Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/681012
24 who's who women in business D onna Kirsch knew parenthood would change her life, but she couldn't have foreseen how much family ties would shape her future career path. "If you would have told me 20 years ago that I would become a business owner in the real estate business, I would have laughed in your face," says Kirsch, founder and president of Gateway Real Estate Ltd. Originally a computer programmer with the provincial government, Kirsch and her husband decided to start a family, but soon found the demands of her job, such as odd hours and frequent on-call status for essential service departments, were just not conducive to family life. "I resigned and stayed home the first winter with my daughter for about six months, before I became a little restless," she says. "I started doing client database work for a realtor friend and other realtors noticed and wanted to hire me to provide the same service as there were none of the programs that realtors use now. In time, one realtor hired me exclusively." Kirsch learned the business from the ground up, starting with her database work, then answering phones and handling other administrative work. She became an unlicensed assistant, then earned her full Realtor's license when the business owner took an extended vacation and needed to leave his clients in good hands. "That's when I really got hooked on this business," says Kirsch. "I just love taking clients out to view houses and seeing the looks on their faces when they succeed in purchasing their homes." Her real estate career development worked very well with family life. She stayed home with her children during the day, then met with clients and showed homes in the evening, while her husband had his own quality time with their daughters. Flash forward and Gateway now employs the entire Kirsch family. A talented carpenter, Mr. Kirsch creates the company's 'for sale' signs, the youngest daughter is a real estate photographer and the older daughter is now a licensed realtor and a key person in Kirsch's succession plans for her thriving company. Gateway Real Estate also employs six realtors — including the city's first-ever First Nations residential Realtor — all of whom share Kirsch's commitment to integrity, quality customer service and giving back to the community. Her company is big enough to provide a full slate of real estate services, yet small enough for effective manageability and reasonable operating fees for her colleagues. Gateway continues to receive lots of referrals and repeat business, often from clients in the same family. Kirsch says it is particularly gratifying to have someone ask her to help their children or their parents in buying or selling a home. She understands the common challenges of family life because she has lived most of them. Both of her parents died young, one after a debilitating chronic illness, so her experience in caregiving and estate business have proven especially valuable to her multi-generational clients. Kirsch's late mother had a strong charitable spirit, a trait that carries on in Donna's volunteer work with the Winnipeg Real Estate Board and the Manitoba Real Estate Association. Kirsch sits on numerous committees and is the Vice-Chair for the MREA Shelter Foundation, a Realtor- created, non-profit charitable organization that raises funds for shelter-related agencies across the province. "I am really proud of our industry and the work we do in the community," says Kirsch. "It has been a wonderful career for me, though not one I ever expected to pursue, but now, I wouldn't trade it for the world." ❚ To contact Gateway Real Estate Ltd., visit www.gatewayrealestate.ca or call 204-654-2929. Donna Kirsch, founder and president of Gateway Real Estate Ltd. Doors of Opportunity RIGHT AT HOME IN THE REALTY BUSINESS By Nancy Boomer Kirsch's second, family-friendly career is a perfect fit. Photo by Darcy Finley