EDUCATOR

Edin Sehovic

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Vancouver, BC How did you get into Sports Nutrition and Fitness Coaching? I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 14. These are the years when you’re finally getting some food freedom. You’re away from home more, can make decisions away from your parents, etc. Instead of getting to demolish half a cake and eat ice cream for dinner (i’m sure i would’ve loved that). I was learning how to balance my blood sugars all while trying to perform at tennis (which i was competing in). After trying to juggle all this, and always being curious about how the body’s performance changed based on the fuel it was given, I went to school for a bachelor of science in Nutrition, and dietetics, followed by a post grad diploma in Sport Nutrition with the International Olympic Committee, and now currently working on getting my Masters of Science in Sport Nutrition. All the while i’ve worked with professional athletes, NARPs (non athletic regular people) and everyone in between to help them with their nutrition to help reach their exercise goals, and beyond! What made you want to become a content creator and share your knowledge and education? After working for 2-3 years, I realized that most people are asking a lot of similar questions. So I thought, what is a way in which I can answer multiple questions without repeating my self 500x? Turns out I still repeat myself every so often but I decided to go on social media to spread evidence based nutrition and fitness information. One of the biggest hurdles that separates most people from their goals, is having the knowledge base, or the support to reach their goals. Thats where EvidenceNutrition comes in. Easy to remember, it’s in the name. I’ve worked with many athletes that have small and large medical teams, and best part is that everything can be cited back to scientific articles and confirmed/ collaborated on by medical teams/coaching staff. The beauty of it all is that I invite everyone to come to my pages, question what I put out, and be willing to all learn together! As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? That’s a tough one. I dreamed of playing tennis professionally, growing up watching Roger Federer. After a while, I realized I liked helping others, or I felt a bigger satisfaction helping others grow and progress. I’ve always been intrigued by sport, fitness but also in tech, data, and aerodynamics. My parents thought i’d be an engineer or something with my hands… I operate a camera from time to time, pretty close, right? Who was/is your biggest inspiration? This answer has changed many times over my life. As I mentioned before it was Roger Federer, but as I grew older I started taking inspiration from a lot of people in my life and picking up many nuggets of wisdom from anyone I could rub shoulders with. I continue to take great inspiration from my dad and brother, who both have an insane work ethic. More so than that, they both have this innate ability to problem solve, regardless of the situation, back against the wall, no money in the wallet, they’ve always found a solution to every problem. I’d probably have to say them. Then there’s my mother, who as I grew older, I grew to appreciate more and more. I mean damn, I struggle to make sure I have 1-2 cooked meals a day, my mom made sure (regardless of our tight budget especially when I was young) that there was 3-4 home cooked meals per day. Every single day. I truly don’t remember a single day in my childhood or teen years where I was hungry and there wasn’t a meal done within a couple hours. Definitely a bunch of superheroes in my family! What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I want to be able to grow my audience on socials but also in all aspects of my businesses. I want to push myself to do a bit better every day. As for socials, I want to educate more people, entertain more people with a laugh or maybe even inspire a few more people to take care of themselves, do better and live better! So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? I like to think of myself as grateful of what i’ve been able to achieve but i’m still writing my story. I don’t think i’ve had that moment yet. Speaking of career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I want my audience to grow, and to be able to connect with people and educate more people, and fill the gap we have in North America. I want to increase accessibility to nutrition (especially sport) within all communities that have a cellular reception/social media access. This way maybe we can see more stellar athletes, even at the collegiate level, coming from neighbourhoods that might not otherwise have a chance! In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) There is no denying that the average intake of caffeine is high. In Canada (higher than US) the average individual consumes around 230mg of caffeine. There is definitely a great place for these drinks to be consumed especially to help peak athletic performance, but the needs of athletes are very different to the needs of NARPs (non athletic regular people). Drinking beverages with lots of sugar can impact total caloric intake, and if we all think about that warm summer day, we could easily pound back 500mL of fluids. What if that fluid was 400 kcal… do we think we’d be full from it? Probably not. We could probably take down another one. If we did, for the average male that would already be ¼ of the total daily energy requirements. These beverages make it a lot easier to over consume kcals, impact sleep, both of which play massive roles in the obesity epidemic we have in North America today. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? Two fun facts about me: I love staying hydrated and i’m always pushing myself to make sure I’m consistent with my fluid intake. And two I HATE drinking my Calories. I’m sure i’m not alone in saying that sometimes water is boring. Sometimes I want something with a little bit of flavor. Especially if you’re one of those people that doesn’t like non nutritive sweeteners (zero kcal sweeteners) you might not enjoy the flavor of most zero kcal drinks. I choose Wize (almost daily), to give me that little lunch time pick me up. It’s very slightly caffeinated with l-theanine from the Tea (which synergistically works with caffeine to increase alertness, and reduce/eliminate the crash) this way I can stay hydrated, and keep myself ready to work throughout the long days. Anecdotally, I’ve also reduced my dependency to coffee by completely eliminating it in the morning (unless getting a coffee for social reasons) - Thanks Wize! Any new projects coming down the pipeline? I’m working with many different companies now in developing new products for the sport supplement space, blood glucose control products, day to day supplements and more. I hope to consult many more brands on how to make their products healthier, tastier, and safer for market in the future! So much fun watching them grow! I’ve opened up two new spots for nutrition coaching to hopefully help reach more 1-on-1 nutrition coaching clients. I hope to help educate more people such that they can make the best informed decisions for their own nutrition! For more FREE sports content! I’m launching all my sport nutrition video series (from tiktok and instagram) as a FREE printable PDF to help you/your family when you need it on GAME DAY! If I haven’t made a video on a sport you participate in, comment it on one of my videos and i’ll be quick to get a video together for you! What’s your favourite flavour of Wize? When do you typically drink it? At first I rated mango in my top, but after drinking them for months I’d say new number 1 is lemon- two is raspberry, 3 is mango 4 is grapefruit. I learned to love grapefruit now. I consume them almost always around lunch- or if i’m watching a movie with my gal Jessie it’ll be then Where can our audience find out more about you? You can find me onInstagram (@evidencenutrition)Youtube, (https://www.youtube.com/user/edinay/videos),Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@evidencenutrition) Website https://www.edinsehovicnutrition.com/

Nanaimo, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? During Covid, when there wasn’t much to do my parents bought me a cruiser board to cruise around a pump track. I realized how much fun it was and decided to try skateboarding. I received my first skateboard just over a year ago and haven’t looked back. What do you want to be when you grow up? I would love to take skateboarding to a professional level if I am able to do so. Who has been your biggest inspiration? My biggest inspirations in skateboarding are Sky Brown, Fay DeFazio Ebert, and Ruby Lilley What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? What keeps me pushing and is the intrinsic driver or motivation is the thrill and rush of landing a new trick after hours, days and sometimes months of work and falls. There is no better feeling of accomplishing what I had set out to do. So far, what has been your favourite highlight in life? An achievement? A specific moment? Honestly, just being where I am at with my skateboarding feels like the best achievement. Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I hope to be in a place where I am able to skateboard around the world and pretty much skate anything. The Olympics would be the ultimate dream if I am going to dream big. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) I am not a fan of super sugary drinks so I usually stick to water or carbonated water. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? Wize is an awesome alternative to sugary drinks. I love the idea that I can have a wize drink as a treat after a hard skateboarding session but without getting all sugared and caffeined up. What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? I have a few tricks I am working on and hope to participate in some local skate competitions this summer. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? I haven't tried them all, so I don't have a favourite yet. I am looking forward to trying them all. I would typically drink them after a skate session. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? @ollie_zzolli

Coquitlam, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? When I was in middle school, I decided to join the Coquitlam Cheetahs track and field club as a way to get prepared for the soccer season. Although my plan was to do the running events, the club encouraged all their members to try events in all three track and field categories including running, jumping and throwing. So, I began trying events in practice such as the 1500m, triple jump, high jump, discus, javelin, and the hammer throw. Through practicing in these different events, I gravitated towards the throws as I enjoyed the feeling of strength and the challenges associated with the highly technical nature of the events. In 2012, after a couple years of training, I qualified for my first big competitions, the BC Summer Games and the Canadian National Championships. It was at this moment that I really believed in my potential and truly discovered my talents in the event. I won all three of my events (hammer, javelin and discus) at the BC Summer Games and also capped off the championship, winning the W.R.Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence. I then went on to win a gold, a silver and a bronze at the Canadian National Championships that same summer. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always had two aspirations as a kid. One aspiration was (and continues) to be an Olympian and the other was to be an Architect or Doctor. Who was your biggest inspiration? I have always looked up to people who have been trailblazing the path which I hoped to follow; successful in both their STEM professional and athletic fields. One person who has been of inspiration to me lately is NY Jets NFL team member and graduate of Medicine, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? It is almost next to impossible to have a perfect throw, but it is the desire to reach for as close to perfection as possible that drives me to push my throws to new heights (or should I say lengths). It is a constant battle, working on the technical aspects of the throw, but it feels amazing when the technique clicks into place, the throw soars to a distance you’ve never thrown before and a new personal record is set. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? One of my favourite moments of my career so far has been competing on my third Team Canada at the World University Games in Naples Italy where I placed ninth. This was a multi-sport game and I really enjoyed not only meeting and competing with athletes from all over the world, but competing in a massive track and field stadium, and being able to experience and enjoy other sports on the international stage. In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I am currently training towards the Paris 2024 Olympic games! In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) I have always found it somewhat difficult to find a healthy beverage, besides water, that I could buy and drink on the go. So many beverages on the market today contain loads of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients and these are especially prominent in the on-the-go market. I was so happy when I found a brand like Wize. Not only is the iced tea easy to take on the go, but it’s refreshing and really great tasting. It’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day and Wize iced tea has been a great option for me in helping to keep my body fuelled. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I love Wize because it is a convenient, tasty, healthy, and refreshing beverage that I can drink on the go at work, as well as before and after training sessions. Drinking Wize at work has been an especially good substitution for coffee and for helping to keep me hydrated before my training sessions in the afternoon. I have also been trying to reduce my sugar intake, so Wize is a great option with only 1g of sugar per can. Outside of my usual work and training schedule, I also enjoy taking wize with me on walks and hikes! I also choose Wize because I highly value supporting others and Wize is a socially responsible company, working to support people in the coffee growing industry by providing them with an additional source of yearly income, by reducing hunger, and by increasing access to education in these communities. What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? I have been working with my new coach here, back at home, ever since graduating from the University of Connecticut in May of 2021, and we have been working to completely revamp my throwing technique. This has been quite the challenge, but I am excited to see the results of this hard work later this season when it all starts to come together. This summer I am hoping to qualify for the World University Games again, the Commonwealth Games or the NACAC Championships. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? My favourite flavour is the Grapefruit iced tea, but I also love drinking the lemon and the mango as well. I typically drink Wize iced tea while at work for a refreshing caffeine boost, and after workouts to help keep me hydrated. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? You can find me on Instagram at @chanell_botsis

North Vancouver, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I started mountain biking as a kid like most, but being situated on “The Shore” while the Freeride was being born really kick-started it. My Mom and Dad loved driving me and my friends to go biking. They really supported my passion for the sport, and helped me get to where I am today. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a professional Mountain Biker Who was your biggest inspiration? I looked up to legends of the sport like Wade Simmons, Thomas Vanderham, Aaron Chase, Jordie Lunn, and my friend Geoff “Gully” Gulevich (just to name a few) Gully went to the same highschool as me, and he was a “Pro” before he graduated. Having someone that successful within my circle inspired me to do it too! Watching the movies from New World Disorder and North Shore Extreme, kept me insanely stoked to learn and push myself. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I think it’s just love for my sport, and wanting to keep progressing personally. I love how creative you can be on a bike, and the freedom it gives you. The forest is endlessly beautiful and exploring it on my bike will never get old! So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? The earlier years of my career that consisted of road-tripping and flying around the globe to compete in Slopestyle contests are the biggest highlights. I’ve met life-long friends from these times, and have so many insane memories that don’t even seem real when looking back on them. I won contests, saw beautiful parts of the world, did crazy stuff with my friends, and met incredible people all thanks to my bike. In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? At this point in my career, I'm stoked to continue along the path of creating media and adventuring with my friends. I want to explore bike-packing more, and get deeper into the wilderness with my own power. So in 5 or 10 years…. I wanna keep doing what I’m doing haha. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) I think the current beverage options out there have way too much sugar and processed ingredients. When energy drink athletes won’t drink the product that supports them, you know something is wrong there. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I like how Wize is a low-sugar drink that has a mellow caffeine boost. It helps me get an extra bit of energy without negatively affecting my performance or health. It’s also really great to see a brand doing such great things for the global economy like expanding jobs in the coffee bean industry to be year-long! What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? I’m just about to start a video project with old friend Graeme Mieklejohn. We are making a “very shore” video inspired by Sterling Lorence’s iconic Black and White images of The North Shore. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? Mango! I like to have it mid-day or whenever I'm out doing an activity. It’s also a nice evening drink when I need to stay up and edit videos on the computer. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? (social media links etc) @lornny @weekend_slayer Weekend Slayer Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTJfbynVNLCvXIdztG4x62Q

Shawnigan Lake, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? My Dad got me my first bmx from a garage sale when I was 5 and I was obsessed until about the age of 16 when I sold my mountain bike for a motocross bike. After many years of riding dirt bikes and getting multiple injuries I got back into Mountain biking about 5 years ago and here we are :) As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to sell Mercedes 🤷🏻‍♂️ Who was your biggest inspiration? As a kid Michael Jordan now Laird Hamilton. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? Honestly it is many things. I love having an idea and going out into the woods, finding downed wood or red dirt and building what you imagined, hitting the feature for the first time, having it work, and also getting the shot that you had envisioned in your head. It’s a whole process that I really enjoy. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? Probably getting to race in the Steve Smith BC DownHill cup this summer and finishing 6th in my class . It was an amazing experience. Also the Mt Dumont road gap is probably my biggest send . In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I will continue to race Down Hill In the summer and will be training to try and make the podium overall for the BC cup but my main passion is building trails and getting shots in the forest. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) When I was younger I went from red bull to sugar free red bull to yerba mate but now ever since you guys sent me that one box we have been buying wize drinks. My wife and I avoid sugar, pops, juice and processed carbs at all costs as we are aware of the inflammation , weight gain and many other issues it can cause. I think what you guys are doing as a brand is amazing and I am so stoked there is a healthy refreshment on the shelves now, stoked to be a part of the movement ! How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I am self-employed. I own a clothing brand called Seven Cedars that is an outdoor and casual wear that is mainly run online at this point so I have lots of spare time to surf, trail build, and of course ride my Mountain bike. Doing all these things is very draining and wize drinks definitely help me stay motivated . What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? I am building a trail that we have been documenting on Instagram a little bit but when it is done I will be making a lengthy edit for YouTube and instagram with multiple wood features and we will showcase a bunch of us drinking wize along the way :) . What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? Mango is my fav and I drink them morning and lunch before rides or a surf . I like how they are not overloaded with caffeine so I can have a few a day . Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? (social media links etc) Instagram @willynelsonn Youtube Sean Collins MTB

Garret ‘GMAN’ Louie

North Vancouver How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I’ve always been entrepreneurial & creative. Finding better ways to do things or solutions to problems. I would say it all stems back to skateboarding & music. A lot of DIY going on As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? My Mom said I would be a good lawyer because I argued a lot lol. I was really not sure but I guess what I’m doing now. Working with all of my passions eg. music, street wear, fashion, skateboarding, snowboarding etc Who was your biggest inspiration? Besides my parents, Rick Klotz (the owner of the Los Angeles apparel brand Freshjive). He introduced me to streetwear, helped start our distribution, influenced me into getting into promoting in the nightlife scene which led to the birth of Fortune Sound Club. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I’m in a constant pursuit to always be better and evolve myself. Why not? So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? Right now it’s been putting together a full 60 piece apparel collection for this new brand TAIKAN that I’m involved with creatively. It’s been challenging and a ton of work but it’s something I can now say that I have done. In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I would love to be more chilling. I’ve been working like a mad man for last little while and am really thinking hard about the next chapter. Switching gears a bit… what do you think about the existing grab-and-go drink options out there? Are people ready for healthier alternatives? or will “Big Sugar” continue to dominate the landscape? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high caffeine, high sugar drinks) 100%. This is the path that I’m on and am being really conscious about what I’m putting into my body these days. How does Wize iced tea fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I really just love the taste. I have always been a fan of iced tea but I’m finding my palette is changing and I’m wanting less sugar. It also helps that this is a Canadian brand with great people behind it. I love to support local business. What are your next projects coming down the pipeline? For Fortune Sound Club we are awaiting word on when we can open to a full capacity as it's been extremely challenging for the past couple years. For my FBOMB (@fbombtrading) & Timebomb Trading (@timebombtrading) Distribution which just picked up a couple of new brands that we will launch so look out for Haan Ready (@haanready) & Lusso Cloud (@lussocloud) coming to Canada soon. Then the big launch is apparel collection I was mentioning earlier with the brand TAIKAN ( @taikaneverything). It’s a 60 piece collection that focuses on some solid essential pieces and we have collaborated as well with some amazing local artists too. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize? When do you typically drink it? I like to mix it up, but if I had to choose one it would be Grapefruit. I’ll drink whenever during the day. Less at night. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? Instagrams: @garretgman @fortunesound @timebombtrading @fbombtrading @taikaneverything

Georgetown, Ontario How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I owe the start of my snowboarding career to my parents. They would take my siblings and I up to our family chalet at Beaver Valley Ski Club ever since I was born. They taught me how to snowboard as soon as I could walk, and I loved it for as long as I can remember. My parents helped me get into freestyle programs there and eventually local contests which led to me entering provincial contests. Once I started winning those competitions I got into competing nationally. I realized I was usually taking top spot at national contests and that I could do tricks the other girls couldn’t yet. I started to believe in myself more and that helped me to get to the next step of committing all my time to snowboarding, knowing I had what it takes to snowboard as my career. Soon enough I made the national development team and eventually the national team. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a kid I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. I was on track to achieve that all through high school and got accepted into a life sciences program at Laurier university in Ontario. I am still taking courses on the side of snowboarding, and plan to keep educating myself towards my goal of becoming a doctor which I will continue to pursue after snowboarding. Who was your biggest inspiration? I didn’t really grow up watching snowboarding honestly. There just weren’t enough women being filmed and included in the industry to watch as there were men. I would watch mens snowboarding from time to time but my biggest supporters and inspirations were always my first coaches and my family. My brother has always been good at snowboarding and his progression would help me push myself to do better. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I genuinely just absolutely love snowboarding. I love having something out of the ordinary that I can excel at and always be progressing at. The feeling of landing a new trick you’ve worked so hard for or were so scared to try is unmatchable. I chase that feeling of adrenaline and pure satisfaction and stoke that comes on the daily when I snowboard. Any day I get to snowboard is better than any day not riding, so my genuine love for the sport is what continues to drive me. I don’t know where I would be without it. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? My favourite highlight of my career was definitely winning the World Ski & Snowboard festival big air in Whistler in April 2019. That moment meant a lot to me because I competed against and beat these women that I had been looking up to for years, who had been to the Olympics and X Games and that made me feel like I’m really capable of being one of the best in this sport. The $20,000 cheque was definitely not bad either. In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? In 5 years I hope to have competed at my second Olympics, and to have been invited to X Games at least once. By then I hope to have a big enough name in snowboarding to have an influence on the younger generation of women and girls and help them find inspiration to do what they love whether that’s snowboarding or something else. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) To be honest, the beverage options out there are not drinks I would spend my money on and they definitely do not suit my lifestyle and health/nutrition habits. Energy drinks are too full of sugar and the caffeine level is too high to have on a regular basis. Even non-energy drinks are usually just packed with sugar which I don’t need in my diet. I love coffee but unless you go to a real coffee shop or make it yourself at home, the bottled coffee or fast food coffee is either terrible or way too sweet or both. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I choose Wize teas as my main beverage because they’re the only drink I’ve found that suits my lifestyle as an athlete. First of all the caffeine comes from coffee leaves, making it more of a slow rising and declining energy instead of a quick boost and then crash. They also only have 1 gram of sugar so I never feel guilty for drinking it. It still tastes so good and gives me the energy I need in the morning or throughout the day. What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? This 2021-2022 season I am strictly focused on making the 2022 Olympics. This has been my dream ever since I started winning my first local competitions. I plan to train on and off snow everyday and base all of my daily decisions around staying healthy and progressing my riding. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? I drink Wize teas all day long honestly. First thing in the morning, at the gym, after the gym, with lunch, and in the afternoon. The 35mg caffeine is great because I can have one in the evening and still sleep just fine. My favourite flavour is the hint of lemon iced tea but the grapefruit and mango are also amazing. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? I’m most active on Instagram, @jasmine.baird, and sometimes on snapchat @jazzibaird

Squamish BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I’ve always been a skier since I was a couple years old. In 2015 I joined the Whistler Freeride Club, and that's when I started taking skiing seriously. I wasn’t so quick to latch onto mountain biking though. I didn't really start mtb until I was about 12 years old. But ever since then, it’s been a full go, non-stop biking (except during ski season). I picked up biking quickly as it's similar to skiing. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Haha well I’m still kind of figuring that out. When I was younger I always knew I never wanted to work a traditional 9-5 job. So right now I’m making that vision a reality and working on creating cashflow businesses and being a professional athlete. Who was your biggest inspiration? My biggest inspirations are the youth and the next generation of prodigies. Every new generation are so good and better than the last. Instead of fighting the change and evolution of the sport, I coach and try to help the next generation become better than the current one! What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? Learning new things is fun and it keeps things exciting. I also keep pushing my skills in order to stay relevant in the fast evolving world of action sports. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? Going to compete at the Freeride World Junior Championships for skiing in Austria was a highlight for sure. But my favourite may have to be March 8th 2021; it was the sendiest ski day ever. In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? Shredding new lines on the Bike & Skis and really pushing the creative side. I hope to have my real estate investment properties supplying me with cash flow at that point so I don’t have to work (other than on my career as a professional athlete) and can just focus on biking & skiing and any other sports. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) So bad! I can’t stand some of the toxic options on the market. Which is why I always drink water over those other options. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I have long days and live an extremely active lifestyle. Between coaching, biking, skiing, viewing properties and working on my computer, it’s important that I stay hydrated and energized I love what Wize is doing and that it’s a local company. I like that it's low sugar as this is so much healthier! The food industry could get by on so much less sugar! What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? Shredding new lines & innovative ideas. Always creating content and documenting the bikes and skis. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? The Hint of Lemon. Drink it right before a big day of activity or part way through. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? @flowryder on Instagram @flowryder_ on tik tok

Jenavieve Louie

North Vancouver, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? Ever since I can remember, I have always loved painting. I have paintings from when I was 4 years old, although they’re not great, my desire to create art at such a young age was a definite sign that I would end up with a career in art. I started taking art more seriously in 2016, when I began painting portraits of rappers, musicians, and other pop culture icons. At first, I was doing this just as a hobby; but by 2018 there was enough demand for me to open my own website to sell prints and paintings. Now, 2021, I am a full-time artist and get to spend every day making art. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? An artist! I remember telling my brother that I wanted to be an artist when I was 7 years old; he laughed at me and told me that “artist’s don’t make any money unless they’re dead”, which definitely deterred me from a career in art for a long time. When social media came along I realized that being an artist was not as hard as I thought. With Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest etc. there are so many ways to promote your work; so I decided to put my social media marketing skills to work and try to pursue my childhood dream - lucky for me it worked! Who was your biggest inspiration? Artistically, I always loved Andy Warhol’s pop art portraits, which definitely influenced my chosen subject of work. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I love challenging myself. Once I stop feeling challenged by my craft then I start doing more: bigger canvases, more complex concepts, new techniques etc. until I feel challenged again. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? My favourite highlight was when I got to paint for Russ! In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? In 5 years I hope to have solidified my name/style in the art industry! Right now I’m still in the process of getting my name out there and finding my style. Switching gears a bit… what do you think about the existing grab-and-go drink options out there? Are people ready for healthier alternatives? or will “Big Sugar” continue to dominate the landscape? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high caffeine, high sugar drinks) I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I’m so tired of the existing grab-and-go drink options. I hate having to choose between super sugary, high calorie, high caffeine drinks that make me feel terrible after I drink them. Wize tea is the perfect healthy alternative! How does Wize iced tea fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? I usually work around 12 hours a day, painting, packaging orders, and creating content. Wize iced tea is the perfect drink to keep me going throughout the day. The light caffeine gives me just enough of a boost without the sugar crash I get from other energy drinks. Not to mention Wize teas are so refreshing and only 10 calories so I don’t feel guilty drinking them. What are your next projects coming down the pipeline? Right now I’m working on painting Trippie Redd, which will hopefully be done by the end of the month. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize? When do you typically drink it? Although I love all the flavours, I would have to say that my favourite is Mango. On days when I spend my whole day in the studio I usually drink one when I wake up, one around 7, and another around 11! The light caffeine content is the perfect way to keep me focused. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? https://www.instagram.com/jenavievelouie/ https://twitter.com/jenavievelouie https://www.tiktok.com/@jenavievelouie https://jenavievelouie.com/

Jacksun & Carlow (Funkanometry)

Jacksun & Carlow (Funkanometry) Vancouver Island, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? Our parents put us in hip hop class when we were kids and we loved it. The teachers saw potential and kept challenging us As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?Jackson: An Astronaut Carlow: Always wanted to be famous for something Who was your biggest inspiration? Our dance teachers and especially, a teacher we both learned from Aj ‘MegaMan’ Kambere and of course, each other. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? We love music and performing and connecting with our audience. It’s all about having fun. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? We competed in the World of Dance Competition In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? Entertaining world wide through social media, television and live shows and creating with other artists in the industry. Switching gears a bit… what do you think about the existing grab-and-go drink options out there? Are people ready for healthier alternatives? or will “Big Sugar” continue to dominate the landscape? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high caffeine, high sugar drinks) Yes! We believe that people are definitely more aware of the important of healthy choices and the negative consequences of common energy boosters. How does Wize iced tea fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? We’re always on the move; travelling, dancing, teaching and often making multiple videos in a day which can become very exhausting. Wize helps us stay energized and we choose it because it’s healthier and refreshing. What are your next projects coming down the pipeline? Stay tuned! Maybe another show? ;) What’s your favourite flavour of Wize? When do you typically drink it? Lemon and Grapefruit are the faves. We typically drink them right before we shoot a video or teach a class. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? Website: https://funkanometry.ca/Instagram: @Funkanometry_ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@funkanometryYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkXoaPeBTmYJZeiZPb-JMFQ

Russell Morland (LURK)

Russell Morland (LURK) Nanaimo, BC Where are you from and where are you living now? I’m originally from the cold hard depths of Northern England pretty close to the Scottish border in an area know as County Durham. I now live in Nanaimo on Vancouver island. How did you discover your talent? What got you started? My mom got me into art, she had studied art a little bit in college and went on to become a hairdresser. She had a bunch of her old sketchbooks lying around and I would trace and copy things from those books, she had lots of talent and still paints to this day. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I just honestly love learning new tricks, I think of it like skateboarding almost just learning that new thing. I’m hyped to create new worlds and creatures and stoke people out. Between tattooing, painting, digital artwork etc, what’s your favourite discipline? Painting hands down. If you could have tea with an idol or figure of any era, who would it be? Why? Alessandro Michelle head art director/ designer of Gucci, the man is a power house of creativity and just is in flow right now. As far as visual artists go Robert Williams must have some amazing stories. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? Getting few pages in Heavy Metal magazine and having my (now) friends David and Cliff write the stories that went with the article they were in my head about how to approach it without ever speaking to me and it was such a dope piece. Your latest piece was very cool, what was the motivation behind it? The commission of Ram Dass was inspired and motivated by the client, it was fun to take some of their input and be able to make it into something unique. The wizard staff with funky colours seems to be a symbol of yours, what does that represent? The magical Gloop staff has gotten me in trouble before, I just liked slime stuff as a kid, I was an 80s kid grew up in an era of ghostbusters and Santa Cruz skateboards, I just love that stuff. The gloop is magic and energy no matter it’s colour or where it comes from it represents free thought and energy in the universe maybe it help create things maybe it destroys them the magic all around us. I was so sick of drawing sparks and lighting bolts for magic why not rainbow gloop. If people see a double entendre in that then that’s their choose your own adventure. You also have a lot of mouths or faces where normally a stomach would be, what’s the idea behind that? I think it’s a duality thing, so much duality and multiple personalities in creatures, this is how I represent that. In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? Same place as now, I’m happy. I guess I would love it to have an animated show for adults that’s trippy and weird without being harmful. I’d love to do more art shows the Pandemic is killing my vibe. Define your idea of being a ‘Wize’ person in the modern world. What does that mean to you? Be as broad or specific as you’d like. Keep your chin up and your eyes down, don’t open your multi mouths to make a sound. What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? Lots of commission work right now, and I’m working on a table top game with a company. What’s your favourite flavor of Wize tea? How do you steep or consume it? Steeped Ginger Lemon! Love that one. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? @lurklovesyou on Instagram and Choice app.

Kendall Gender / Kenneth Wyse Vancouver, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I have been doing drag since 2014. It started off as a hobby that quickly turned into a dream career. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A popstar. Mission ACCOMPLISHED! Who was your biggest inspiration? I think strong females have always inspired me, whether that was Beyonce, or my own mother. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I think with drag, you are always learning as it's a constant flow of inspiration and being inspired. I love that i can watch a movie or see a photo on instagram and be instantly inspired to create a whole look or performance from just that. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? In 2020, I was the first drag performer ever to perform a halftime show at the Rugby 7’s game in Vancouver. I performed for a crowd of 50,000 people at BC Place! In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I want to be the drag Oprah. How does Wize iced tea fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? Personally, I do not drink alcohol. So I am always searching for an alternative to sugary energy drinks when I am performing. Obviously when im in the club ( pre pandemic ) , I need something to keep me up without that dreaded sugar hangover. Wize is a perfect alternative. What are your next projects coming down the pipeline? I’m just currently dreaming of a post pandemic world where I can get back to performing and meeting everyone in person! What’s your favourite flavour of Wize? When do you typically drink it? Mango! Before / During a show or performance, especially during the quarantine its been a wonderful replacement to energy drinks. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? @kendallgender, www.kendallgender.com

Geoff Gulevich North Vancouver, BC How did you discover your talent? What got you started? I was the younger brother, who always watched the older boys ride and watch bike movies. Just wanted to hang with the cool kids As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Baseball player, until I discovered I worked best alone, haha. Who was your biggest inspiration? My biggest inspiration would have to be the thought of progression and exploration. I just want to learn more and more What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? I just want to keep growing, learning about the world and continue to push the limits of mountain biking. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment? I have travelled to every continent, aside from Antarctica. Not much biking there anyway. I have been ranked 4th in the world. Placed 5th at Redbull Joyride ‘12 and 5th place at Redbull Rampage ‘13. In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years? I will be staying in the cycling world but I’ll cross that bridge when i get to it. In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc) Water is great and free! I’m not super impressed with the amount of harmful beverages, readily available for kids to purchase. Along with how to do your taxes, i think healthy eating habits need to be taught in our schools. How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize? Wize is delicious, refreshing and has an appropriate amount of sugar in it. I would and do recommend Wize to any thirsty patron. What are the next projects coming down the pipeline? Survive a pandemic and then get back out into the world. As for now, just continuing to film, shoot and produce entertaining content for the world. What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it? The Mango, wize iced tea, is my go to. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? Insta, tiktok, twitter: @geoffgulevich

Pax Frias Vancouver, CA “I was the person who immediately was talking everyone's ear off about that hot cool thing that I had read about, or done on the weekend, or researched and experimented with. So I leaned into that extraversion and the fact that I am an absolute nerd who loves knowledge.” Let me introduce you to Pax Frias, a Physical Literacy Educator at Restore Human. He’s an admitted extrovert, predisposed to a combination of hospitality and self improvement, and in that intersection is where you’ll find him. Pax spent most of his adolescence in the clouds, 3000m in the air to be exact, growing up in the mountains of Chile simultaneously, and impulsively training his cardiovascular system and sense of adventure. By the time Pax got to Canada his gregariousness was instinctual, when you couple that with a history in the hospitality industry, you can figure that the fitness community seemed to be a natural landing spot. He admits, in the beginning, he wanted to be a yoga teacher adding, “I definitely wanted to be a teacher of physical movements, but I didn't have the notion of that being a job title. I obviously wanted to work with people's bodies and I thought yoga was a really interesting and beautiful way of moving your body,” but as you’ll find with Pax, he would rather deal in multitudes than in singularities. "It was the amalgamation of the gift of being hyperactive, physically and mentally, that got me the job with Restore Human. The real boost was thanks to the amazing team I work with every damn day." His professional life is a testament to his multidimensionality. Look no further than his thoughts on self improvement, he says it’s as simple as, “‘I did that, what can I do next?’ I could tip my hat to the principles of zen; they believe in simplifying and improving while refining.” It’s about creating efficient and beautiful outcomes for himself as a coach and for his clients, he adds, “We’re not driven by a bottom line or profits, we’re driven by success stories.” The ‘we’ he speaks of is his team at Restore Human, a personal training centre in Vancouver. It’s headed up by Coach K, who holds dual roles as both the Director of Restore Human, and Pax’s personal inspiration. A former Australian Sniper Supervisor turned master of physical literacy and training, Coach K is “very well trained and adept at problem solving when it comes to teamwork, when it comes to the human body and when it comes to caring about big-picture human issues.” Pax adds, “I would not be where I’m at without him.” "I want to be spearheading a team that's about three times the size of what we have now, but that's doing a hundred times better work. I also want to have a ton more adventures under my belt, some mountain summits and other nature endurance feats." Movement is integral to Pax’s procedure, not just professionally but personally as well. One of his career highlights would be his 6000 total hours of allotted training, “halfway to mastery” he says - citing the 10,000 hour practice. He also notes a 60km canoe trip orchestrated as a group with his Restore Human team, as well as placing third in a Spartan Race in addition to coming first and second in back-back races in a single weekend as personal milestones. In striving for physical and mental refinement we see Pax’s love of both activity and thoughtfulness, it’s not enough to just know your body, according to him, you have to be accurately aware of what you’re putting in it. On the topic of sugar Pax had this to say, “it's like speeding up the now but at the cost of the future, and sugar does the same thing on a cellular level. It gives you that quick burst of energy, but at the cost of your cells being efficient and healthy longer-term.” Though, true to his propulsive attitude, he’s one to outline the pitfalls of the health and wellness industry, while pointing forward to its potential. "I think people are wising up. They're avoiding sugar, they're avoiding extreme doses of stimulants, but they are not likely going to change in terms of convenience,” he says. It’s with Wize, according to Pax, where he can find replenishment that won’t detract from the concentration that goes into the execution of his craft, and that goes for the rest of Restore Human. “Well the staff here is all hooked, we've been very much enjoying all the flavours. You nailed it with it being an afternoon option for me. Later in the day, it's a guilt-free enjoyable kind of replenishment for me,” he says. Anything, if used correctly, can be a tool for refinement, and it appears that Pax has found such a resource in Wize, as he talks about reaching 10,000 hours in personal training I addition to running the Juan de Fuca trail, adding, “I’m gonna have more than a few cans of Wize along the way.” Beyond that, as he points out, he’s most excited about being ready to give the world the next big thing in the fitness industry, through collaboration, eco-friendliness and sustainability which speaks to his commitment to refinement, but his talents in inclusion.

Photo credits: banner by Jeremy Jude Lee | Profile by Hubert Kang Chairman Ting Vancouver BC Chairman Ting, aka Carson Ting, is one of Vancouver's leading street artists and foremost illustrators. His work with major brands (Nike, Toyota, Porsche, Microsoft, and Snoop Dogg to name a few) has brought him onto a bigger stage than ever, but he remains a humble and motivated artist that's keen to make a difference with every stroke of his brush. We caught up with him to see what makes him tick. ----- Hi I'm Carson Ting and I was born in Toronto but came to Vancouver in 2007 to work at Rethink. Why Vancouver? It was never on the radar, just happened for work. I waited two years and started to appreciate Vancouver. It was a slow transition to realize that Toronto was a merry-go-round and it was weird to leave work at 5pm at Rethink. How did you discover your talent? What got you started? Discovered early on because it was the only thing he was ever good at. Dad taught him how to draw Tarzan. What makes you keep innovating and pushing your craft to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation? Always seeking something new, trying new things. I have a diverse style and want to find something new, different approach and fresh ideas If you could have tea with an idol or figure, who would it be? Why? That's a good one... first choice would be my dad, he's been gone for 11 years. In terms of idols, I'd say CJ Hendry. Her patience is incredible. So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A collaboration? My latest project I'm most proud of is the Whitecaps project because it raised over $150k for the Vancouver Food Bank. Two other notable highlights was my collaboration with Kidrobot for creating my own Dunny doll and more recently, my collab with Snoop Dogg's Cali Red wine for 19 Crimes.And lastly, I'd also like to mention my work for Nike's Jumpman 23 brand where I got to film a mini-documentary series on ballers around the world. I got to film ballers in a remote rural village in China, Amputee ballers in Forthworth Texas, and ex-gang members in the ganglands of Chicago. Your mural on Robson St during lockdown was unreal. What was the inspiration for it? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chairman Ting (@chairman_ting) on May 15, 2020 at 3:25pm PDT Literally just the word hope. Wanted something fun and not too serious because it was a dark time (April) and felt like world was ending. The Dog keeps coming back Movement is a recurring theme for me, and the dog is a character I created to represent that. In regards to your craft, where do you want to be in 5 years? Wants to hone in on more personal work. My whole career has been working for brands, and I want to do more fine arts projects like sculpture and painting. Max: It is so hard to break away from the commercial process... I struggle with this myself as a creative person that usually utilizes my skills for work more often than play. Define your idea of ‘living with wizdom’ in the modern world. How has is changed relative to the past? I think the biggest shift is just the sense of urgency now. It's basically now or never. As a dad, I worry about the future. Is there still going to be clean water? Now with the pandemic, people are realizing that we've been taking simple things for granted, like just going out for dinner. It's becoming more important than ever to stop just talking about it and take action now. What’s coming down the pipeline for next projects? I'm working on new apparel for Fox suspension. As a car nerd, it's really fun for me. I'm working on creating a Mad Max style mash-up vehicle. I also just finished a new project at Kabam Games that was really fun to produce. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chairman Ting (@chairman_ting) What’s your favourite flavor of Wize tea? How do you steep or consume it? Mango! It's the best-seller for a good reason. I don't find it super sweet and it really agrees with my palette. Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you? Instagram

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