The Entrepreneur’s Lifestyle in Vancouver
Vancouver is an exceptionally beautiful city; it also is a great place to start and grow your business. There is plenty of support resources for Entrepreneurs and accelerator start-up programs you can take to get your business off the ground. Throughout the city, there are very cool co-working spaces in trendy areas if working from home isn’t your jam or you need to rent out a meeting space on demand. Vancouver is an entrepreneurial city at heart with lots of networking events and opportunities for Entrepreneurs. Starting a business in Vancouver has its challenges, but it’s a great target market city as it is big enough to support small businesses and there has always been a great movement to support local. Now, let’s get to the West Coast lifestyle.
The city is surrounded by the ocean and mountains and has endless parks to explore. It doesn’t take long to get up to Grouse Mountain, Seymour or make your way out to Whistler for winter sports, hiking trails or biking. Hit up Pacific Spirit Park near UBC to get in a good walk, bike ride or run in the trails. Stanley Park is my favourite with old-growth trees and groomed trails and stunning beaches. Across Burrard inlet, you also have Spanish Banks, Locarno and Jericho beach…and the infamous clothing-optional beach, Wreck Beach, if that’s your thing. In almost every neighbourhood, there are live music venues, nightclubs and events including those catered to the LGBTQ community. There is no shortage of breweries in East Van, seafood shops on Granville Island and food trucks on every bustling corner. I have had the opportunity to travel to quite a few countries and must say that my favourite food is right here at home in Vancouver. You can find almost any cuisine, done well, from casual to upscale.
From Vancouver, your options of weekend getaways is endless. You can hop over to Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Whistler, Harrison Hot Springs, Seattle or even Portland. My favourite escape is the Sunshine Coast. Just a 50-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver and there are amazing Airbnb options with cozy fireplaces, hot tubs and breathtaking ocean views.
The transportation system in Vancouver is decent with the SkyTrain, Seabuses and bus routes; you may not even need a car. If biking is your thing, there are a growing number of bike routes in the city used every day by cyclist commuters. The temperature is pretty mild, and yes it does rain a lot, but each season can be quite lovely here, even with a few wet spells. Due to our mild temperatures, Vancouver only gets snow a few days each Winter, even some years with no snow. The mild climate in the city allows for outdoor adventures and biking all year long.
One of the major downsides of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is our real estate. Buying a house in Vancouver is expensive and so is renting. There are a few less expensive areas in the city where your money goes further, but it is still expensive for people looking to relocate. Vancouver is pricey but it’s a great place to live and the lifestyle makes up for it in a lot of ways.
If you have been thinking of taking the Entrepreneur leap, escaping the 9-5 and paving your own path, a Life Coach can help. Step into your ideal life, and book a free 1 on 1 session.
Farewell, I look forward to hearing from you.
Ash Enns