In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Alan Dyck, ya ya ya, I’ve heard all the jokes!

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I'm originally from Prince George, BC , but I have been a resident of Kelowna since 2006.

Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
That is a really easy answer for me, my family. My wife and my kids are by far my favourite pals. Jaxxon is my son, who’s 3.5-years-old; and my daughter Parker, she’s 1.5-years-old. It’s pretty fun getting to watch them discover life and be a part of all that.

If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
Italy! They are a family oriented culture where quality time with loved ones seems to be the biggest focus; that’s a mentality I could get on board with. Also, I’m excellent at eating large amount of food in rounds, and I hear that’s what they do over there.

What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
That’s a tough question for me. Since moving my personal training studio to a new, larger space, it’s given me the opportunity to connect and work with so many more local vendors and businesses now that I have the space to partner up. Aaron and Crystal at Fuel Supplements work with us on posing coaching. Greg Cleaver, local fitness photographer, is using my studio for private photo shoots. Morgan, founder of Meal Prep For You, has a pickup location in our space, bringing in all types of amazing clean and healthy meals and treats. So to pick one local company that I connect with would be limiting! I’m into partnering with any and everyone that does an honest business in the local fitness industry to provide the best services and products to Kelowna, as well as the Okanagan, in a natural fashion.

What is your favourite activity?
Volleyball (Working out seemed too obvious!). Really, anything that is a combination of being social and active. Be it my rec league sports teams, or my daily weight lifting session with my buddies, I’m into it. I’m not much for sitting around and watching TV. I just want to get out, chat, move around and have fun.

If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
Burgers! That’s my go-to cheat meal. Every Wednesday night I go off the books and indulge. I always think I’m going to try something new, but by mid-day I’m asking all of my clients during their sessions the same question: “ya, so, what should I have for a cheat meal tonight?”. They all describe these amazing local options, I’m drooling. Then dinner time rolls around, and classic move, burger from Original Joe’s. You can’t go wrong with a burger.

What is a hidden gem you enjoy in the Okanagan?
Have you been to the kangaroo farm in Lake Country?! So cool! I love taking my kids there - but I seem to be having the most fun out of the entire family. Bodybuilders can totally cuddle with baby kangaroos. Obviously.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
When I was about 19, I was a server at a fine dining restaurant. I was romancing a wine, telling the table all types of tall-tales about this bottle. I knew essentially nothing about this bottle; I was just trying to sell it. After the table let me go on and on with my “facts” the patron called me out. He knew his stuff and I was pretty embarrassed. I had to serve them the rest of the night, you guess if they tipped me or not.

What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Building relationships with my clients and team has become pretty inspiring. I can’t boil an answer down to a single moment, but overall, having a team and a bunch of clients that I don’t want to let down has pushed me to try to consistently get better. When I see clients hit those goals, reaching places they never ever ever EVER dreamed of… this moment is a high for me, a drug. It’s seriously incredible to go through.

Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Sunday breakfast! We used to make breakfast as a family, all working together. It was our weekly ritual, and I loved it. In our house now, we have Sunday dinners. We have friends with kids that come by every Sunday night without fail, and we cook together, and have a few drinks and set ourselves in the right direction for the week.

Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
Well, my skill set is in the way of personal training and nutritional coaching. I have connected with a couple of inspiring people over the years that basically, are the core and just needed help, but they couldn’t afford my services. So I work with them pro bono to ensure their health and well-being. I obviously run a business to make money but every so often you meet a person and you KNOW that you’re responsible for helping them and money is the very last thing on your mind.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I’d stop the glorification of “busy”. Slow it all down, connect with those we care about. Busy isn’t glamorous, it’s a waste. That’s a pretty broad answer but I honestly get tired of hearing people essentially bragging about being busy. Let’s brag about how much time we spent with our family, our kids, or friends. I don’t know, the pace of our day is driven by the cost of all of it ultimately. Want a little less, work a little less, stress a little less. After 10 years of coaching, I get to make my own work schedule. That being said, I still spend full days on the studio floor coaching, it’s what I love to do. But when 5pm hits, my clients know that I turn off as a coach and turn on as a Dad. I go home, put my phone away, cook, eat, chill- you know, the regular. Spend a bit more time connecting with those in front of us instead of those on our screens.

What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
Camping! I love to pack up the friends and family and get into the sticks, just as long as there is an outlet there for my blow dryer ;)
My family and I take our camping game pretty seriously! I’ve seen a decent portion of the world, and Kelowna is spectacular. Go outside.

Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
I’m into driving around without a destination to blow off some steam. If I want to just wander and people watch, I enjoy City Park and doing the whole lakefront stroll.

Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I’d love to see city council spend a significant amount of time and energy on the folks downtown in need of mental health services. It doesn’t feel all that safe to walk downtown in sections, I can’t imagine being a solo female and needing to get to my car on a few of the streets. I feel it’s a poor representation of our city,the level of safety in our city, and the quality of our public services offered. I’ve seen some sketchy happenings first hand and it’s not great for my kids and it's also not a great impression on tourists which drive a large portion of our economy annually. I don’t have a solution unfortunately, but I identify this as a problem.

If you were granted one wish for work or in life, what would it be?
A couple extra hours in the day of kiddie play time would top my list. Why do toddlers have to go to bed at 8pm, don’t they know I’m ready to play? I’m just getting the fort setup!

Tell us something that not everyone may know about you
I have travelled to 52 countries. I’m a guy that loves routine, discipline, consistency - ask anyone that knows me. But travel turns that all on end for me. I’m up for any adventure. I want to see every corner of the world, all cultures and landscapes. I want to taste all of the foods, drink all of the drinks, meet the locals, meet fellow travellers. Traveling is education, I hope to instill that into my kids; never be afraid to say yes to an adventure, no matter how far away from home it may take you. My favourite spot to date? Switzerland. Cheese, chocolate, and beer? Ummm, yup!

What is the name of your business/organization?
Next Level Performance.

What does your business do?
Our Philosophy: Next Level Performance is not your typical fitness house. What do we believe? Well, that’s simple. We believe in natural health and well-being, but not at the expense of one’s life or family. Next Level Performance sets a high standard for self, team, as well as client, without forgetting that you should be able to laugh and enjoy the process along the way. Next Level Performance is a private health and wellness coaching team, dedicated to reaching client’s fitness goals through personalized nutrition and training programming. Next Level Performance doesn’t treat personal training and coaching like a job, it’s an all encompassing lifestyle, built around developing client relationships in order to encourage each individual to reach his or her wellness goal. The Next Level Performance team takes pride in motivating clients to achieve goals which they never dreamed possible; your goals become our goals, and we don’t stop until we reach them together.

Next Level Performance offers various customized nutritional and training programs, focusing primarily on:

• One-on-one Personal Training Sessions in a 2800 square foot private studio.
• A private, devote competition posing studio where you can learn from the best in both Female Figure & Bikini if your goal is to get to the stage.
• We offer training and nutrition for those focusing on weight-loss and general lifestyle changes.
• Custom meal and nutritional plans based on fitness goals, including bodybuilding/competition prep, vegan specific, weight-loss, and muscle gaining.
• Remote online coaching, including program design, nutritional planning and accountability check ins - I have clients worldwide which is pretty cool.

How do people connect with you through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest)
I virtually meet a TON of people everyday through social media, primarily,Instagram. Wow, what a powerful tool! Bodybuilding is the sport of aesthetics when you boil it all down, which may seem vapid to most - but if you can understand the mental wherewithal, and the friendships forged through this lifestyle, I know you’d understand it's a lot more than “looking good”. Instagram allows that reach to extend beyond my daily routine, my local gym, and my Kelowna-centric network. I make a serious point to answer people’s questions, reply to all comments (the good and the bad!), offer tips, encouragement, etc. I also learn a lot from my peers through this tool too. It’s more than just selfies of me in my undies. No, really, really!
You can also find me on Facebook.

Where can people find your business online?
nlpfitness.ca
Our website features all of our products and services, lists our clinics, courses and seminars. We also post a new blog article every week by one of five bloggers. It’s a casual blog covering training, health/wellness, recipes, bodybuilding competing as well as prep, a coach’s point of view, and more. It’s light and fun and has a decent following.

Why did you get into/start this business?
To be honest, I was super comfortable working at my previous job in the restaurant industry. I knew deep down that I was unhappy but was too scared to make a move out of my comfort zone! I was always knew I wanted to do something with fitness but just needed to take that first step. I started lifting and I starting fueling instead of eating. I discovered that you are responsible for how you feel, and that I was capable of making myself feel AMAZING. I knew that I wanted to become a trainer and a coach and to show other people they were capable of that feeling. There are seriously no words to describe a metamorphosis like that - not physically, but mentally. Once you discover your value as a person, you want to show everyone they have it within them. And the value I’m speaking of isn’t having muscles and looking good. The value is in the confidence you develop, and the understanding of your actual self and of others around you that you love and care about. Not to get too sappy on you, but that’s WHY I do this.

What is the goal of your business?
The goal of Next Level Performance is pretty simple. I want myself and the team here to work with people from all walks of life . From moms, to bodybuilders, to those on a weight-loss journey, etc. and educate them as to how to focus on natural health and wellness as a lifestyle. I’d never suggest living and dying by weighing out every ounce of food, and missing out on every social event. I want to teach people how to live a healthy and positive life while reaching their goals; This business is about balance. Consistent balance. If I can help people build a toolbox to pull from, they will go out into the wild and live well.

What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
My biggest struggle at work is handing out the tough love. Your coach needs to be a trusted confidant, but I still need to be firm and honest. People can’t reach their goals if I constantly tell them “it’s ok, you're tired”. Sometimes, it’s not okay, and trying isn't enough, you just have to do it. Even when you don’t want to! That is harder than it sounds, I’m pretty adverse to confrontation, so when it comes time for a tough talk, I want to make sure everyone is “ok” at the end of the conversation. I want to see my clients succeed, and that means that at times we both need to get uncomfortable. They ain’t paying me to be their friends!

If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I’d do it the same, with a few "20/20 hindsight" tweaks. The good and the bad make up the ultimate result. I have worked really hard to develop this business, if it had been an easy path, I’d likely not appreciate it nearly as much. It's a cliche, but true. I coached at a public gym for a long time, seeing clients come and go for years. It took me years to bite the bullet and go out on my own. Fear can rule you, or push you to where you need to go. I’d take my knocks all the same if I had a mulligan, but hopefully I'd feel less stressed out in the process. Older and wiser by now I hope.

Why do you think it is important to shop local?
Without word-of-mouth and the support of local Kelowna folks, my business wouldn’t exists. That’s why it’s important! If you want your vendors and service providers to give a damn, you need to know them by name and story. By shopping locally, you have the power to guide your community and its outcome. That’s pretty powerful, and our responsibility as locals.

Give someone that you think deserves it a shout out and explain why!
My family and I were recently home to Prince George visiting, and I was at the local Gold’s Gym. While I was working out, I kept seeing this incredible guy. He was missing an arm, yet he was training as hard as me. I ended up going over and chatting with him, telling him how crazy inspiring he was for me. I asked if I could take a video of him training to post on my Instagram feed. It was Thanksgiving and we all needed a reminder to check our priorities, and get rid of the chronic disease in our culture which is complaining. Your life is actually amazing, it’s your perspective that sucks. So my shout out is to Ken, in Prince George whose video is posted below.

My nomination for the In Focus spotlight is:
Morgan, owner and operator at Meal Prep For You. This guy is bringing healthy, clean and DELICIOUS meals straight to your door. No excuses allowed. Check him out on FB