She started over
three times.
On purpose.

Who I am

A story of resilience, adventure, entrepreneurship and reinvention.

My story

I have lived a full, eclectic, and deeply meaningful life — personally and professionally. The experiences, challenges, victories, heartbreaks, and reinventions have woven together the fabric of who I am today.

Like many people, my life has included both extraordinary highs and devastating lows. I have experienced two marriages, raised three daughters, welcomed five grandchildren, loved countless pets, and moved more times than I can count. I have endured the loss of my father, my daughter Stasha at only 41 years old, and many dear friends. I have experienced homelessness twice and had to start over from scratch. Yet through every challenge, I have found a way forward.

Professionally, I have approached every chapter with passion and purpose. My career has taken me from health and fitness, working with universities and government organizations, to entrepreneurship through The Growth Shop Ltd., professional speaking, retail leadership, and real estate across two countries and two states. Today, I continue to reinvent myself as an author, real estate coach, and business owner.

Through it all, a few words have come to define my journey.

Resilient

I learned resilience early. In my second year of university, I fell deeply in love. During my second semester, I discovered I was pregnant. While many of my peers were planning backpacking trips through Europe, I was preparing to become a mother.

I was told, “Girls who get pregnant don’t finish their degree.” Those words could have defined my future. Instead, they fueled my determination.

I completed that academic year before my daughter was born and embraced motherhood wholeheartedly. I ran a small daycare from my home, led Mommy and Me programs at the local recreation center, worked in before-and-after school care, and poured my energy into raising my daughter. Fitness became a major part of my life. I even competed in amateur bodybuilding for four years and proudly placed third in the 1984 Miss Manitoba competition.

Then, when my daughter was only four years old, my marriage ended.

With a young child to support, I returned to university while she attended kindergarten. I graduated as Graduate of the Year and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.”

That was the moment I truly understood something important about myself: I am resilient. When others could not see my potential, I learned to believe in myself.

Adventurous

I have spent much of my life saying “yes” to opportunities. Those opportunities led me around the world, exposing me to different cultures, people, and ways of living.

One of the most profound experiences of my life was serving on a mission trip to Guatemala at the Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage. I arrived overwhelmed by the culture shock — armed guards, razor wire, concrete walls, and a reality so different from my own. Yet behind those walls, I discovered extraordinary love.

The children, many of whom had experienced abandonment and abuse, smiled, laughed, and expressed gratitude for even the smallest things. They taught me lessons about joy, resilience, and unconditional love that changed me forever.

The experience inspired a keynote presentation I later delivered called I Found True Love Behind the Walls of the Hogar.

A second mission trip took me to Harare, Zimbabwe, where I worked alongside local communities providing support, faith, food, and encouragement. Once again, I witnessed the incredible strength of the human spirit. Despite having very little, the children sang, danced, laughed, and embraced life.

Beyond mission work, I have traveled to Mexico, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and numerous Caribbean islands.

Travel taught me that there is no single way to live a meaningful life. The world is much bigger than our own backyard, and every culture has something to teach us.

Entrepreneurial

Entrepreneurship has always lived inside me. I love creating, building, solving problems, and bringing ideas to life — taking risks and finding a tribe of like minds to help me.

My real estate career is one example. Real estate is not simply a job — it is a business. Through systems, processes, marketing, and relationship building, I was able to successfully establish myself in multiple cities, provinces, states, and markets.

Those same principles are now guiding my next chapter as Wendy Real Estate Coach and the author of Real Estate Systems That Work!

I founded The Growth Shop Ltd., a health and wellness company built around materials originally developed by my mother in partnership with the Government of Manitoba. I transformed those resources into a successful business offering multiple courses, keynote presentations, and corporate training programs throughout Canada. My work expanded into professional speaking, leadership development, wellness education, and multimedia projects. I collaborated with experts across industries to create leadership, yoga, and fitness training programs.

As a keynote speaker, I spoke extensively on stress, energy, leadership, and personal growth. My most requested presentation was Stress and the Caveman, which connected humor and science to help people better understand stress and performance.

In 2003, I proudly co-authored a self-published book, Building Energy, with my mother, Beverly Richardson.

Looking back, entrepreneurship has never been about money for me. It has always been about creating something meaningful that helps people.

Reinvention

If there is one theme that defines my life, it is reinvention.

I have started over more times than I can count. From Winnipeg to Edmonton, Edmonton to Dunlap, California, Dunlap to Long Island, New York, Long Island back to Santa Barbara, and finally to Houston, Texas.

I have rebuilt careers, homes, friendships, and entire lives. I have survived not having a home base twice, immigration challenges, divorces, financial uncertainty, and profound loss.

When I lost my daughter, a piece of my heart went with her. When marriages ended, I questioned whether I could begin again.

Yet every challenge became a teacher. Each setback strengthened my ability to adapt, learn, grow, and create a new future.

I am not who I was twenty years ago.

I believe reinvention is not about erasing who we were. It is about carrying forward what we have learned, releasing what no longer serves us, and having the courage to create what comes next.

Every ending has asked me the same question: What will you do next?

Coach — mentor — cheerleader

My coaching experience started in 1985 when I was the Manitoba Rural Fitness Leadership Development Coordinator. I completed Train the Trainers Levels 1 and 2 and studied coaching, providing feedback, active listening, and accountability.

I was then asked to be the Alberta Fitness Certification Executive Director. Again, I was able to coach and develop trainers to deliver Fitness Leader workshops.

After my years as a real estate agent and a decade developing The Growth Shop Ltd. and my professional speaking career, I had the privilege of coaching again — this time as a Territory Manager with Weight Watchers in the Houston area.

My territory was huge — if you have ever tried to drive through Texas, you would know! I coached 160 Weight Watchers leaders from Laredo to Galveston to Port Arthur. Together, we were helping people gain health and wellness through new habits.

I then transitioned to Apple Inc. in The Woodlands, Texas, as a manager. I loved it, and coaching team members was a central part of my role. I supported them through listening, feedback, growth in their Learning Journals, and annual reviews of their progress.

After my father passed away, it was back to my North Star: real estate.

I love what I do and am able to help newer agents with role play and accountability. I support experienced agents with gaps in their marketing, particularly around social media presence and video.

Now, through Wendy Real Estate Coach, I get to support your needs in this business.

Family and friends

At the center of everything is family. Family and friendships are the foundation of who I am.

Every morning at 9:00 a.m., I speak with my mother. She is 86 years young and still lives in Winnipeg. Those daily conversations are among the most treasured moments of my life.

My daughters remain close, and we make time to support, encourage, and celebrate one another.

I created a memorial garden at our country home in honor of my daughter Stasha. When I sit there, I feel her presence, her love, and the memories we shared.

My grandchildren know me not only as Grandma but as someone who genuinely wants to hear about their dreams, goals, struggles, and successes.

Friendships have followed me throughout every chapter of my life. Some began in childhood. Others were formed through business, travel, church, and community. Many of my clients have become lifelong friends.

Relationships matter deeply to me. I believe people come into our lives for a reason, and sometimes a simple phone call arrives exactly when it is needed most.

What I know for sure

Life will challenge you. It will break your heart. It will force you to start over. It will test your courage, faith, and resilience.

But it will also bring extraordinary joy, love, purpose, and opportunity.

I am a mother, grandmother, daughter, entrepreneur, speaker, author, coach, traveler, and Realtor.

I am resilient. I am adventurous. I am entrepreneurial. I am constantly reinventing.

Most importantly, I am deeply grateful.

This is who I am.