I am so excited! I have been nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards!
When I think about how I got here, I see women who have lifted me up with their expertise and generous sharing of knowledge, and I want to spotlight those incredible people that have stood beside me on this journey.
Today, I am spotlighting Angela Yee-Hamshaw, Wills and Estates Lawyer at Masuch Law LLP. Life is complex, so leaving a mess behind when my time is up on this planet is not something I would want. Finding the right person to express your wishes to is nothing to take lightly. Angela’s gift is the ability to explain how an estate works yet never leave me feeling sad or overwhelmed. She is superb at breaking it all down in a way that empowered me to make decisions. I invite you to keep reading and learn more about Angela.
Born and raised in Calgary, Angela has been practicing law since 1999, having worked in the wealth management division of two major financial institutions, the Government of Alberta in the Office of the Public Trustee, and her own firm which focused primarily on Wills and Estate practice, before bringing her experience to Masuch law LLP in 2018.
Having served the range of both high net-worth clients and in-need Albertans, Angela’s detailed and thorough approach to planning for clients from all walks of life, and compassion in dealing with estates when dealing with a loss is evident in her successful practice in the last two decades. Angela is very personable and her ability to relay complex legal concepts to clients is the hallmark of her long career.
Who was the greatest influence in your life?
This is a hard question to answer because there are so many people and things that have influenced me. If I had to narrow it down, it would be my parents as people, but the influencing things has been my experience, my surroundings and the general culture. Growing up with immigrant parents, they taught us the value of hard word and education as key to our future. I was always struck by how different my upbringing was in comparison to a lot of my friends from non-immigrant families, and what I saw on T.V., and trying to find a my way through two different cultures was a learning curve and a struggle at times. Ultimately what I tried to achieve was a blend between these two worlds.
What book do you recommend?
I don’t have a single book that I recommend because we are all such different people with different interests and different experiences. I would say pick a book that teaches you something new and resonates with you. It could be learning a skill or gaining insight to someone else’s struggles or learning about different cultures.
What are you most grateful for in your life?
Without a doubt, my family (the one I grew up with and the one I created with my husband). They are my safe places and safe people. And for my intelligence, although I wasn’t always grateful.
Why did you choose to be an entrepreneur?
It was a challenge, and it was exciting. I had a vision and I wanted to exert control over that visions and my future. But it is hard, being an entrepreneur was a challenge, for sure.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Well, as an advisor, there is a lot of good legal advice given out. But in terms of life advice, I think it goes back to one of my favourite quotes I mentioned above. You teach people how to treat you. What you accept from others, what you set as your boundaries has an impact on how others around you learn what you will tolerate, and how you wish to be treated.
