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ASHION SHOULD be a fun reflection of who you are,” says Suzie, as we meet at the beautiful, new Engel & Völkers shop, and chat about life, style, career and where they all intersect “I think good style is about comfort — wearing clothes that don’t restrict you from moving through and enjoying your day. Good style is also living a life that you’re proud of and content to walk within.” Originally from Williams Lake, Suzie jokes that keeping true to her roots, her favourite work blazer is a jean jacket, she’ll choose boots over heels any day of the week. And as she describes her day-to-day life, managing and running the company, selling real estate and teaching yoga — all with two teenaged children — it’s no surprise that the most important criteria for her style choices is comfort. “I’ve been a single mom through it all and I think that’s what has made me reasonably good at management. I always hope to find balance. Sometimes you fail, but you get up the next day, hit reset and try again. Which is why yoga has been so important in my life as a grounding force. When teaching yoga I always say ‘don’t practice from the outside in,’ meaning don’t worry about what you look like, instead try to feel your practice from the inside out. I try to go back to that when things get hard. Life decisions and purpose — both business and personal — should be like choosing your clothes: they should feel good first. Looking good to others is a natural consequence.” Straight out of high school, Suzie moved to the Okanagan and started in real estate at age 20. Now, with
a growing realty office and 25 years in the industry, Suzie feels she’s come full circle helping her young employees launch their careers. “It’s the constant change in real estate that I love. Essentially, it breaks down to small cycles of helping people — how can I use whatever talents, skills and knowledge I have to help this client? After 25 years, I know the industry can still grow and change to become even more specialized, and I’ve learned to build a team in order to provide the highest level in customer service.” Outside of work, Suzie is passionate about life in the Okanagan, its close access to nature and the wine it produces. “I live right beside a park and I love seeing the moon on the pond and the first snowfall on the trees. [The Okanagan] gets in your blood and becomes part of who you are. I try to only drink Okanagan wine and even then, only wine from the Westside, if I can. I joke that I’m the “Norm” [from Cheers] of the Westside Wine Trail.” Asked what qualities Suzie hopes she can impart to her children, she says, “I don’t quit; I just hit reset, so what I hope they get is not giving up and also being kind. Those two things are so intertwined — you can’t just want to get your way in the world, you have to help other people get their way too. If you show up every day, come from a place of service and do your best, I think you can do anything you want. I think that’s a great life; that is success.”
STYLE INSPIRATIONS/ LIFE
STYLE ICON: Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn. FAVOURITE FASHION DESIGNER: Free People. FAVOURITE MUSICIAN: Annie Lennox, Prince and Pink. ERA OF TIME THAT INSPIRES YOUR STYLE: The present moment. FILM OR TELEVISION SHOW THAT INSPIRED YOUR STYLE: Madmen. FAVOURITE LOCAL RESTAURANT: Made in India, Kelowna, and 19 Okanagan Bar + Grill. It’s all about the people. FAVOURITE COCKTAIL/WINE: Quail’s Gate Chardonnay and Beaumont Pinot Gris. ALBUM ON CURRENT ROTATION: The Lumineers’ Cleopatra. FAVOURITE COFFEE TABLE BOOK: Saturday Night Live: The Book by Alison Castle (Editor). FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. LAST GREAT READ: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. FAVOURITE FLOWER: White tulips. FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT: Rishikesh, India. FAVOURITE HOTEL: Shangri-La in Vancouver, Kimpton Boutiques in Seattle, Airbnbs globally. FAVOURITE APP: Design Home. FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD: Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
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