Stefanie Richardson.
Scuba Diver. Triathlete. World Traveller. Realtor.
For those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting her in real life, you know that she absolutely loves outdoor adventures and is pretty well up for anything at the drop of a hat. She has this really positive and grounded energy about her that rubs off on you and instantly makes you feel comfortable.
Over our morning coffee, we got to talking about her passion for travelling and learning about different cultures, scuba diving, her one-eyed bird and what ultimately led her to pursue a career in Real Estate.
Alright! This first one should be easy — City life or country life?
Stefanie: Country life for sure! I grew up on an acreage and I like the space and the freedom that gave me and playing in the dirt of course.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Stefanie: *sighs* Maui. It’s one of my favourite places. It has a whole bunch of cool micro creatures and sea creatures, the whales, the weather… I would just scuba dive every day. All of the people are nice too, and the fresh food is amazing.
That does sound amazing. Do you have a favourite place you’ve travelled to?
I don’t know if I have a favourite place. Thailand was amazing. Louisiana was super fun. I just like travelling in general! You get to know the cultures, see so many new things, experience new things. You learn so much about yourself and the world through travel.
I absolutely agree. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Stefanie: Oh, *smiles*, a marine biologist. That’s what I went to school for, actually. I got a degree in ecology and conservation. After that, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
So, basically, I wanted to work in animal and environmental conservation. Science-based, animal-based.
What did you do before you were a real estate agent?
Stefanie: Oh, gosh. So many things. *laughs* Umm. I was a server on and off pretty much forever, I worked in a veterinary clinic, at my parent’s car dealership…
Really? What did you do at the dealership?
Stefanie: Sales and marketing. Looking back, I see now that all of my jobs have, ultimately, built up my skill set for Real Estate.
At the Vet clinic I had the opportunity to get really good at walking people through emotionally challenging situations where, often, money was tied to difficult decisions. As a server, I learned how to connect with people and reprioritize what is important and urgent and what can wait and how to multitask. At the car dealership, I learned what a hard thing sales are! *laughs* It was tough, but, I learned a lot of valuable skills in that job that have helped me in Real Estate, and really, in life!
That makes sense. It’s interesting having it laid out that way. Your previous experiences really did lend you the skill set that led you here.
They were all very different, but did you have a favourite job from that bunch?
Stefanie: I don’t know. It’s tough because, as you said, they were all very different. I liked the vet clinic because it was science-based. I got to help people, practice creative problem solving and I was always learning something new – oh, and cuddly creatures!
Cuddly creatures always help!
I don’t think I know this story yet, so I’m interested to hear what you have to say. How did you end up in real estate?
Stefanie: It is actually a funny story. I was working as a server at this pizza place and one day, I was talking to the bartender and I was like “what am I going to do with my life?” At the time he was taking a mortgage course and he just said: “You know, you should be a realtor!”
The more and more I thought about it the more it made sense – I got to work for myself, work with and meet new people, travel and help to build people’s wealth – which I really believe is the path to freedom.It’s funny to think that I had never thought about it until he said it. It ticked all of the boxes of everything I had wanted in my career! 3 months later, I was a realtor and it’s been amazing! It’s weird, it kind of feels like I’ve always been doing it?
What is your favourite part of it?
Stefanie: I really love negotiating, creative problem solving and connecting with people. Helping and giving people the tools and information to make the best decisions that will fit their needs and life the best is something that I’m really passionate about.
What are your hobbies?
Scuba diving is definitely my favourite. I also play soccer on a local team here in Langley, which is a lot of fun. Besides that, baking, running, riding my bike – basically, anything outdoors in nature.
If money was no object, what would you spend your days doing?
Stefanie: I’d have a hobby farm with tons of animals; alpacas, mini goats, sheep – I’m obsessed with these designer sheep called New Zealand black-faced sheep. (Spoiler alert. I looked them up after this interview and they are incredibly cute). They don’t have them in North America yet, but they’re absolutely adorable. I’d also love to get a sailboat and just travel the world.
Do you have any secret talents?
Stefanie: *pauses and thinks*. I can make a pretty good monkey face! *laughs* *makes monkey face*
Amazing. Put that on your resume, for sure!
Alright! Last question! What are 5 fun facts about you that people may not know?
Stefanie: hmm… I’ve competed in triathlons, I’m an auntie to 4 little monkeys, I’ll pretty much try anything once, I studied marine biology in University… and I have a one-eyed bird named Hawkeye.
Read Stefanie’s full bio here
Written by Kalmia Hockin
