‘can-do’

ATTITUDE

Entrepreneur, Broker, Mentor

He’s a 26-year old with an incredibly optimistic outlook on life. Timothy Francis loves taking on challenges that don’t stand a chance against his ‘can-do’ attitude. He attributes much of his current and past successes to the encouragement he received from his teachers, coaches and especially his parents.

From the get-go, Tim excelled at all his endeavours. He was an exceptional athlete in high school, college and university. He was the one who made student ski trips happen. He embodied community spirit and collected awards from the Rotary and Cosmopolitan Clubs, and was named Top Student Citizen. He was elected president of the students’ associations in high school and in the physical education faculty at the University of Alberta. He performed with Smoothride, a rock band that played 146 shows, including a showcase spot at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

After earning his degree, Tim gravitated toward a career related to his field of study. While managing a high school wellness centre, he realized it wasn’t nearly as fulfilling as he hoped it would be.

“I loved everything about my job. I loved the kids, the staff, everything. But I just wasn’t honouring my true self.”

Leave it to Tim to figure out a way to satisfy his need to pursue entrepreneurial aspirations and his need to help others. After learning the intricacies of the real estate investment business, he opened Simplified Real Estate Solutions Inc. He focuses on people who have good incomes but don’t qualify for mortgages in traditional ways because they are self-employed, new to their jobs, or new to Alberta. With creative financial solutions, Tim assists them in becoming homeowners. He also operates as a joint venture broker, connecting those who want to buy, sell, rent, manage or own any type of real estate—something he hopes to one day take to a global scale.

But, before that happens, Tim is heading back to his high school in St. Albert. He plans to mentor members of the student council. “That’s really where it all started for me. If I can help another group of students maximize the experience… I will do it in a heartbeat. Student council—what an amazing, life-changing opportunity.”

- Written by Lauren Henrie, Edmontonians Sept 2009