About Norah LeClare

Training tellers at 20 in Los Angeles led to opening a day care and writing by-laws on Vancouver Island in my mid-twenties. The ensuing years have been diverse to say the least. Secretary, manager, restaurant owner, consultant, writer, artist and webmaster are just a few of the titles held. The last “official” title was Business Manager for the UBC School of Mining Engineering, a position that gave new meaning to ‘juggling six balls at once’.

However, a good deal of the diversity and the ability to achieve objectives came from working as a temp. Assignments varied from filing invoices for a few days to multi-month, complex projects. There is nothing quite like being sent on an assignment to reconcile bank statements only to find out the client wants a complex inventory system set up. It is experiences like this, and there have been many, that have honed an ability to meet challenges head on and do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Life took a sharp turn when James and I ended our holiday in 2003 with a spur-of-the moment trip to Powell River. We fell in love with this magical, gentle place and returned the following year for a holiday that ended with us buying a house. A year later we left our hectic management jobs to pursue our art and enjoy a more relaxed life style.

It took only a few months to realize that ‘retirement’ doesn’t suite me very well. Being busy and productive, especially when I’m helping people, is immensely satisfying. So it was no surprise, least of all to James, that I got heavily involved in the community with an emphasis on promoting the arts and getting Powell River on the Internet. That objective was achieved with the design of several community websites, promoting annual events and serving on art-related Boards.

These days, along with looking after my clients, the days are a relaxing mixture of fluid art, an addiction started in 2020 recovering from hip surgery, and gardening.

The above is a thumbnail sketch of the ‘doing’ part of my life. The ‘being’ part is a core belief that trust, respect and integrity are integral to any business or personal relationship. And, just for the record, you can add a good sense of humour and really, really liking people.

“What do you do?” is one of the first questions asked when meeting someone for the first time. More often than not the answer is “My resume looks like something out of the help wanted pages - you name it, I’ve done it.” Although decidedly exaggerated (I’ve never been a rocket scientist), it is a good ice breaker and usually gets a chuckle.

The truth isn't that far off. Life and a ‘can do’ attitude has provided the opportunities to gain a wealth of skills and experience.