While we usually do Around the Cooler, around an actual cooler… for this interview, we decided to head into the mountains (Earth’s cooler) to Banff, Alberta.
Banff isn’t just home to some of the most iconic spots in Canada, but it’s also home to one of our favourite original Quantus brokers, Heather Petecky.
We played tourist for the day with Heather, heading up the Banff Gondola to take in the gorgeous views and lunch at Northern Lights Alpine Kitchen. Not only was it a perfect day to explore, but we learned some pretty cool facts about Heather…did you know that she was in a movie that’s become a Christmas Classic?
Heather celebrated her 14th Anniversary with Quantus in July (2024), although we celebrated a bit earlier this year when we did this interview.
It’s fair to say, it was an absolutely horrible day and we wish we had spent it in the office.
In case you can’t tell, we speak fluent sarcasm. We give you this warning now because sarcasm runs strong with Quantus co-owner, Paul Bojakli.
Tell Us How You Came To Live In Banff
I lived in Ontario until I was ten, then my family moved to Nova Scotia. I'm a small town Nova Scotia girl. And then after my first year of university, I came out to Banff for the summer.
Pretty common thing a lot of people do: drive out, work the summer housekeeping, go back to university, come back out the next year, fall in love with the town. And, boom, next thing you know, 30 years is rolled by, and here you are!
What Do You Love Most About Living In Banff?
It’s the lifestyle. It's why I live here. I think it's why most people live in Banff. It's the hiking and mountain biking. We've got three ski hills in a close distance and being a mortgage broker, we get to have that flexibility. To get out to the hill midweek or get out on a hike or that kind of thing, it's like the perfect place to be.
What Did You Study In University?
I actually went to school for Psychology with a Minor in Nutrition! I find that whole stuff all that fascinating.
It’s funny though, because only just now am I really starting to see the whole body-mind connection: what we eat, how it affects our mental state, all that kind of stuff.
So How Did You Get Into Mortgage Brokering?
I was living in Banff, waitressing, mountain biking, snowboarding, and I decided I'd been here long enough. It was time to buy a place. Went to the Royal Bank of Canada in Canmore, sat down across from the lady to get a mortgage.
I had to go into work that night as a waitress. My back was sore. My shoulders were sore. I was over it. I just looked at her and I was like, I can do this. This looks like this looks like a good job.
At the same time, my sister was actually in the process of getting her mortgage broker license. She's a broker out in Squamish, B.C.so chatted with her about it and took the course in 2007. Then I met with the fabulous Trisha Isaac, also of Quantus and she took me under her wing and taught me all of her ways!
What Is Your Favorite Thing About Mortgage Brokering?
It's just the feeling. It seems like it's harder to get a mortgage today more than ever. Absolutely. But I feel like in Banff, it's always been hard. Our prices are higher and it's always been hard for people to get into the market in this town.
So that feeling of satisfaction when you can help people, of being part of the process for people and getting them in that position [to buy].
Relationships are everything. And I think that's true everywhere for everyone, but I think even more so in a small town. We've got one elementary school, one high school. So the family's in town—which is a lot of the business that I do—you're all in each other's lives in some capacity. You see each other at the grocery store, the one post office, so it’s 100% all about the relationships.
You’ve Been With Q Since Day 1; What Does The Q Mean To You?
I think if I was to take one word for what Q means to me, it's Support. It's knowing that I'm part of a brokerage that has my back. I know there's been a few times over the years, last minute thing where I go “whoa, I need support.”
I pick up that phone and you or Todd, you're there. And that's huge. It's everything. It's the reason why I've been with Quantus for from the get go.
If You Could Go Back And Change Anything About Your Life, What Would It Be?
I feel like it sounds cliche, but I honestly feel like I am living the dream. I've got a great life, I've done great work. I live in a beautiful place with good friends, great partner, a great kid.
Though I love my life, I often have this alternate vision of myself selling coconuts on the beach in Hawaii and surfing my days away if I wasn't living this life.
I wish that I would have learned to surf so that when I take my winter vacation, I could really, truly surf in the ocean.
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Well, we think we’ve discovered the secret to life. Move to Banff, become a mortgage broker. Live the dream.
Thank you Heather for joining Paul for our second episode of Around the Cooler. It was amazing to get to know more about you and spend some time in probably one of the best backyards in Canada.
We’re going to have to come for another visit ASAP.
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