Kam Taylor knows about training hard and winning in the world of sports and athletics.
Now the 29-year-old local gym owner is excelling in business.
Taylor, who operates Focused Fitness in 100 Mile House, recently won the 2014 Youth Business of the Year award from the All Nations Trust Company, a Kamloops-based Aboriginal financial institution that finances grants and business loans.
Focused Fitness, which Taylor opened close to 18 months ago, was chosen out of dozens of businesses around British Columbia.
“I like winning races, but that doesn't compare to this award,” Taylor says. “I was blown away. I've never got something like this before. I worked hard to put what I have in this gym.”
Taylor, who has a kinesiology degree from the University of Fraser Valley, is a certified personal trainer and has a background working in physical rehabilitation. He participates in many local community events for charity, including the Terry Fox Run, Relay For Life, and organizing the Cariboo Spring Run, Relay or Walk Around the Lakes in May.
However, running a business is a whole other kind of challenge.
“The business part – I definitely had to build and learn myself,” Taylor explains. “It's been a huge learning experience for what works and what doesn't.”
Taylor has First Nations status. He says the All Nations Trust Company has been a great financial resource.
“They help a lot of First Nations businesses to be successful,” he adds. “You have all these outlets, I don't know why people don't utilize them more.”