Shauna Guilfoyle was at a career crossroads, but knew she wanted to help people.
After successfully managing an IT company and having her children move away from home, she felt compelled to give back in some capacity, with whatever role she took on next.
“I used to volunteer and organized pretty much every substantial fundraiser at my kids’ schools and for their competitive sports teams—really embracing that den mother role,” she says from her home in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood.
Then Sue Dunton opened Shauna’s eyes to the #ProudREALTOR life.
After speaking with Valerie Brousseau, Royal LePage Performance Realty’s Manager of Training and Business Development, and Broker and Manager of Royal LePage Performance Realty Kerri MaGee, the pieces really started falling into place.
“I know these people to be smart, ethical and really good at their jobs, but I had never just connected the dots there and realized becoming a REALTOR® on their team would combine all these interests.”
Near the end of 2021, Shauna had been welcomed to the Dunton Team. Never done with continuing her education, Shauna recently earned her Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SERS) designation to help those who are looking to downsize or move seamlessly to long-term care homes.
“It’s been great! What a wonderful group of women I get to work with,” Shauna boasts when asked about how the REALTOR® life has treated her so far on the Dunton Team. “They all help me out so much and it really feels like I’m engrained as a member of this team.”
Welcome to Dunton Team
Shauna and Kerri have been good friends ever since their children were playing in the school yard together. It was through Kerri where Shauna and Sue were introduced, with Sue eventually becoming Shauna’s REALTOR® for two of her investment properties.
During one deal, anything that could go wrong, went wrong—yet there was Sue to navigate those tumultuous waters calmly and confidently.
“It could have been a major crisis had Sue and Kerri not been involved. They were fabulous and I was so glad to have them in my back pocket helping.”
That experience had a lasting impression on Shauna and looking back, she says it was a catalyst for her career, which she likens to her time spent as a competitive swimmer.
“I’m like, ‘OK, bring it on!’ Sure, it’s a bit daunting with Ottawa’s current market and its limited inventory, but the challenge is exciting. I have the team, the training and I’m ready to dive into the deep end!”
What’s a Client Getting with You?
Shauna says while she’s new on the team for 2022, her experiences in life and her other roles are really what help her stand out.
“I’m more than happy to do whatever needs to be done to help my clients make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives,” she says, mentioning how she and Sue had clients in Nunavut and Shauna would walk through an entire house for them over FaceTime, leaving no stones unturned. “I helped them do the entire offer at a distance.”
“They’ll get someone who understands what it’s like to live with and without kids, who’s mature, who successfully worked from home for three decades before a pandemic forced us all to do so. I think I have broader life experiences that let me connect to more people when it comes to homeownership and investing.”
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Quick Hits with Shauna
Why Do You Like Living in Ottawa?
“It’s the big enough and small enough city. I’m in the Glebe and I love that I can bike everywhere I want to go, pretty much. I like the tight knit community, being central to everything in this part of the city and not needing a car to go everywhere.
“My favourite places, in broad terms, would be biking, hiking and walking all the trails around here. Anywhere near Westboro Beach in the summer with the music going, or over to the Gatineau side of the region and looking at Parliament Hill and how beautiful our city is. I love popping into little bakeries and cafes as I get back onto my bike and head over to Parkdale Market.
“I’ve lived in Ottawa for a long time, since I was 16, and it’s just a wonderful place to call home.”
What Do You Enjoy Doing in Your Off Time?
“I’m into long-distance biking, I do a lot of skiing, meditation… basically anything outside. I like being in the trees; I want the forest around me, so I like to be out in Larose Forest or Gatineau Park a lot.”
What’s Your Philosophy?
“Every year I choose a theme, and this year’s is Bring It On. There has just been so much change, and so many challenges in the last couple of years, I just want to focus on moving onward and upward.”
