May 7, 2019
Episode # 61 – Jarrett Vaughan – A Life Less Ordinary
“Don’t allow society to say you ‘are’ this, rather allow this to be something you have, and something you can change.” – Jarrett Vaughan
Jarrett Vaughan is not the sort of individual whose life fits neatly into a mold. He enjoys blending opportunity with action, bohemian with strategist and intellect with faith. His diverse interests, pursuits and life experiences give him a broad palette for rich conversation and perspective.
Prior to graduating from Capilano University with a bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management, Jarrett started his first entrepreneurial venture running charter buses to a local ski hill. After facing many challenges in this business, including the bankruptcy of the ski hill, Jarrett looked to refocus his passion for business and gained educational knowledge. Following graduation, Jarrett experienced a financial awakening and started a real estate investing company (Blue Aspect Properties) in BC and Alberta, which focuses on long term wealth development for his investors.
Jarrett holds a Masters of Arts in Tourism and Leisure Management from University of Brighton in the UK and a Masters of Science in Tourism Management from Ecole de Management de Normandie in France. He spent 10 years working in the luxury hotel business, most recently for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He is currently an Adjunct Professor teaching marketing at UBC Sauder School of Business and Langara College and has worked in marketing and guest experience consulting on projects in France, UK, Swaziland, Morocco, Mauritius and Canada. Jarrett also owns Vancouver City Plumbing where he puts his skills to work in business operations.
Jarrett and is married to Ashley and together they have 3 young children: Venture, Sailor and Wilder. He is a real estate investor, entrepreneur, urban farmer, musician and is happiest when having an outdoor adventure, particularly in his own backyard.
- Show Notes
- [02:08] Patrick introduces his next REIN Member guest: Jarrett Vaughan
- [04:28] Jarrett shares his multi-faceted elevator pitch and Patrick must pick just one of those avenues to explore first.
- [05:28] Jarrett shares his early fascination with the power of real estate which eventually led him to the community of REIN.
- [07:31] As one of the first McDonald’s franchise owners in Western Canada, which he had for almost 30 years, Jarrett’s Dad was an entrepreneurial pioneer in Jarrett’s world, and it had a lasting impact.
- [08:35] Patrick clarifies the link of how their worlds first came together through Jarrett’s time in the luxury hotel business. This is where he met Steffany, Patrick’s wife, and through Steffany’s coaching expertise brought Jarrett to a mindset shift that allowed him to make a change he was ready for.
- [10:10] Getting back to real estate, Jarrett talks about his path from buying one townhouse in British Columbia to raising capital and purchasing 16 investment properties in Central Alberta and BC, which led to his goal of purchasing a small apartment building.
- [12:08] A glimpse of Jarrett’s past modus operandi, lots of activities, interests and jobs on the go, draws a clear line to his current “portfolio career.”
- [14:21] Jarrett self-describes his approach not as intense but as strategic, with a high value on his time, his passions and not always fitting into a convenient mold.
- [17:42] Jarrett takes us on a journey back to his upbringing, the adventures he was encouraged to explore and a couple of stories about how his parents showed up to raise him and his four brothers.
- [23:38] Moving forward now to his own family, Jarrett tells the story of how he met his wife Ashley through their musical pursuits in church, a difficult vehicle accident and their road less traveled from work to kid’s names!
- [28:28] Jarrett recounts both the miracle of their daughter Sailor’s birth and the substantial challenges he and Ashley faced when she was born with significant physical disabilities and ensuing health complications.
- [33:42] At nine months Sailor gets her first wheelchair and becomes a going concern. As time progresses Jarrett and Ashley begin to learn and understand not only their daughter’s vibrancy and resiliency, but also their own.
- [36:20] In the face of great adversity, Jarrett describes how he and Ashley managed to stay away from a victim mindset, simultaneously questioning and trusting their faith, and leaning into a community of friends for support.
- [40:05] Patrick reflects on Jarrett’s ability to trust without knowing the outcome and inquires about the root of Jarrett’s authenticity which leads to a rich conversation about faith and identity.
- [45:51] Patrick shares a brief story on the power of perspective with physical disability.
- [47:41] Now learning within a community of families with disabilities, Jarrett and Ashley are looking at how they can advocate and affect positive change in their city of Vancouver.
- [49:22] Shifting back to the identity conversation, Jarrett stresses the importance of not letting a circumstance or quality form our identity. The language around it can be life-changing.
- [51:19] Managing the family dynamics to ensure not only that their other two kids feel included and get equal attention, but also to ensure each member of the family gets their own independent time.
- [55:10] Have their real estate investments been able to provide for any of the funding toward their life and travel adventures? Yes and no.
- [57:25] Getting educated, thinking creatively and acting on opportunity are great contributors to building a profitable portfolio. Hear about Jarrett’s cool side business during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- [60:38] Where do Jarrett and Ashley find the most alignment in their lives together?
- [63:20] Jarrett and Patrick riff on selfish vs. selfless when it comes to self-care and creating support around them. Jarrett expresses his relationship priorities and why.
- [66:53] Jarrett talks about the importance of both making decisions which promote life-giving, positive energy and the realism that sometimes in order to mentor or lift someone we will have energy draining experiences also. Ebb and flow.
- [69:00] Jarrett’s imaginative outlook on failure and opportunity.
- [71:30] Success to Jarrett, is freedom.
- [72:43] Travelling to 36 different countries in his life so far gives Jarrett a clear perspective of the great freedoms of living in Canada. From Jarrett and Patrick’s viewpoint, vacation happens daily while experiencing life in Vancouver, BC.
- [75:43] Jarrett shares his daily routines that aren’t necessarily all that routine.
- [78:04] Riding the wave through rapid fire: favourite books, message at the pearly gates, weirdness scale, room-desk-car, favourite tune, no swear words for this fellow and a little discussion around that.
- [81:27] Jarrett’s gratitude.
Connect with Jarrett Vaughan:
Selected Links and People Mentioned from this episode:
Blue Aspect Properties
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Real Estate Investing in Canada by Don R. Campbell
The Four-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
