Welcome to BizBeat, Pique’s newest web series profiling Whistler businesses and their employees who go above and beyond.
Each week, we will profile another resort employer and one of their staff, who have each agreed to answer the same questionnaire that has been sent to businesses and employees across the community.
After yesterday's BizBeat entry profiling postpartum fitness program Mountain Mom Strong, we talk again to owner and founder, Sara Niblock.
The following interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Pique: Tell us about yourself and how you landed in Whistler.
I have always loved the mountains. I grew up skiing and snowboarding at a small hill in Ontario called Chicopee, which had only 210 feet of vert. After graduating from university with a degree in kinesiology, I moved out West the very next day.
Initially, I thought I needed to be in a city to find work, so I went to Kelowna. Coming from Ontario, Big White seemed like a big mountain, but after visiting friends and attending a few training camps (I used to race boarder cross) in Whistler, I knew that I had to be there.
The terrain in Whistler is both incredible and endless, both in the winter and summer. It has everything one could ask for, including endless trails, stunning lakes, towering mountains, and a massive community. I find myself frequently pinching myself, wondering if this is all real.
Describe your current job and what you do at the company.
I am the owner of Sara Niblock Training and the creator of Mountain Mom Strong, which offers a restorative approach to postpartum rehabilitation and return to fitness. As a kinesiologist, I am responsible for designing and creating the programs, facilitating the in-person classes, filming and editing the workouts, building and maintaining the website, and managing social media and marketing. Although it requires a lot of work, it’s 100 per cent worth the effort.
What do you like best about the job?
The impact that I can have on moms in our community is immense. I get to help moms who were struggling to do even the simplest tasks of daily living and who couldn’t enjoy the mountain sports they moved here for. Having the ability to help restore their bodies and change their outlook on life is incredibly rewarding.
My goal is to educate and empower moms so that they prioritize their postpartum rehab and decrease their risk of injury.
What is your housing situation? How did you find it?
I am fortunate to live in [Whistler Housing Authority accomodation]. I have been in town for over 13 years, and in 2012, when we were looking to purchase a home, the WHA list was non-existent, as everyone on it had just purchased all the housing post-Olympics.
How do you try to strike a healthy work-life balance in Whistler?
I practise what I preach: daily movement, fresh air and working at a job I love and am passionate about. Living here makes it easy to be active. We are so lucky.
Any advice for young people trying to make it in Whistler?
Follow your passion, work hard and don’t give up. Anything is possible. You may have to cram into a small house with lots of people in the beginning, but you will find your way.
Learn more at mountainmomstrong.com.
Got a business or employee you'd like us to profile? Email reporter Brandon Barrett at bbarrett@piquenewsmagazine.com.
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