Annie Call

Generation Xer Takes a U-Turn Towards Success

by Andrea Busche

Generation

Xers and the so-called “Millennials” are often labeled as lazy, entitled, and self-absorbed. Annie Call, however, stands in stark contrast to that reputation. As a business owner, entrepreneur, teacher, wife, mom, and step-mom, her life is a whirlwind of hard work.

At just 35 years old, Annie has accomplished more than many women twice her age. She is the owner of Cold Fusion located in downtown Duluth, where she promotes health and wellness products. She recently started the Fit Lab, directly upstairs from Cold Fusion, where she teaches Yoga classes. She also holds a certification as a personal trainer.

Focus and Ambition at a Young Age

Annie grew up in Twig until she was in 4th grade; she then moved to Duluth with her mom and brother Adam. She also has a step-brother, Kevin.

Throughout her childhood, Annie was a talented soccer player and later spent four years as a UMD hockey cheerleader. During college, she held several jobs: admissions telecounselor and tour guide for UMD, server at Old Chicago, and sales associate at the Vanity clothing store.

Annie graduated from UMD in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in community health education. The job market in her chosen field, however, was stalled when she graduated.

She says, “I graduated post 09/11. At that time, a lot of companies were cutting their wellness programs.” She needed a job, so she became a bank teller.

Annie knew she didn’t want to remain a bank teller, so it was around this time that she became an independent Herbalife distributor and wellness coach. She met with clients in her home and at local coffee shops, while visiting Cold Fusion nutrition clubs to learn the ins and outs of the business. She also became certified as a personal trainer and was hired at Anytime Fitness.

Stretching her Leadership Chops

Once she was promoted to trainer/manager, Annie really got the chance to demonstrate her capabilities as a leader. “At Anytime Fitness, I reported to a woman named Jinell Abernethy, who really gave me the opportunity to discover what kind of leader I was. She gave me the chance to flourish.”

On her way up the ladder, Annie was pulling double-duty, working from 10 am – 7 pm at Anytime Fitness, and meeting with clients to discuss Herbalife products before and after work. Her efforts paid off: in 2008, she was able to quit her fulltime job to open the Superior Cold Fusion nutrition club, along with her brother Kevin and a friend.

Hard Times Clarified her Vision

Annie had a few bumps along the way, however: she married in 2008, and divorced in 2010, moving to Chaska. She moved back to Duluth six months later, ready to resume her career.

“After my divorce,” she says, “I redefined who I was and who I wanted to be. It was a period of self-discovery.”

In June 2015, Annie took over the Cold Fusion in downtown Duluth. “I know I was meant to do something bigger than work behind a desk or report to someone else,” she says with a hint of moxie.

Shortly thereafter, another opportunity presented itself when the wellness space located upstairs from Cold Fusion became vacant. Annie and her former business partner Lindsay had a vision, and Annie recalls thinking, “What if we created an en- tire wellness community?” They jumped at the chance, and opened Fit Lab, where Annie and her coaches offer fit camps and teach a variety of yoga classes, including Yoga Sculpt.

Marriage, Children, & Dogs!

In January 2012, Annie was reunited with an old acquaintance, Brandon Call, who works as the manager at the Mount Royal Bottle Shoppe. They had graduated from high school together, but hadn’t seen each other in years. Brandon proposed under the Eiffel Tower during one of Annie’s many business trips, and they married in August 2014.

Brandon has two children from a previous marriage: Peyton, 10 ½, and Taylor, 6. Annie and Brandon had another baby, Bentley, in 2012, making the Calls a family of five, or seven if you count the two dogs.

Between two booming careers, three children, and two dogs, life is incredibly busy for the Call family. Annie is grateful for her “entourage” of people who help her grow her businesses. “I am happy to surround myself with people who possess the strengths that I don’t have,” she shares. “They push me into my greatness.”

Above all, family is the top priority for Annie. “My family comes first,” she says. “I built my businesses around my family’s schedule, setting strategic hours for myself so I can be a full-time, present mom. And, my husband is great; he is so integral for keeping our home in order.” Annie also takes pride in her volunteer work with the American Cancer Society, taking part in the Relay for Life every year.

Despite all of her success, Annie Call has no plans to slow down. “I have a huge responsibility to grow my businesses and continue to be better,” she says. “I want to create an entire wellness community in Duluth and Superior, bringing the message of wellness to the area.” D