Nicole Eden: Adventurer. Entrepreneur. Mother. Yoga & Kiteboard Instructor. Splits her time between Baja, Mexico and Port Alberni, Canada.
From girlonaboard website
Nicole Christine Eden
Age: 35
Photo by Brenda Widdess
Where did you grow up?
Maple Ridge, then I moved to Kelowna to go to UBC Okanagan campus. I worked hard there earning my BBA honors degree and my Certified Financial Planning degree before moving to Vancouver where I lived for 10 years developing a career in Finance. I loved the profession. I coached all my clients to start living their dreams as early as they could and we would find ways to make it happen for them. I took my own advice and moved to Mexico in 2011 and bought into a kite school. From there I was able to slow down and enjoy my time with friends and family more.
Where have you lived?
Once in Mexico, I bought into a kite school and learned the ropes of teaching and the kite business. I also started to travel the world and study yoga and other healing modalities.
Photo by Brenda Widdess
What brought you to Port Alberni?
In 2011, I took my kite instructors training course with Greg Innes and Alicia La Rue. Greg put me in touch with Sandra Innes Gentlemen between her and Alicia they convinced me that this is a great community and that it is one of the windiest places on the island!
Photo by Brenda Widdess.
Photo by Brenda Widdess.
What do you do?
I opened the kite school with the Girl On A Board brand in 2014 in La Ventana Baja California Sur with the mission to empower men and women through sport. I added on to this business the yoga and daycare. I teach yoga in the mornings and special workshops and retreats. The daycare is available to everyone in La Ventana Baja.
What makes your work unique? We target families. I believe that this sport can unite families and communities. When you kite you connect to nature and de-stress, which is good for everyone. You can go out kiting and it be a meditative experience or you can go out and push yourself to do tricks.
Photo by Brenda Widdess.
Describe the challenges you’ve faced with your business, as well as the opportunities.
Setting up in a new location always has its challenges. Getting our name out there, creating the initiative in future kiters to come down and start. The opportunity is great Port Alberni does have a daily thermal wind and an amazing community that we are grateful to now be a part of.
Photo by Brenda Widdess.
Why should people try kiteboarding? It’s a sport you can do your whole life. We have given lessons from the age of 10 up to the age 70 to a women who was learning to kite with a surf board so it was an advanced lesson. It is not hard on your body so athletes and non-athletes alike can learn.
Photo by Brenda Widdess.
Photo by Brenda Widdess.