June 27, 2023
Episode 170 – Colleen Matthews – The Value of Diverse Perspective for an Enriched Life
“I’m ready to work hard, I research, learn, keep my ears open, try to leverage what’s around me and work towards a goal. Those would be the skillsets that have served me really well over the years and the many different pivots that I’ve had over time.” – Colleen Matthews
- Sponsored Links:
- Entrepreneurs Edge
- SHIFT Program
- Selected links and people mentioned from this episode:
- The51
- Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah with Winnie Yeung
- The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
- The Biggest Little Farm documentary
- Kiss the Ground documentary
- Connect with REIN Canada
- REIN Canada
- [email protected]
- REIN Channel
- [0:42] Patrick introduces his next TEDM guest, Colleen Matthews.
- [01:47] Colleen and Patrick get the show rollin’. Colleen succinctly shares what she does and the high-level story of what brought her to real estate including some international stops!
- [05:09] One of those stops was 12 years in the Cayman Islands working in finance, which proved to be far more fruitful than expected. Colleen’s time spent working there opened up some exciting doors in her professional life.
- [07:18] Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Colleen grew up with a curiosity about life outside of what felt like a city too small for her entrepreneurial spirit. Although Colleen was always supported by and is grateful for her parents, as a self-described risk taker, she was also interested to take on life differently from them and try new things.
- [11:43] Colleen describes the underlying drivers behind taking on a new experience in the Cayman Islands. Working with exciting top performers in a male-dominated industry helped to motivate and inspire Colleen to show up fully and sharpen her game.
- [13:54] We can’t see opportunities, until we see what’s possible. Working as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst in an international environment offered Colleen a far more diverse perspective. Learning from her team, role models, clientele and the nuances and attributes of different cultures helped to inform her own values.
- [17:39] While a beneficial learning experience, Colleen explains why next achieving her CFA certification and working in the hedge fund industry was ultimately not a good fit.
- [19:42] Colleen’s interest in real estate started back in Calgary after graduating from her CA program, with a hot market for apartment to condo conversions. Her first condo purchase proved to be a great investment, and due to the circumstances of being unable to buy in the Cayman Islands, buying a couple more condos in Canada made sense.
- [21:41] Colleen recounts the history of an international life with her husband, and two kids, and then the tragic loss of her husband 10 years later. After a few years had passed, she found love again, which brought a beautiful, blended family. Eventually they all returned to Canada, but Colleen needed a change from the demanding hedge fund world and real estate simply ticked all the boxes.
- [25:00] Set the 5-year plan, but no surprise, it changes. Colleen explains how she re-entered the Calgary real estate market, what her plan was, and when the realization came that she could leverage her time in a far more advantageous way. That a-ha moment allowed her business to grow monumentally.
- [27:15] Guidance for someone interested in moving their life to live and work in a whole new environment, be it a different country or a different city. [hint: if you get the right opportunity, do it!] Colleen fully embraced and learned from the ex-pat community around her.
- [30:14] Patrick and Colleen reflect on the courage and adversity quotient required to move to a place where a person does not speak the native language and the customs and experience of daily life is so different from what we know.
- [33:22] What is Colleen’s superpower?!
- [35:00] And what is Colleen’s kryptonite – what shuts her down?
- [36:55] Cultivate the environment and community that supports the life you desire to have. If you intend to grow and enhance your experience in life, it’s critical to surround yourself with an aligned community to attract those opportunities. Colleen speaks to her voracious appetite for education and knowledge which opens new avenues and ideas to explore.
- [40:40] E-books or paper books? It’s all about connection and context.
- [46:07] Restaurant life. As a passion of Colleen’s husband, she shares how owning a restaurant unfolded in their life, plus how the combination of two different personalities (an accountant and a creative), with the gift of shared core values, can complement one another.
- [50:30] Emergency preparedness became second nature to Colleen living in the hurricane zone of the Cayman Islands, and it was helpful for the situation of 2019 that had Colleen and her family at home together a great deal of the time. It’s a time she and her husband view as a blessing.
- [52:23] Colleen shares her thought process around how real estate occurs for them now, how it can show up for their kids in terms of real-life financial education and life skills. Colleen also talks about a non-profit financial organization she has been involved with since the beginning that has a focus on funding women-driven ventures.
- [56:33] Intentional financial education has always been a prominent part of the conversation with Colleen, her husband Bob, and their kids. Although each one experienced it a bit differently, each of her kids gained life skills around saving, spending, and donating. The discomfort that may occur with open, healthy conversations amongst families about money and other emotionally charged conversations is infinitely valuable.
- [62:25] Let’s dive into the fire, the rapid fire! Apple or Android? Two impactful books; favourite tunes and global music; favourite movies – a classic and two documentaries; community gardening and raising chickens.
- [70:26] Colleen’s deep gratitude.
