Realty Life Stories and Strategies

From Photography to Realty Royalty.Join Ken McLachlan as he interviews Debra Bain, his wife and president of RE/MAX Hallmark, in a heartfelt episode of Realty Life. Debra shares her inspiring journey from a 21-year-old photographer to a leading figure in the real estate industry, recounting personal challenges, career milestones, and her impactful role as a mentor to many, especially women. Together, they explore the importance of focus, discipline, and the power of mentorship in achieving su...

Kim Tran calls her success an accident… but it was no accident. Escaping Vietnam as a four-year-old refugee she and her mother embarked on a frightening journey that eventually led them to Canada. These humble beginnings served as a firm foundation, grounding her as she pursued higher education in economics in university. Despite initially embarking on a more traditional career path, a persistent voice urged her to seek a different trajectory – one where could someday become her ow...

Peter Mueller built a successful business, doing what he loves and traveling the world doing it. His company, The Profit Centre, provides training and coaching designed to help Brokers, Team Leaders, and Realtors make profit predictable. But along the way came the greatest pain he’s ever known… the loss of his daughter. When she became palliative, one day Peter just went for a walk. No direction, no purpose. He just started walking. It was in these moments he found something transf...

It was a career that began as an entrepreneur for Marcus Plowright. By the time his partner recruited him to real estate, he’d already been involved in seven start up businesses, including a renovation company, so the migration to real estate wasn’t too much of a reach. One of the first things he and his partner initiated was sharing commissions from all team transactions with all team members, rather than the old real estate axiom of “you eat what you kill”. This led to a stronge...

Richard Robbins International (RRI) provides leading-edge sales and business training solutions to real estate agents and leaders at all levels. It delivers programs to countless customers worldwide. But it all started in Peterborough, Ontario. And where it truly began to formulate as an idea and then a business was when a seminar he attended showed Rich that when you give to the world the day will come when you get more than you give. That sparked goal setting which Rich calls Future Fo...

On the one hand, growing up in Kelowna was a little slice of heaven. On the other hand, was financial reality – there were some tough times. When a family member left her parents with a financial hole to dig out of, Tamara remembers that’s when her dad chose real estate. If the phone rang during family time at the dinner table, that could be a client. It had to be answered. Everyone understood that. Part way through University Tamara decided she wanted to give real estate a go...