Mike often forgets he’s actually working. After years in farming, hospitality and building, talking to people about rural properties is second nature. He just can’t believe it took him so long to find his calling.

Life circumstances can steer you in directions you hadn't foreseen. Having found myself in real estate, I can’t imagine why being a lifestyle and rural property consultant hadn't occurred to me earlier.

Born in Ranfurly, my family moved to Lawrence when I was five. I grew up on the family farm and worked around the district until I was 26. I've maintained a strong connection to the rural scene ever since.

In 1994, my wife, Amy, and I bought the Coach & Horses Tavern in Lawrence and that took care of the next 11 years. That decade taught me how to deal with all sorts of people, under all sorts of circumstances. The stories I could tell you…

We moved to Dunedin in 2005 and purchased the Mornington Tavern. Five years later, I was ready for a change and began a building apprenticeship. This was new ground for me and I loved it. But a knee injury in 2012 spelt the end of my building career. However, it was soon after the injury that the opportunity came up to join the team at Edinburgh Realty, focusing on lifestyle and rural sales.

I am channeling all the skills I've picked up in farming, hospitality and building to become exactly the sort of property consultant I’d want working for me.