5 minute read
DIFFERENT STROKES
Olympic rowing gold medallist Ben Rutledge is carving a new path as a successful mortgage broker
BY LISA GORDON
In 2015, Ben Rutledge’s rowing career had run its course. The 2008 Canadian Olympic gold medallist found himself in Russia with a young family, five hours north of Moscow in a cramped apartment. He was there to coach the women’s Russian Olympic rowing team, but he hadn’t been paid in six months.
It was time for a change.
Rowing had been Rutledge’s focus since the time he discovered it in 1999. As a University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business student, he chanced upon a six-week varsity learn-torow program. At 6’5”, Rutledge had played hockey and tried golf, but rowing was the right fit.
“It’s an aerobic sport for tall people,” he told Canadian Mortgage Broker. “I was that tall guy who couldn’t jump, but I could work really hard at 90 per cent capacity and just stay there and not stop. I had endurance and the ability to train long hours. I was up for the hard work.”
Within three years, Rutledge was senior world champion at the age of 21. He rowed for the 2004 Canadian Olympic men’s team, placing fifth that year, before going on to win gold in the men’s coxed eight at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Coming out of those Games, Rutledge found himself doing a lot of soul searching to determine his next move.
“The only plan I had coming out of the 2008 Olympics was how to give back to the rowing community that helped me,” he said. “There’s not a lot of money in rowing, but there is a lot of passionate volunteers. I volunteer coached at UBC; I was doing public speaking and trying to make some money. But I fell in love with coaching.”
Through his own former Olympic coach, Rutledge was offered a job coaching the Russian women’s rowing team. Originally, the training camp was in Italy – but then Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 and the team was called home.
Ben Rutledge
Photo by Kevin Light Photogrpahy
“It was unplanned, and that was part of the reason not to stay,” he explained. “I had a young family, a three-month-old daughter. I had been with the team for two years, but it was time to leave.”
Returning to Canada in 2015, Rutledge planned his next move. In university, he’d realized the value of leveraging and growing wealth through a series of “fix and flip” vendor take-back mortgages. He thought mortgage brokering was an area where he could provide real value by helping people with an essential service.
“The industry itself seemed quite safe in that it thrives on volatility. Up or down, there’s always a way for some people to find a better situation,” said Rutledge. “As long as you provide good service, there will always be business.”
Today, the 40-year-old former Olympian is chief operating officer of Designer Capital, a Victoria, B.C.-based brokerage specializing in residential and commercial financing for high-net-worth and selfemployed owners of multiple properties.
When he’s not working on deals, Rutledge hangs out with the Vikings. They’re an informal group of about 10 friends who run up Mount Douglas – twice – Friday mornings year round. Always one to work out and stay fit, Rutledge said exercise helps to clear his mind. But three years ago, he and some friends discovered an icy winter pursuit that really brings things into focus.
“We did a polar bear swim one year at New Year’s – but the next day, we decided to do it again,” he explained. “We just started jumping in the ocean in the mornings before our families were up – so from October to March, we jump in the ocean for 10 minutes a day. That is what I do to keep my head clear and stay focused.”
Rutledge discovered Wim Hof, the Dutch “Iceman” known for his ability to withstand extremely low temperatures.
“He says the body is more resilient to cold than you think, and exposing yourself to it allows your body to recalibrate and perform at its best level.”
The swimmers started spreading the word. Most people thought they were crazy to willingly submerge themselves in water ranging from 6C to 10C. But a few more said they’d like to try it. Now, about five to six people pull themselves out of their warm beds and assemble on the beach every wintry Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. Their goal is to achieve a clear mind and a sharp focus.
“When you’re going into the water, that’s the interesting part,” said Rutledge, who said he submerges himself slowly rather than jumping in all at once. “The body is telling you to stop and turn around, but you work your way into it. It depends on the day, but a lot of emotions happen from legs to body in the water. It’s a release of any major thoughts, anxieties. It’s like, ‘This is pretty damn hard, so anything else seems easy.’ When you leave, you feel like you’ve gone from stressed to euphoric.”
Rutledge encourages others to take the plunge but has more onlookers than joiners, including his family who will watch but not jump ... yet.
For someone who’s always challenged himself mentally and physically, Rutledge finds similarities between being a mortgage broker and being an elite athlete.
“I think it’s your drive to want to be the best at what you’re doing,” he reflected. “Certain behaviours are learned – in difficult situations, do you back off or step forward and keep trying? They are different arenas, but the mindset of not giving up is very similar.”
As he comes up on six years in the mortgage business, Rutledge said he’s achieved more than he ever imagined he could. Looking down the road, the future could include spinoff businesses such as property development, insurance or educational seminars. One thing he’s learned is that new possibilities are always just around the corner.
“Every year is sort of a recalibration of what the next year could be.”
This interview with Ben Rutledge continues our series Brokers off the Clock. In every issue, we ask a mortgage broker to tell us what they like to do when they’re not behind a desk. Be it driving fast cars, travelling to exotic places or researching your family roots, we want to know how you unwind. Would you like to be profiled in a future edition – or suggest a fellow mortgage broker?
Contact us at info@cmba-achc.ca
