilderness. Centuries of historical racial trauma against my people that was superimposed upon us had buried itself deep into my psyche. So, I spent many years allowing those different anxieties to prevent me from fulfilling my desires. Sure, my heart was calling me to be an outdoorsman, but I was going to let it happen on my terms. In other words, when I felt good and comfortable! However, fate had a completely different timeline for me to follow, and I was thrusted into the role of an outdoorsman at a time in my life when I was anything but ready!

In mid-2013, I was hired on contract as a field engineer on AT&T’s LTE installation project. The position required me to leave my family here in Miami to travel out of state, and to install LTE cell signal at cell phone towers in rural areas. These rural areas mostly had no cell coverage, and were situated out in the middle of forests, on mountains, in plains and prairies, and in most cases, completely isolated… the very places I would’ve never voluntarily visited alone! My travels spanned 21 different states over a 6-year period, with virtually no support from many of the people that were close to me. Quite a few other challenges ensued, such as a sudden, unexplained loss of religious faith, betrayals from people I was sure had my best interests in mind, the loss of some close friendships, deaths of friends and family, enduring several isolated racial incidents in West Virginia and Alabama, daily 14-16 hour work days with little-to-no rest, a couple of really frightening animal predator encounters, and battling long-term depression (including a 3–4-year span in which I had daily thoughts that something terrible would happen to me and I’d never see my children again). Not only was all of this was happening in those dreaded outdoor environments, but I was experiencing these things all alone and at a time I felt completely ill-equipped to handle any of it mentally.

I ended up quitting that job in late 2017 and accepted a management position back here in South Florida in the same field by mid-2018 (that I held until early 2019). The pay was much better, and I was no longer forced to be isolated out in the wilderness as I previously was for so long. But I wasn’t feeling any better. In fact. I was still dealing with many of the same internal issues I dealt with before coming back home. Quite honestly, I felt a little worse than I did before quitting. Strangely enough, I was beginning to miss working out in the field. I was somehow missing the fresh air, the mountain views, the dense forests, and the peaceful silence of solitude. While out there, I was being challenged to heal my past traumas but was too focused on the surrounding circumstances to realize what was happening. I was too afraid of facing my fears to enjoy what was taking place. Unbeknownst to me, I was like a caterpillar in chrysalis during those times, undergoing a metamorphosis into who I was meant to be! I was meant to grow wings that reflect vibrant and beautiful colors, and to take flight. I wasn’t only meant to crawl on my belly and consume. I was meant to pollinate and spread new life everywhere I go! In late 2019 I ended up accepting another contracted telecommunications position with Verizon, and this time it was in the field again! Can you believe that? I willingly went back out into the wild! By that time, I knew I was ready to be there. The office environment was not my cup of tea. I wanted to be outdoors. Back in those snowstorms and subzero temperatures. Back to being surrounded the howls of the Coyote and the Eastern Meadowlark’s song. But the main revelation I had was that not one of my wildest fears about the outdoors ever came true. Not one! I began to recognize that nature herself had called me out there to face and heal some buried past traumas. She had invited me to get to know her affectionately. She was introducing me to my most authentic self (good, bad, and ugly) and teaching me to accept it all and hold it together in balance. But most of all, she shielded and protected me through it all!

When the pandemic struck in early 2020 and shelter-in-place rules were being enforced nationwide, I found myself feeling heavily restricted and claustrophobic. I was laid off from the contract field position with Verizon, but I was elated to come back home to spend quality time with my sons. With so much uncertainty surrounding the health and welfare of the entire planet, I naturally sought out the source of my recent transformation for solace. I started going out into nature, as deep into the woods as I could. The further out away from civilization I ventured, the safer and more protected I felt! It was at this point that I understood that it was my destiny to not only continue to trek out there on my own, but also to introduce others to what had radically changed my life. I started taking my four boys out with me regularly, and they grew to love hiking with me as much as they enjoyed going to theme parks! By June 2020 I had travelled to 6 different states, hiking as many mountain trails as I could, led six group hikes between August and December 2020, and incorporated my business in February 2021. The road to business ownership was tough sledding, but the payoff is more than worth it! I get to share my life-changing experience with others and assist them with finding their true selves as well.

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?
First on the list would be a trip up to Jupiter, FL for a backpacking trip through backcountry trails of the Jeaga Wildways, a massive 160000 acre preserve that connects several large parks in northern Palm Beach County. We’d spend a couple of days out there exploring the wilderness. But I wouldn’t limit our time to nature excursions alone. I’m also a professional drummer, so I’d definitely invite my friend to one of my music gigs so that they can enjoy some live entertainment by me and one of my bands. On a different note, the cuisine in Miami is excellent, exotic, and second to none! You can’t travel to Miami and NOT try Cuban food! I’d treat the both of us to a delicious meal at Versailles, a world-renowned Cuban restaurant in the heart of Little Havana. Even the most common meal that they make there, the Cuban sandwich, is over-the-top delicious! As far as nightlife is concerned, there aren’t many spots better in Miami than Blackbird Ordinary. It’s a nightclub in downtown Brickell that’s been around for years and look as if it’s going nowhere any time soon! It’s a great place for anyone looking to get a taste of the true Miami party scene. If my friend’s visit happens to cover a weekend morning, a must-visit place for us would be Yellow-Green Farmer’s Market in Hollywood, FL. This is one of my favorite places to go in South Florida, as it’s a marketplace where local vendors sell fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, cooked meals, alternative medicines, souvenirs, etc. What stands out about this particular venue is that most of the vendors place a strong emphasis on health and wellness, which is always a major plus in my book! That’s pretty more or less what I’d do while hosting a visiting friend.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, I’d like to recognize my four sons, Jahnoah, Johnathan, Jonas, and Justice. I never knew what the phrase “labor of love” meant until they entered my life. It truly is a joy raising them. Not only do I take the responsibility of instructing them, but they inadvertently teach me so much about myself. They’re my inspiration and motivation behind all that I do!

Next, I’d like to shoutout a book that has been revolutionary in my journey entitled “Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small” by Ted Andrews. This both covers what it means to study the movements, behaviors and languages of animals, and how we can incorporate them into our daily lives for our own improvement. It has helped me tremendously in understanding how I relate to animals and how powerful that connection is to me. Reading the book has also helped to subside many of the fears I previously had about venturing out into the wild.

Lastly, I’d like to thank anyone who has directly or passively contributed to my evolution into who I am as a man. Whether good or bad, negative or positive, you all had a role in my development and personal growth. Thank you!

Website: https://www.donnellmccantoutdoors.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnellmccantoutdoors

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@donnellmccantoutdoors

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.