“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
From being raised in a small, East Coast town in Newfoundland, to jumping across the country to live a big-city West Coast lifestyle, Vanessa Gauthier has made sure that her community values follow her wherever she goes. And, no matter what area of the world she’s called home, discovering connections and learning valuable lessons have played a part in defining her career – and her lifestyle. Whether she’s hard at work or spending time with family, Gauthier has come to understand that finding a balance is one of life’s biggest challenges – and greatest rewards.
Small Town Canada Goes International
As a hardworking and driven individual, Vanessa Gauthier knew from the time she was in 9th grade that her personality would suit the career of a lawyer. Her early years as a lawyer were spent in Newfoundland practicing law with a future Premier. But fate had other plans. In 2005, Vanessa found herself, and her family, in Perth, Australia, to begin another chapter in coastal living.
This time, however, it would be the West Coast of an entirely different hemisphere – and a new community for Gauthier to immerse herself in, something she places high on her list of values: “I’ve always tried to make wherever I live feel like a small community – I like that connection, because I’m a people person. I like to feel proud of my community, and value teamwork.” However, this new chapter Down Under would come with it’s own set of challenges.
How to Navigate Change with a Smile
After the international relocation of her family and her career, and settling into a fresh new community, Gauthier realized that life in Australia came with an interesting catch: her credentials and experience were not recognized in the same way that they’d been in Canada. But Gauthier didn’t let that stop her.
Gauthier’s success at blazing her own trail is a reflection of her hardworking attitude, and her determination to develop connections with the people in her life: “I value getting to know everyone around me; I find so much satisfaction in building relationships with my clients and coworkers – especially now in the age of technology. Building a rapport is more important than ever.”
After four years had gone by Down Under, Gauthier and her family had the itch to return to Canada. And so, move they did – only this time, to the West Coast of Canada, opposite her Eastern hometown, soon settling into big city life in Vancouver. She joined Lindsay Kenney in 2010 and became a partner of Lindsay LLP in 2014.
The Art of Compromise
These days, now that her kids are grown, Gauthier has had time to reflect on growth, both personal and professional. As a self-proclaimed Type A personality and people-pleaser, she has come to realize that there is an art to compromise, and that there is an element of give and take to every situation, which inevitably flows between your personal and professional life.
This versatile attitude has materialized with Gauthier’s progress in her favorite sport – golf – and when she consciously schedules time for self-care into her day. Seeing improvement has always been a small victory for Gauthier, but she’s also the first to admit that no one is perfect, and that everyone makes mistakes; finding a balance between these concepts is just part of the compromise.
In this modern age, Gauthier stresses that the need to find time for oneself in a world that has developed increasingly high expectations: “We’re living in a very fast-paced society, and the demand can be overwhelming at times; we need to find the right support to ensure that we’re not sinking. As professionals, we’re treading water a lot of the time, but you don’t want to sink to the bottom.”
Ask for Help – Plain & Simple
Sometimes in life, challenges present themselves in difficult or opportune ways. In Gauthier’s case, her cancer diagnosis was one of them. And from her experience, she’s adopted a proverb that applies best to the circumstance: “never look back, only look forward.” Learning from experiences, in life or litigation and beyond, is the most important part of conquering a challenge.
Through the ups and downs of her busy life, Gauthier has come to realize that having someone to turn to at any given time, whether it’s professionally or personally, has been an asset to her success, and to her support system; she can recognize that she is fortunate to have always had the encouragement to make all her big choices in life, and continues to have this type of care throughout her cancer diagnosis.
As for her advice when facing a difficult situation: “You need to reach out to people. Don’t try to do it alone; everyone needs to have someone they can lean on. Confidence is one thing, but you also must accept that you don’t know everything.” Simply put, ask for help when you need it.
