Prosperity Index: Alex Van Dyke

How do you define prosperity? A prosperous soul breaks it down for his life.

Former NFL player Alex Van Dyke is the owner of Going Vertical, a Sacramento franchise.

By Sivan Kovnator

Not many 33-year-olds can boast that they've held two careers in the fields of their choice. After a career in the NFL, Alex Van Dyke now spends his days training athletes to become stronger players as the owner of Going Vertical, an athletic training center franchise in Sacramento. But for Van Dyke, two careers weren't always part of his plan.

Van Dyke, born and raised playing competitive sports in Sacramento, moved his family to New York in his early twenties to play with the Jets. But raising kids in the Big Apple didn't sit too well with him. After his third child was born, Van Dyke realized he wanted to settle down and help his wife raise their children. While in the NFL, a period totaling seven years, two of which he was not on the roster, Van Dyke feared his children wouldn't know who he was.

After retiring from the NFL and returning to his Sacramento roots, Van Dyke took three years off and at 29, he became the proud owner of the franchise Going Vertical. Combining his passion for sports and desire to be close to his family, Van Dyke told his agent he wanted to start a business. "Sitting behind a desk wasn't for me. I'm still young, active and wanted to be around sports," he says.

Four years later, Going Vertical is going strong.

"When you find something you really want to do, you get it done. That's what I did with this business. We have our ups and downs, but I'm still going." Inevitably, Van Dyke's business has run into some kinks - figuring out the appropriate market strategies has been difficult for Van Dyke. "Sports are seasonal, so I need to keep things going during the off times," says Van Dyke.

While he may have switched careers at an early age, there are no more job change on the horizon. Van Dyke's vision for the future includes getting a bigger site and expanding with two basketball courts and a turf field. "I'm in it to win it," he says. "It's going to take time to get this business grounded, but I'm willing to wait."

------Business Tips from Alex Van Dyke

• You can't please everyone, in doing so you will fail.
• Have thick skin and take charge.
• Make sure you have the financial backing to sustain you through the rough times.
• Put thought into your business. Have a plan a, b, c and then d and put them all on paper.
• It's all about the clients. Have enthusiasm and compassion in your interactions with them.
• Don't let personal situations come out in your business. Be professional.
• Keep everyone in-house happy so that when you need a vacation you're comfortable and know everything is taken care of.
• Always remember the goal.
• Find the right location, location is everything. Be central - this is key.
• Attract younger groups, this creates longevity and loyalty.
• Word of mouth is your biggest marketing tool. If you take care of your client, your client will take care of you.