Building Success Through Resilience and Heart
Photos by Darren Hull
Reece Tomlinson used to believe success had a uniform. Tailored suits, designer watches, and a packed calendar were her armour. In her early days as a corporate finance executive in London, she worked long hours, earned accolades, and collected the classic markers of professional prestige. Behind the scenes, however, the lifestyle was draining, the values misaligned, and the mask exhausting.
“I had everything I thought I was supposed to want,” she said. “But none of it felt like mine.”
Now, years later, she leads RWT Growth, one of Canada’s fastest-growing boutique M&A firms, with a radically different definition of success.
For Tomlinson, success is no longer about status or appearance. It is about alignment, sustainability, and self-trust. In an age where burnout is treated like a badge of honour, she is living proof that one can scale a national business without sacrificing identity, values, or well-being.
From her farm in Kelowna to high-stakes boardrooms across the country, Tomlinson is building a life and a career that feel as good as they look. She is showing other women that they can do the same.
Tomlinson once believed that leading a company meant fitting into a rigid archetype: stoic, sharp, and always in control. Like many women in finance, she emulated the traditional models of power she saw around her, which were often masculine, hard-edged, and emotionally distant. That kind of performance came at a cost.
“I was mimicking what I thought leadership looked like,” she said. “But it never brought out the best in me or anyone around me.”
The turning point came when she stopped performing. Not only did she transition from the male she was born as into the woman she always knew she was, but she also chose to stop projecting control and begin cultivating connection.
She leaned into her empathy, her strategic instincts, and her ability to lead with presence rather than posture.
“When I stopped leading from ego and started leading from authenticity, everything changed,” she said. “Deals improved, my team grew stronger, and my vision expanded.”
That shift was not only personal, but also professional. RWT Growth is now one of the only woman-led M&A firms in Canada with a national footprint. Tomlinson’s values-driven approach has proven effective. In an industry known for burnout, she has created a model that allows her to recharge between high-intensity moments and be present with her family in ways that feel grounding for them all.
Tomlinson’s days still start early, but now they begin with journaling, trail running, time with her children, and routines that keep her centred.
“I built a business that fits into my life, not the other way around,” she said.
That intentionality extends to her team. RWT operates with a culture rooted in psychological safety, clarity, and
mutual respect.
“I do not expect my team to sacrifice their well-being for results,” she said. “We value high performance, but we achieve it by prioritizing health and acting with integrity, not by compromising those principles.”
This balance is especially vital in M&A, where long hours and high stress are common. Her approach focuses on clarity, preparation, and trust.
“You do not need to live in chaos to close good deals. In fact, the opposite is usually true.”
She has also become vocal about challenging hustle culture, particularly for women. She does not believe being busy is the same as being effective, and credits many women and caregivers with a unique ability to focus and execute efficiently.
For Tomlinson, building a life beyond burnout is not just about balance. It is about alignment. Her own journey, coming out as a transwoman and embracing her identity, taught her the cost of living out of sync.
“I spent years masking, in life and in business. And it nearly broke me,” she said. “When you live in opposition to your truth,
it bleeds into everything, your relationships, your health, and
your leadership.”
Today, authenticity is her superpower. It shapes how she hires, how she leads, and how she shows up for clients. She does not see empathy as a soft skill, but as a business strategy rooted in self-awareness and clarity.
That mindset is especially important when working with founders navigating succession or exit planning.
“These deals are emotional. They are legacy decisions. When you show up as a real person, it builds trust and leads to better outcomes.”
These days, Tomlinson splits her time between boardrooms and her small farm in the Okanagan Valley. She is equally at home negotiating eight-figure transactions as she is cooking with her kids or walking her dogs through the woods. Her wardrobe still features bold silhouettes and sleek blazers, but now they reflect the woman wearing them, not a persona she feels obligated to perform.
“I used to chase success that looked good on the outside,” she said. “Now, I build success that feels good on the inside.”