Trail blazing

I’ve been snowboarding for 16 years. I was one of the first people – let alone one of the first girls – doing it. That was before they had instructors, so learning was a little more painful than it is today. Any chance I could, I was on the slopes.

While completing my bachelor of commerce degree at UVic, I taught snowboarding at Whistler Blackcomb. One of my students was Marnie McBean, the three-time Olympic gold medallist for rowing. She encouraged me to take part in the North American Boardercross Championships that were coming to town.

I ended up coming in sixth, and I was hooked.

After university, I went professional, got sponsors and even represented Canada at the 2000 World Cup.

It’s a great career to be an athlete, but it’s a short career. At 23, I was competing against 14- and 15-year-olds. I did my MBA in finance at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, so I wouldn’t be tempted to juggle school and snowboarding again.

When I came back to B.C. in 2003, I met my business partner and we started our investment firm. I’m also getting back into boarding. Initially, I was frustrated at my limitations, but I’m beginning to accept that I’m no longer an elite athlete.

What I’m learning now is the social aspect of snowboarding and I want to use it in business. What people do in business on the golf course, I think we could do on the chairlift.