It seems crazy to say, but only three years ago, I was walking across the stage at my high school graduation with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do for work.

At the time, horses were the biggest part of my life. I was driving myself from Squamish to Langley four to six times a week to ride. Each trip took about six hours out of my day, so riding wasn’t just a hobby—it shaped my routine, my goals, my friendships, and so much of who I was.

But even then, I knew that turning it into a career would be extremely challenging.

Building a life in the horse industry would likely mean spending a lot of time on the road and giving up some of the things that mattered most to me, including being close to my family and having one place that truly felt like home.

At first, I tried to think of other careers that could keep me connected to horses. The problem was that while an incredible amount of money goes into the horse industry, it doesn’t always seem to come back out in the form of stable career opportunities.

That left me with a bigger question: How could I find a job I enjoyed that would give me enough freedom to continue doing what I loved while also building the kind of life I wanted?

The answer was closer than I realized.

Seeing Real Estate Differently

I began looking at my dad and the career he had built in real estate.

Although I normally drove myself to Langley, there were times when my dad would drive me two or three times in one week. That meant taking around six hours out of his day each time. He was also there with me at every horse show, which sometimes meant staying away with me for weeks at a time.

At the same time, he was taking care of his clients and keeping his business moving.

Watching him showed me that it was possible to work hard, build a meaningful career, and still be present for the people you love.

That was when I started thinking, “Maybe I could do that.”

In 2024, I took my real estate exam and earned my licence. But getting my licence didn’t mean I suddenly had my entire life figured out.

I was only 19, and I still wasn’t sure whether real estate was the path I truly wanted to take. I didn’t know enough about the world yet, and I was still learning a lot about myself. I felt like a very small fish in a huge sea—unsure of where I fit or what direction I wanted to go.

Living in Langley also made it difficult to fully jump into working with my dad in Squamish. I did some lighter work for him, but I wasn’t ready to commit to a future I still wasn’t sure about.

Then I went travelling.

A Slight Detour—and a Character Builder

Travelling to Vietnam was a huge eye-opener for me. I had the opportunity to see a part of the world that was completely different from what I knew. I met beautiful, vibrant people and experienced things that made me incredibly grateful for the life I had been given and the opportunity to grow up in British Columbia.

I also discovered…the hard way…that I had entered the dates on my visa incorrectly.

I ended up being deported from the country, flying to Thailand alone, arranging a new visa, and then flying back to Vietnam to continue my trip.

I like to describe that experience as a character builder.

After travelling, I decided to give riding more of my attention and see whether I could make something more of it. Eventually, though, I realized the horse industry wasn’t where I wanted to build my future. Although I made many wonderful connections that outweighed the difficult ones, I also encountered people and parts of the industry that didn’t align with the life I wanted.

More than anything, I missed home. I missed Squamish, my family, and the feeling of belonging to a community I had known for most of my life.

So, I made the decision to return to Squamish and officially begin working in real estate with my dad.

What Riding Gave Me

Giving up my dream of riding was definitely a hard pill to swallow. It had been such a huge part of my life, and choosing a different future didn’t make that passion disappear overnight.

Moving home and starting work made the transition more manageable. It gave me something new and exciting to look forward to—and a new place to put the energy and determination that riding had taught me.

My years with horses gave me resilience. They taught me how to show up on days when I felt like I couldn’t, how to set a goal, and how to identify the smaller steps needed to achieve it.

I was also given the opportunity to work with product sponsors, which gave me early experience representing and marketing companies professionally. Even though my future no longer revolves around competing, I know those lessons will stay with me throughout my career.

Choosing This New Chapter

Real estate may have initially fallen into my lap because I grew up watching my dad, but choosing it was a long and thoughtful process.

I explored another path. I travelled. I made mistakes, learned more about myself, and figured out what I wanted the rest of my life to look like.

Now, I’m learning the ropes alongside my dad so that when I’m ready to work more independently, I’ll have the strongest understanding possible. I want to learn how to do this properly—not only how real estate works, but how to make people feel genuinely supported during some of the biggest decisions of their lives.

I know I’m still at the beginning, and I’m not pretending to have everything figured out. What I do know is that I’m dedicated, hardworking, and ready to see what we can accomplish.

This blog will follow that journey: what I’m learning, the moments that challenge me, and the experiences that help shape the kind of realtor I want to become.

I hope you’ll follow along as I begin this new chapter in Squamish real estate.