At the time, I didn’t see it that way and would rather have been biking with the ‘town kids’ rather than gathering eggs or hoeing weeds from around pumpkin plants. Looking back I realized it was an amazing childhood mixed with fresh air, open spaces to explore, leech-filled waterways in which to sink poorly made rafts and endless opportunities for my imagination to run free.
It may be because of this rural upbringing that I dreamt of seeing more of the world. My first adventure was a year in Taiwan teaching English, a fantastic experience filled with excitement, many miscommunications and the forging of friendships. There I learned the power and importance of building relationships, of being respectful and patient, and the fulfillment from those bonds, even after the physical experience has ended. It was in Taiwan where I learned that teaching was something I really enjoyed and had a knack for, so it was back to Ontario to earn a Bachelor of Education.
Following graduation, I moved from Windsor to Waterloo to work and wait for my girlfriend to finish her degree. I waited tables at a local restaurant, which helped me to get acquainted with this vibrant city and its people, but I still hadn’t found a way to fumigate that travel bug. Once my future wife finished her schooling it was time to get back on a plane. The next destination was South Korea, where I embarked on another year of teaching English and forging amazing relationships with incredible people. I still salivate thinking about all the kimchi mandu and dakkochi that I could be eating if I was still wandering around a night market. After a year in South Korea, we decided that we needed one more stop before we moved back to Canada and officially grew up. We moved to the UK, planning to stay for a year. One year turned into five and, as life took over, I found myself leaving my teaching career and entering the exciting world of sales.
I can remember being at a conference, where the presenter asked the hundreds of attendees to stand up if they had studied for a career in sales. Not a single person stood up. He continued to explain that not many people formally train for a sales career rather it finds you, and if you have the right skill set, it can be very rewarding. My personal style leverages my teaching experience, so I am able to tailor my approach to the style of each client, just as a good teacher can get through to a student based on assessing their unique learning style. I enjoyed a successful career with a global soft drinks company and then moved into food service sales and logistics working with some incredible clients. My clients were very unique; from a renowned private hospital near Abbey Road to a little vegan food stall in Camden Market. No matter the client, I customized my approach to deliver solutions which addressed their ever-changing needs; sometimes before they even realised the need for the solution.
When we decided to start a family, I was forced to ask myself an important question: Where should my kids grow up? The answer didn’t take a lot of soul searching. It became clear that the best lifestyle would be to move home to the land of campfires, modest ski hills and grandparents. The same week that we made the decision to sell the house and move back to Ontario, my KW Realtor® friend Scott Robert was visiting us in Europe, and we had some amazing conversations about the industry. It all seemed so obvious: Move my family back to Kitchener-Waterloo, which happens to be right between both sets of grandparents and once we’re settled, re-train as an Ontario Realtor® and join Scott’s brokerage, TrilliumWest. In this role I’m able to combine my love of people, my experience as an educator and my diverse sales and negotiation background to help my clients with all of their real estate needs.
Real estate is complex, but I like to keep things simple. I value your time, so I listen carefully to distil a clear picture of your needs, then act as a guide throughout the process to make sure you’re happy. I am a naturally positive person with the energy and drive to deliver for my clients, while building a fun working relationship. I know that there are a lot of options to choose from when deciding on a Reltor®, so I am honoured every single time a client chooses me to support them on one of the biggest transactions of their lives. I will never take that honour for granted and can’t wait to work hard for you.
I believe the key to any long lasting relationship is honesty. It is the foundation upon which trust is built and will allow us to successfully work together towards a common goal. It cultivates mutual respect, leads to openness and transparency in the dynamic, ever-changing world of real estate. It allows us to move quickly, saving time and money.
I don’t mean ‘hustling’ here, I mean that I really only operate in 6th gear – I hustle! I work hard until the job is done and can pivot quickly when required. Your Realtor® has to be able to multitask, prioritize and move quickly, in order to achieve everything needed to get you what you deserve. That’s 100% me. I’m at my best in a busy environment. It gives me energy to keep that pace up.
I have the upmost respect for my colleagues, my collaborators and my clients. I have respect for this community and all it has to offer. This industry can sometimes take clients for granted and assume repeat business and referrals without truly earning them. My clients are everything to me and I wouldn’t have a business if I didn’t treat every single one of them with the highest esteem.
Shawn McPhail absolutely exceeded all expectations in every aspect of my recent home sale. Shawn went above and beyond in helping me prepare for the sale of my home and get good value.
Brett Campbell
