Just under a decade ago, I had only been licensed for about a month when my broker, Corinne Lyall, encouraged me to attend the Royal LePage Alberta Awards.
My response?
“Why?”
I was dealing with a serious case of imposter syndrome. I didn’t feel like I belonged in a room full of the best Realtors in the province.
Corinne simply said, “It’s never too early to start rubbing shoulders with successful Royal LePage agents and begin building relationships.”
She was absolutely right.
That evening, Julio Flores, who was living in Fort McMurray at the time, accepted the A.E. LePage Realtor of the Year Award. Despite being one of the most accomplished Realtors in the room, he spent nearly 45 minutes talking with a brand-new agent, making me feel welcome and encouraging me as I started my journey.
I’ll never forget that.
Fast forward almost ten years…
After countless Royal LePage conferences, awards, and events, I’m fortunate to now be a familiar face within the Royal LePage family. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with so many incredible colleagues across the country, building friendships rooted in learning, generosity, community, and a lot of fun along the way.
Looking back, 2025 was an incredible year as I finished as the #1 individual Royal LePage agent in Calgary and #4 in Alberta.
And last month, I was honoured to finish #2, just edged out by one of my favourite Realtors and even better humans… Mr. Julio Flores.
Honestly, I just have to smile.
The version of me that walked into that awards banquet in 2017 never could have imagined this journey. The success is something I’m grateful for, but what means even more are the relationships, the people I’ve met, the opportunities to serve amazing clients, and what this career has meant for my family and our team.
It’s a reminder that none of us gets here alone.
Someone believed in me before I believed in myself. Someone invested their time in a new agent who had nothing to offer in return.
That’s why I’ll always try to do the same for new entrepreneurs, Realtors, and anyone willing to learn and grow.
Congratulations, Julio. Well deserved, my friend. Thank you for setting the standard, not just in business, but in how you treat people.
Here’s to continuing to learn, grow, collaborate, and cheer each other on.
