Meet Melissa Makepeace, Owner & Guide of Mountain Addicts, a guiding and instruction company operating out of Fernie and Revelstoke.
Melissa is a private office member at 2nd Edition Coworking. When in the office, she is usually working through her overflowing inbox, taking bookings and reservations, sending out trip logistics, scheduling, payroll, accounting, advertising and all the things that make a business function. Having a dedicated workspace at 2nd Edition has helped to create more home/work life balance.
Q: What do you love most about your work?
A: When I’m not in the coworking space, I’m working in the field ski guiding and teaching, which is where I really love to work! Being outside in the mountains is my happy place, and along with that, I’m super passionate about inspiring mountain travel independence and confidence in ski tourers.
Q: What is one thing – either industry-related or not – you learned in the last month?
A: I have started to source out some of my administrative duties and this has really improved my life. I have hired a social media manager, purchased reservation software, and hired a web developer who has been an absolute life saver. My web developer has tuned me into Google Drive and I’m flabbergasted at how much easier my life has become. So I learned that sourcing out some of your work, instead of trying to do it all is, is definitely worth the money.
Q: How do you define success?
A: As a ski guide, getting everyone home safely at the end of the day is the ultimate success. But along with that, during the busy season, keeping on top of laundry and having food in the house are things that I pat myself on the back for.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: Local legend Sue Boyd has always been someone that I’ve looked up to and aspire to be like. She’s been crushing it in a man’s world since I was born. She was the ski patrol director of Fernie Snow Valley back when it would be hard to find women ski patrolling at all, let alone leading the charge. But it’s her community-minded spirit and the way she brings people together that is really inspiring. Sue is always having the most fun.
Q: When not working how do you spend your time?
A: Skiing. Or trail running; so training for skiing. Haha. I spend most of my time in the mountains climbing and running. When I want to unwind I play Fortnite with my mom, bake, and watch reality TV.
Q: What’s one thing you love about Fernie?
A: I moved to Fernie in 2005 and own a condo here, although I’m not around town much. I typically spend my summers in Squamish or Revelstoke, and I also travel for work in the winter to guide at Last Frontier Heliskiing as well as guide hut trips around BC. I find it difficult to stay in one place for too long.
Q: What’s the last book you read?
A: The last book that I read was “In Search of Al Howie” which is about a world-record holding, Canadian, ultra-long distance runner, that no one has ever heard of. He ran 2225 km from Winnipeg to Ottawa, won a 24 hour race there, and then ran back to Winnipeg. He was not like the Red Bull ultra sponsored athletes of today. He was forever broke and would train by running to races as he couldn’t afford airline tickets, although his love for beer ultimately led to a Molson sponsorship. There are just so many interesting people out there.
Interested in coworking in Fernie, BC?
Head to coworkingfernie.com
