I moved to Ottawa from Hamilton and enrolled in Television Broadcasting at Algonquin College. On graduation landed a job as a videographer at The NewRO, a local TV station owned by CHUM.  My job was to shoot and edit stories for the newscast.  I was working my way towards becoming a sports anchor at The NewRO when I was offered a job as a TV producer for Rogers TV.  The pay was better and as I had a young family, I abandoned my dreams of being on-air. I spent the next 13 years working at that job, producing and directing hundreds of sporting events, with occasional on-air reporting.

I learned to become a leader. I was responsible for all the content and managing the entire crew, which included hosts, reporters, commentators, camera operators, audio, replays, graphics, etc. The majority of the people I worked with were volunteers, many of whom went on to have amazing careers, which I took a lot of pride in, especially when I received a thank you card or an email afterwards.

When my son was born I knew I had to take additional steps to ensure financial comfort and security. Although I liked my TV job, I didn’t want to take for granted that it would provide for my family for the next 20 years.  I already had a small real estate portfolio, so I figured pursuing more knowledge on how to invest would help me reach this goal.  After clearing space in my life I decided to join the Ottawa Real Estate Investors Organization (OREIO). I served for two years as its president.  Then I saw an opportunity to cofound the Ottawa branch of the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), an established national education company that helps investors grow a real estate portfolio.

I am now a full-time real estate investor. I founded Rich Ottawa Investments in 2010, and have properties in Ottawa and Hamilton. The company focuses on renovations, flips, rent-to-own and buy-and-hold. We have a diverse mix of product including single and multi-family units. I attribute our success to in-depth real estate knowledge, teamwork and a commitment to producing results for everybody involved. In addition, I coach investors, speak on various real estate topics, and help others create wealth through our investment opportunities as either lenders or equity partners.