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EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE AND LIFESTYLE ISSUE # 4 | DECEMBER 2021

THE AI METAVERSE

MENTAL HEALTH

PLATINUM TALENT

It isn't where you came from. It's where you're going that counts. - Ella Fitzgerald

EDITOR'S NOTE

The slow waltz with the snow has begun. Frost tickles the branches of trees. The festive lights are upon us and a sense of celebration is in our midst.

December seems to be that month where we wind down from the year past, likely recollecting on a year’s worth of memories, accomplishments and perhaps challenges and life changes. We do this while simultaneously winding upward to the New Year that lies ahead.

For some of us, 2021 won’t go down as one of our favourite years or one that can comfortably be described as easy. For others, the last 12 months have been business as usual. And for many, the status quo is booming. Either way, it's said that where adversity lives, comes strength, and where there is a will, they say there is a way.

Wherever you find yourself here and now, we at ROSS Magazine are wishing you a joyous holiday season and a safe, healthy and prosperous tomorrow.

This issue presents some articles of inspiring dedication, insights into the effects of Covid on mental health, forecasts for the province’s future, debates and introductions about the features and impacts of technological advances, life stories and pursuits that capture details and destinies related to the boom in Alberta’s film industry and so much more. So curl up, cozy up and enjoy the read, while doing all the things that create comfort, peace, and joy for you and your loved ones. See you in 2022!

DANIELLE ROURKE Editor-In-Chief

ROSS MAGAZINE EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS

Danielle Rourke Brigit Lister Danielle Rourke James Clarke-Lister Carla Grundison Simon Rose Danielle Rourke Mario Toneguzzi

ROSSMAGAZINE.COM

@ross.magazine

03 Editor's Note 08 The Boom in Alberta's Film Industry 22 Use or Loose It 29 Alberta's Economy: Hope on the Horizon 34 Meta Verse: New Vacation Home? 45 Social Connection & Our Mental Health 60 Is AI a Blessing or a Curse? 68 Urban Athlete - Where Members are Friends Not Numbers

THE BOOM IN

ALBERTA'S FILM INDUSTRY: A TRUE FAMILY AFFAIR by Danielle Rourke

The lights. The cameras. The action. These are the hallmarks of the film and television industry. Some of you might not realize just how massive the film industry currently is here in Alberta. Surprisingly, despite the challenges of Covid, Alberta had its best year ever in 2020. Apparently Covid resulted in the need for more content.

Did you know that film and TV projects brought $482M to Alberta's economy in 2020? And it’s not slowing down.

It makes sense when you consider that the biggest TV series ever to be shot in Canada, ‘The Last of Us’, is being filmed right here in Alberta. Other examples include films like Ghostbusters 3, Billy the Kid, Left Behind, and Let Him Go. There are tons of commercials, and TV series such as Jann, Tribal, Under the Banner of Heaven, Guilty Party, and of course 15 seasons of Heartland. Alberta is admired for its amazing casting directors, crews and actors, a province seemingly ready for anything that comes our way.

According to one Calgarian, this boom in Alberta is nothing short of incredible. Platinum Talent Management Inc. owner, Carla Brown has seen it all. She has been a successful talent manager and full union actor for 30 years. How, you ask?

You are about to find out.

Like many success stories, Carla began hers at a young age. At sweet 16, she jumped into this diverse industry and never looked back. Winning a contest through Calgary’s John Casablancas, Carla quickly found herself in New York.

It was here that she began learning the ropes. Carla swiftly found herself surrounded by New York City's top people on the business side of this dynamic industry. By 18, she was encouraged to try a photo shoot for modelling and acting. Carla decided to take the opportunity, and as she recalls, ‘the rest is history’.

From here, it was a move to Toronto. Modeling and acting full time, Carla landed her first acting role in the Night Heat TV series. From there, she was ultimately scouted to Zurich, Switzerland. This began living the thrilling life most 20 years olds can only dream about, travelling back and forth between countries such as Spain, Cuba and Mexico on modelling bookings. Carla always knew she wanted to be in business for herself, so in each city and country, she pursued university education towards her business degree.

Then came Chicago. And then came the fame.

Following the advice of friend Richard Dean, most well known for his role as Americas Top Model TV Show photographer, Carla found herself in Chicago. She obtained a now almost impossible to obtain work visa, and quickly found success.

She was launched into dream modelling jobs including the Rolling Stones Magazine, Coors Beer, Trident Gum, Kodak and Minute Maid. Remember Stitches clothing stores? Carla was the model for their clothing campaigns, appearing on billboards across North America.

And it didn’t stop there.

Carla was a model for Flare magazine, did weekly shoots for the Bay and Sears’s catalogues, then appeared in the first Canadian Sports Illustrated VIP issue. Remember the band Glass Tiger? Guess who played the principal role in the bands video for the song, ‘Someday’? Yep, that was Carla. Hanging out with celebrities like Patrick Swayze and Liam Neeson on the movie set of Next of Kin, was all just part of a normal day in the life for Carla Brown. Meanwhile, Carla had been accepted to Columbia College for journalism, although this path changed course when she became a national talent agent.

Then came Oprah. The first time they met, Carla was helping a Columbia College friend interview the icon and she got to hold the mic. She describes the energy of having Oprah in the same room, as an energy she will never forget. Carla went on to work with Oprah on seasonal fashion shows several times and they were friendly while working out at one of Chicago’s most posh private gyms.

Carla soon started her family in Chicago and opened her first talent agency. However, parallel to all of this excitement and success in Chicago, life had other plans. Carla suffered an unfortunate spinal injury. It was during her recovery in 2001, when the decision was made to move back to Canada with her children. Carla made the move to local Bragg Creek, finding peace and tranquility from so many years spent living the big city life, a move luckily made 2 months before the devastation of 911 hit New York. The family has remained safe and sound ever since, moving to Calgary a few years later, when Carla officially launched the successful Platinum Talent Management Agency.

Carla works 7 days a week and talent and success clearly runs in the family. She's blessed with 2 daughters. Daughter Natalie was Rachel on season 3 of the popular Heartland TV Series. Natalie’s son, Carla’s beloved 5 year old grandson Pryce, is the young ‘Billy the Kid’, currently being filmed here in Alberta. Her other daughter Christa Taylor Brown, works full time as an actress and as a ‘Stand In’ for many Stars that come to Alberta, a highlight of this role, working with Kevin Costner on the movie Let Him Go. Christa is a photo double for Amber Marshall on Heartland and she is currently busy working with Kevin Sorbo on the movie Left Behind. As you can see, talent runs deep in this family.

Families are now all the rage. Typically there's that one person in the family who wants to be the actor. However, these days it often becomes the family affair, as a result of covid cohorts.

Carla notes it’s more appealing these days for a TV or film project to hire the entire family of mom, dad, the kids, aunts, uncles, cousins and maybe even grandma and grandpa.

Many retired people are taking up film. The industry is looking for all ethnicities, mixed races and roles, including voice-overs, print, commercials, background and of course the almighty lead acting role.

Tony Chan

TINOPHOTO

Covid has changed much more than a preference for family cohorts. Last minute bookings, once so popular in the industry, are now next to impossible. There are strict protocols in place for testing. Participants must test negative prior to wardrobe and seperately test negative again prior to working on the set. Saftey and insurance policy protocols are closely monitored.

The in-person audition process no longer exists. Its replacement, a self-taped or zoom session audition. Also, photos are everything, the key to booking jobs. Tony Chan of TINOPHOTO knows this well and he and Carla have worked together in the industry for 15 years.

Professional photos are one of the first tools that Carla and Tony can help you with to get started. And getting started you must. According to Carla, opportunities for new or veteran actors, has never been so good. Now's the time to leap into this exciting world.

Alberta is only becoming more of a hot spot that is surely going to continue into 2022. Platinum Talent is an official Film & Television Booking Agency for all of Alberta and includes parts of BC. They welcome all ages from newborn babies to well into your 80’s. You can be a seasoned actor or a first time dream seeker.

Carla wants to hear from you. If you have always been curious about acting but not sure where to start, you can easily learn more. Simply email Carla with photos to booking@platinumtalentmgt.com. From here, she can provide you with experienced guidance on the next steps into the sought after world of film. Be the next new talent to add to the Platinum Success Stories as seen on the News blog at www.platinumtalentmgt.com

Carla is so extremely proud of her Platinum Talent and their success stories. Most of them people who were developed from the ground up, often newbies, ultimately finding success on the big screen.

I can open the doors, but the talent has to be good enough to not only walk through the door, but to stay in the game.’

She shares advice when she states, ‘

It’s pretty apparent that Carla Brown will remain in this game for years to come.

USE IT OR LOSE IT BY SIMON ROSE

Ever since large chain stores began to appear decades ago, there’s always been talk of how these locations harm and eventually destroy small local businesses. We first saw this with the launch of department stores. Then came the advent of large grocery stores or supermarkets. People used to have to visit the butcher, the bakery, the greengrocer, and other individual stores that sold specific goods, but then things changed. Suddenly, people could buy most items all in one place, and all at the same time.

At first, the big grocery stores only sold food and a selection of things for the home, such as cleaning supplies or personal care products, but in recent decades they’ve branched into everything from electronics, clothing, pharmacy services, and so on. As a result, it’s been very challenging for the small local stores to compete, to match the larger store’s pricing, and to ultimately even survive, for a long time now.

This trend has accelerated with the growth of the pandemic and the growth of online shopping. Online shopping and home delivery is no longer just within the realm of companies like BY JAMES CLARKE-LISTER

Amazon, which sells and delivers such a large variety of products. It’s now the norm for large chain stores of all kinds, to offer online shopping and delivery. Even grocery stores have had to get in on the act to keep up. Most restaurants remain the same with their offerings of delivery menu selections, whether they’re small independent operations or large companies with multiple locations.

During lockdowns, confined to our homes, and faced with restrictions placed onto our daily lives, the trend isn’t surprising. Staff shortages have also often led to a decline in customer service, which encouraged people to exercise the option to deal with others less frequently, as in-person shopping became a less pleasant experience. Sure, online

The same people that are so vocal

shopping and all that it

about the need to keep local firms

entails has a lot of

afloat are the same ones that have

advantages and is very

perhaps become addicted, or at least

appealing. Yet we still hear

overly dependent on the online world.

people saying we should support local business,

We can’t spend so much time

especially as so many have

supporting its expansion and still

gone under as a result of

bemoan the fact that small local

the challenges and

companies, the ones who are trying to

economic turmoil faced

compete with the larger chains, are

throughout the pandemic.

vanishing, and will never come back.

ALBERTA'S ECONOMY: HOPE ON THE HORIZON By Mario Toneguzzi

Everyone knows Alberta’s economy has gone through some tough and challenging times in recent years, beginning with the collapse in oil prices in late 2014 and continuing on to the current ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

But there is hope on the horizon - a light at the end of the tunnel as the province is currently experiencing a firm, but still slow, economic recovery.

According to the Alberta government’s mid-year fiscal update, the province’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to grow 6.1 per cent this year after contracting 7.9 per cent last year.

“Next year, real GDP is forecast to expand 5.1 per cent and return to 2014 levels as the pandemic subsides further and the recovery in the services gathers momentum. Growth in business investment is expected to accelerate, underpinned by solid oil prices, improving confidence and Alberta’s competitive tax regime. Alberta’s strong fundamentals, including a young working age population, will support real GDP growth of about 2.8 per cent on average in 2023 and 2024,” according to the update.

What’s buoying that optimistic, but still cautious, outlook is a rebound in investment in the province. Higher energy prices boosted drilling activity and oil production this year. There have also been a number of huge investment projects announced recently, including Amazon Web Services’ $4.3 billion cloud computing hub in Calgary and Northern Petrochemical Corp.’s $2.5 billion petrochemical facility in Grand Prairie.

More people are working and unemployment is dropping.

In its latest Economic Outlook, ATB Financial says Alberta's real GDP is expected to rebound by 6.3 per cent in 202, followed by growth of 4.0 per cent in 2022 and 2.5 per cent in 2023.

While we are moving in the right direction, the annual provincial output will only meet 2019's output level by 2022 and the annual GDP per capita will take until 2023 to reach the pre-pandemic level, cautioned ATB.

"Alberta lost the most economic ground of any province in 2020,'' said Todd Hirsch, Vice President and Chief Economist at ATB

"Although Alberta will likely post the highest rate of growth among the provinces in 2021, most of the other provinces will reach, and start growing beyond their pre-pandemic level of output sooner than Alberta." Financial.

The financial institution says a growing tech sector, new investment in petrochemical production capacity, a resilient housing sector and the potential development of clean energy options such as hydrogen, all bode well for future growth in Alberta.

Rob Roach, Deputy Chief Economist with ATB, said the overall picture is that things are getting better.

“But not everything is great and the main reason for that is that we’re not out of the pandemic yet . . . Lots of positives. The title of our forecast was Moving Forward, but also keeping in mind that there’s no shortage of disruptions and issues surrounding the forecast,” said Roach.

“Things are getting better but we’re not there yet.”

META VERSE

N E W V A C A T I O N H O M E ? by James Clarke-Lister There are still no flying cars like in The Jetsons, but at some point in time, we’ve all likely had thoughts about living in other realities. Daydreams about being somewhere else at a particular point in time, are the thoughts paving the way for technological innovation. This idea of an alternate reality experience has a name, one quickly becoming familiar. The term Virtual Reality (VR) describes an encounter that stimulates experiences performed (virtually) through a technological medium.

Earlier this year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook will be incorporating a new branch to their business called Meta. “Imagine you put on your glasses or headset and you’re instantly in your home space - it has parts of your home recreated virtually, and has concepts that are only possible virtually” - what Zuckerberg talks about is the Metaverse, a world similar to your

Items like Sony’s Oculus Rift is a

own, yet dissimilar in many ways.

device similar to the Wii. Now people tend to argue between

Goggles immerse a player into the VR experience, using what is called the VR headset. The

“that is so cool!” or “we’re all going to become virtual zombies!” Although both sides are valid, exploring history can help understand this potential in

Wii was an early adopter of this our society.

idea of bridging the virtual and physical world together remember Wii bowling?

Overall these devices and the notion of virtual reality are still a mere foot in the water for the ocean technology has in store.

During the famous reveal of the first-ever iPhone, Steve Jobs notably touched on the idea of technological innovation. ‘There are certain moments in time’, Jobs said, ‘where something beautiful is created that significantly disrupts industries and even changes the way we as a society see the world, - a new frontier’. Jobs was right. The Printing Press started nearly 600 years ago. Today it would seem inconceivable to have a world without books. Now, many of us read on an E-Reader! The invention of the telephone was a first where humans began utilizing a technological medium to interact with one another. Perhaps today, we talk and communicate even more using a phone device over socializing in person. Albeit this convenience can have downfalls, it’s hard to now imagine a world without a telephone. It seems technology has been a double-edged sword, but one which has always strived to serve overall as a tool.

The obvious rise of social media is another example. Despite its risks and long-term uncertainties, social media enables mass mobility, giving voices to those otherwise without a tool nonetheless. Video games and other screen-related activities are portals into the land of virtual reality, where people work collectively and interact with one another. Many agree there is a feeling of connection when playing and talking online with others that holds great value. These opportunities have been substantial throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many who suffered during quarantines would have been unable to speak and see those they love, without these technological advances. Now, imagine the Metaverse. It’s like Facetime, but better. The same logic applies when we encounter new conditions of long-distance longings. Is Metaverse a solution?

The development of the Metaverse and its applications is expanding fast. The MARS house is a luxury Metaverse dream home on Mars designed in May 2020 by Toronto-based digital Artist Krista Kim, the first-ever digital home sold. MARS was acquired for 288 ETH, the digital currency asset Ethereum, equivalent to roughly $600,000 CAD. In your Metaverse home you can invite friends and loved ones to a virtual dinner party. You design your world. You control this virtual environment all the way down to the type of flowers you want on your virtual dinner table. With this house, you never have to shovel the walk again. Sounds interesting doesn’t it? So where does one buy these products? Just like the real world - someone must create them and market them.

Andrés Reisinger, a pioneer in 3D virtual architecture, sold architectural renderings for $340,000 within the year. He isn’t alone. Many digital artists and architects are now expanding to more than just physical art, but digital art too. This can be anything you can think of from furniture, appliances, paintings, to the outfits your virtual self would wear. Silly to some, is any of this really different from a daydream? In our era, the Metaverse may become the realest solution to meeting with others when physical contact is not accessible. Whether it becomes a business meeting or a casual hang-out with friends, this reality shortens flying miles, reduces costs, and contributes to the reduction in carbon output.

The entanglements of this new reality are still in infancy, and there are many questions still unanswered. How will this affect real estate and investments? What are the health implications of using a technology long-term - what is too much? Will it be addictive? Needless to say, this tip of the iceberg of a newfound frontier will function separately from our physical reality and it’s clear the demand is real. So, is it time for you to experience a virtual home?

SOCIAL CONNECTION & OUR MENTAL HEALTH: QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

By CARLA GRUNDISON

I asked family therapist, Stacey Nealon, and Distress Centre’s Mike Velthuis Kroeze to share their observations around our lack of social interaction in the past 18 months, and for ideas on how to stay connected as we move forward.

CONNECTION IS A PILLAR OF WELLNESS Socializing and connection is an imperative pillar to our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing,’ Stacey shares. While diet and exercise often hog the limelight, ‘a good support system with deep meaningful connections is just as if not more - important for good health.’ Mike adds that it’s not about how many people someone can interact with over the course of a day or week, but rather the quality of the relationships that they have access to that is so valuable.

PATTERNS THAT EMERGED In her practice, Stacey has seen increased anxiety and a lack of purpose. ‘People rely on others for their work, purpose and social buckets to be filled.’ Couples also discovered relationship issues when both shifted to workfrom-home, newly spending 24 hours a day under the same roof.

With restrictions loosening, she’s seen social anxiety cropping up, in people for whom it has never been an issue before. ‘People have been removed from social interaction and large gatherings for so long, they find it more challenging to feel comfortable in these situations now.’

POSITIVE OUTCOMES Amidst the challenges, there have been positives: ‘People going to therapy for the first time ever has increased, and I'm inspired by the amount of people using this time to heal and reinvent themselves,’ says Stacey. Long overdue career changes, new hobbies, creative endeavours, and finding new ways to connect with loved ones - have all been positive results.

What is ‘equally concerning and hopeful is the increase in the number of contacts [we’ve had] related to suicide,’ Mike says. While such a statement may sound alarming, there is an upside: ‘It signals to us that people are reaching out for help. Thoughts of suicide are not uncommon … and it’s important that we don’t treat these thoughts themselves as harmful; rather, it’s the stigma of talking about suicide that truly causes damage to our society, so people reaching out to talk about their struggles is a positive.’

STAYING MENTALLY WELL AND SOCIALLY ACTIVE WHILE AT HOME ‘Balance is everything,’ says Stacey. ‘It is easy to lose balance and not engage enough with activities outside of the home.’ Make time to get out into nature and to see the people that matter most.

If you feel disconnected she suggests checking out online groups such as book clubs, meditation groups, or gaming groups. While not quite the same as meeting in-person, there is still a benefit here.

‘Making the effort is the biggest thing - carving out a weekly coffee date with a friend, or getting a babysitter once a week for a night out is so important, and yet so easy to put on the back burner if we are not intentional with it,’ she says.

SUPPORTING OUR OWN MENTAL WELLNESS ‘You’re not alone in how you feel,’ says Stacey. ‘The collective weight of this pandemic around the world takes a toll on us individually, and this means that stress levels are up so it's common for little problems to feel much more overwhelming than before.’

A few ways to help improve your well-being include: talking with a counsellor, coach, or trusted friend; getting outside - sunlight is important for our brain chemistry; explore podcasts and support groups related to mental wellness; meditation apps, etc.

REACHING OUT TO THE DISTRESS CENTRE FOR HELP - IT'S OK TO CALL People often fear burdening others with their problems and therefore struggle in private. Mike encourages people to call ‘whether or not they feel their crisis is “worthy” enough. It is just as valid for someone to contact us because they are having a bad day as it is for someone to call when they are having thoughts of suicide.’ Connecting early often averts a crisis, and volunteers are happy to support people on a wide range of issues.

HOW WE CAN BEST HELP EACH OTHER ‘The most powerful thing that people can do is continue to reach out to others,’ says Mike. Not every conversation has to be long or in-depth to show that you care, nor do you have to have solutions to every problem. Checking in and simply asking about somone’s day, family, or pets can be very meaningful to another person. Even if you receive little response, you’ve opened the door to show your willingness to listen. Sharing your own challenges can build trust and invite connection from others, as well.

Stacey Nealon is a Calgary-based Family Therapist - https://staceytherapy.ca/ Mike Velthuis Kroeze is the Interim Director of Programs at the Distress Centre https://www.distresscentre.com/ - 24hr phone line (403) 266-HELP (4357) - 24/7 crisis chat and text - more info here - learn about volunteering here

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IS AI A BLESSING OR A CURSE? By SIMON ROSE

Artificial intelligence or AI is often discussed these days in the media, and even during the pandemic humans continue to make technological advances. Science fiction, whether on screen or in print, often features powerful computers. Some of the stories from decades ago were set in eras that at the time were far into the future, but these are now much closer to how we’re currently living.

Technological advances aren’t always for the best, or at least can sometimes be a double-edged sword. This can happen even if the original inventors weren’t thinking ahead, wondering if their invention might one day be used for something that wasn’t good.

Think of the pioneers of aviation, who most likely weren’t considering the possibility of armed planes shooting at each other in the sky, or dropping bombs when they first attempted to make the dream of flying a reality. Similarly with atomic power, scientists were aware of the possibility of developing atomic energy, but much of this was based on theories. Yet the breakthrough eventually came, after which of course came the development of deadly weapons, which are still with us today.

Remotely operated aerial drones were originally developed for dangerous military missions, but later began to be used for aerial photography, agriculture, in movies, TV, and for delivering products. Drones have already been used by police forces for things like monitoring traffic or in search and rescue operations, but some police forces are considering using drones that can capture high quality images from as far away as 457 metres (1500 feet). This will have implications for privacy or might be used for surveillance of groups that are peacefully and legally protesting.

Even social media has many aspects that people aren’t happy with, although they continue to use the platforms, despite the fact that machines are becoming increasingly powerful. AI is used on social media to predict or influence our behaviour, so that companies make money from their online ads, depending on what we decide to link to. AI is very much part of our daily lives in other areas too, used by things such as banking, search engines on the internet, and apps on our cell phones, while translation between languages, dictation for text messages, and facial or image recognition has really advanced in the last few years.

Experts believe that machines more intelligent than people, will definitely be developed before the end of the twenty-first century. However, it’s important for us to stay in control as AI becomes more and more powerful. For example, if we set AI the task of curing a deadly disease, it could decide to develop a way to give everyone on the planet the disease, so that the AI could use the population in an experiment to find the cure. We’d need to set limits at the outset and restrict what the technology is able to do to find this elusive cure, without killing everyone. Maybe we need to work on building technology that understands that we’re just asking it to investigate whether or not something’s possible, and that the machine has to ask a human for permission to continue, similar to how we’re currently asked if we’re sure we want to delete something on our phone or computer.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience - RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Urban Athlete is a locally-owned,

URBAN ATHLETE – WHERE MEMBERS ARE FRIENDS NOT NUMBERS By Carla Grundison

one-of-a-kind fitness studio in Kensington.

The goal is to help people ‘reach their fitness goals in a welcoming, community focused and supportive environment’ says Kohl Kehler, of the gym he co-owns with Karly Renman.

Having previously owned contracting and painting businesses together, the two have found that Urban Athlete aligns well with their lifelong passion for fitness.

Although smaller in square footage than some gyms, don’t be deceived by its size. It packs in enough high-end equipment, stellar fitness classes, as well as talented trainers and instructors – yet somehow maintains an atmosphere that never feels overcrowded.

Kohl finds the most satisfaction comes from ‘seeing someone new to the gym get started and really enjoy themselves and the atmosphere.’ When one can sometimes feel anonymous going about their day, it’s refreshing to step into Urban Athlete and be greeted warmly. The friendly environment makes one feel instantly comfortable as you work on your fitness goals.

Creating this welcoming space starts at the top, with owners keen to build a team of staff, trainers and instructors who share the same values and vision.

‘We like to focus on the individual and how we can help them. In the big box gyms and franchises, customers are often treated as a number but here we really want to get to know our members names and their individual stories.’ Kohl says:

Listening to hundreds of

Reflecting on the pandemic,

members and others in the

Kohl shares how honoured

community over the years has

they’ve felt to be such a valued

clearly shaped an ownership

part of their members’ lives:

team with a great intuitive sense of what works.

Respect for others, doing what

‘It’s been so humbling to get so much support from our community here at the gym.’ Comments from members are a

you’ll say you’ll do, open

testament to what they’ve

communication, and a growth

created:

mindset – are several key factors that have contributed to their success.

‘it’s been really energizing to hear members say they wouldn’t know what they would have done if not for the gym during covid.’

Our members and their willingness to pivot with everything we had to do in the past 18 months is what kept us going.’ ‘

What about outside of the gym – how do they keep a work-life balance?

While the pandemic offered little opportunity for the traveling that they both enjoy,

Kohl and Karly help each other they found truth in the adage stay positive, as well. They choose ‘when one door closes, another to direct any frustrations they opens’ as they discovered the might have into something benefit of simply unplugging productive for the business, and going camping - out of and put energy into things they cell-service and wifi range: can change rather than wasting ‘that time in nature really helps time complaining about things recharge the batteries.’ outside of their control.

If you’ve driven up 14th Street in the northwest in recent years, you’ve likely driven by Urban Athlete – which is only a few months shy of its ninth birthday. Now you have a better sense of what and who is inside.

Urban Athlete - https://urbanathletecalgary.com/

PACKAGED INSIDE OF EVERY MISTAKE THERE LIES A GREAT LESSON. AND WHILE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE MISTAKE INTO THE NEW YEAR, I MOST CERTAINLY WANT TO TAKE THE LESSON THAT'S PACKAGED INSIDE OF IT. - CRAIG D. LOUNSBROUGH

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