Marissa Teeter, Vice President of Skyline Wealth Management Inc. (a division of the Skyline Group of Companies), was recently recognized through several local initiatives as a prominent business figure and community-oriented philanthropist in the City of Guelph.
Marissa was recognized as a 2015 Guelph Woman of Distinction in the category of Business & Entrepreneurs by the YMCA-YWCA of Guelph. She was also selected for the 2015 Guelph Top 40 Under 40, and selected as the winner of the 2015 Guelph Mayor’s Volunteer Award for her community efforts.
Additionally, Marissa has been nominated for the 2015 Women’s Executive Network (WXN) Most Powerful Women in Canada: Top 100 awards.
Skyline interviewed Marissa to find out what has made her one of Guelph’s most successful businesswomen.
What do you do at Skyline?
I run Skyline Wealth Management Inc. (SWMI), the Skyline Group’s wealth management company. We are responsible for marketing Skyline’s investments, looking after thousands of investor accounts, and ensuring our practices are compliant with securities law. By raising investor equity, we allow Skyline to buy more properties and grow the REITs efficiently—thereby helping the entire Skyline Group grow as a whole.
One of the greatest things about Skyline Wealth Management is how unique we are in the industry. We are a lean team of six, raising incredible amounts of equity from individual retail investors, while providing a unique and highly personable investor experience that generates tons of referrals from happy investors. We’re very proud of our successes and our client satisfaction.
What initially attracted you to Skyline?
I love entrepreneurship and small business success stories, so I was attracted to Skyline’s amazing potential. The company was much smaller when I first was introduced to it, but all of the right ingredients were there. With the support of Skyline’s owners and management, I got the opportunity to come in, roll up my sleeves, and help be a part of building Skyline to become a nationally-known and highly respected owner and manager of real estate.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
I work with great people! We have a unique culture at Skyline, and I enjoy coming to work and being a part of it. My job also allows me to meet many investors and business community members – I enjoy hearing their stories and finding out what made them successful. Working in the community on Skyline’s behalf is another really rewarding part of my job – we have a direct impact on so many children and families in Guelph (and beyond), and I am proud to work for a company that cares so much about where it came from and where it exists.
Who do you feel has influenced your work/business/management philosophy the most?
I have been lucky enough to have had many incredible mentors, both in the business world and growing up. I like to surround myself with people I admire and can learn from. Always learning from people and soaking up knowledge from them. Part of my business philosophy is to go with that gut feeling – it hasn’t failed me yet.
What, or who, inspires you to do your best work every day?
My team inspires me to lead by example, and to create an environment where they will have the same opportunities I had. Skyline’s owners also inspire me to do my best work: I feel a responsibility to give back to those who took a chance on me, believed in me and gave me this opportunity to help a great company grow.
You are known for your charitable initiatives and philanthropy in the Guelph business community. Can you explain the importance of giving back to the community as a business practice?
Philanthropy is a huge part of any company’s success – so many of the most successful businesses in the world take part in huge community initiatives. Some businesses feel that the “return” they get on investing in communities is intangible – I disagree. I think that Skyline has set an important example of social responsibility in our industry, and I am proud to participate in our community work as much as possible. The best part is that Skyline understands why it’s important to “never forget your roots” no matter how big you grow – as we get bigger, we will only give back in bigger and better ways.
What would you like to say to people aspiring to similar roles to yours?
Don’t be afraid to take (calculated) risks, to create your own opportunities and forge your own paths. The right way to do something is usually also the hardest way – so, always choose to do what’s right over what’s easiest.
That being said, the balance between your personal life/health and your work life is extremely important. Although that balance certainly won’t always be 50-50, both aspects feed off each other, and need to be equally well-looked-after.