For Vanessa Oake Hogan, success in business has never been just about what happens inside the office.
It's about the people who make up the team, the community they serve and the responsibility that comes with building something that lasts.
That philosophy is part of what drives the fourth annual Ascend Conference, hosted by Century 21 United Realty Inc. Brokerage at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club on November 10th. The event brings real estate professionals together for a day of learning, planning and preparing for the year ahead.
But this year's conference also arrives at a milestone for Oake Hogan. On November 16th, it will be 10 years since she signed the paperwork to take over the family business from her father, Carl Oake, who founded the Peterborough brokerage in 1978.
The path to ownership wasn't quite as straightforward as it might seem.
Oake Hogan always imagined a future in real estate, having worked at the brokerage's front desk during summers while attending McMaster University. After graduating, however, she moved to Toronto, where she spent 12 years building a career and experiencing life in the big city.
She eventually returned to Peterborough with her husband and young family, initially intending to work in real estate part-time once her children were old enough to attend school.
Her father had other plans.
Within about a year of her returning to the business, he asked if she wanted to buy it. She wasn't ready. Another year or two passed before she decided the timing was finally right.
“It's something I always wanted to do, but timing's everything, right?” she says.
Looking back, she believes those years away gave her valuable experience she could bring to the business, particularly when it came to embracing new technology and finding different ways to connect with people.
“I always say I did what my father would have done in his 40s running this business with the tools that were available to us in that day,” she says.
That meant taking the foundation her father had built and adapting it to a changing world, including diving into social media at a time when he was less comfortable with the idea.
It was a new chapter for the brokerage, but one that would preserve the values that had made it a fixture in the community.
A Conference Built Around Looking Ahead
The Ascend Conference grew out of Oake Hogan's desire to give real estate agents something that can be difficult to find in a busy working life: time to stop, reflect and make a plan.
November provides a natural opportunity to look back on the year and start thinking about what comes next. Rather than simply bringing people together to listen to speakers, the goal is to give attendees practical ideas they can take back to their businesses.
“It's a day to take yourself out of your regular day-to-day, stop running and just kind of assess where you've been this year and take a look at the following year, what's coming up, what you want to make happen, how you want to get there,” she explains.
The conference is now in its fourth year, with community support helping make it possible. Sullivan Law is returning as title sponsor.
Close to 80 agents from Century 21 United had signed up at the time of the interview, with Oake Hogan also inviting real estate professionals from outside the brokerage to attend.
This year's lineup reflects some of the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, from a changing real estate market to the growing role of artificial intelligence.
Mary-Anne Gillespie, owner of Red Apple Coaching, will open the day with practical strategies to help agents succeed in the current market. Gillespie is also a triathlete and an experienced real estate professional, bringing a mix of business knowledge and personal motivation to the discussion.
Ben Rabideau, a real estate market analyst who has appeared at every Ascend Conference so far, will look at what happened in the Canadian real estate market in 2026, what's happening locally and what he expects to see in 2027.
Artificial intelligence will also have a place on the agenda. Ron O'Neil of AI Solutions will discuss five efficiency tools for realtors, along with safety considerations and the importance of being careful about what information is entered into AI platforms.
For Oake Hogan, the technology conversation is particularly relevant because people are at very different stages of understanding and using these tools.
“Efficiency is something I think we can all benefit from, at the very least with AI,” she says.
The day will wrap up with coach Valerie Garcia, who will focus on customer service and creating the best possible experience for clients.
The common thread is practical learning, giving agents ideas they can put to use rather than simply sending them back to work with more information to process.
Real estate professionals interested in attending can contact Oake Hogan directly to register.
Following Her Father's Footsteps, But Finding Her Own Way
Taking over a business with nearly four decades of history was a significant responsibility, particularly when that business was so closely associated with her father.
Oake Hogan admits she worried about how the transition would be received. She wondered whether agents would question her ability to lead the brokerage and whether taking ownership might prompt people to leave.
Instead, she found the team firmly behind her.
“I was really worried people were going to think, she can't do this,” she recalls. “And I was worried that I was going to have this mass exodus once I stepped into the ownership role.”
The opposite happened.
She credits the relationships she built during her years working at the front desk, along with the experience she gained as an agent before becoming owner, for helping make the transition successful. Some of the people who knew her from those early days are still part of the brokerage today.
That support has allowed her to continue building on the business her father created while bringing her own ideas to the table.
Her approach to technology was one of the clearest differences, but the community connections were something she never wanted to lose.
Her father had spent decades building relationships throughout Peterborough, and she continues to encounter people who remember him and are quick to make that connection when they meet his daughter.
“It's just a nice connection,” she says.
She knows that legacy comes with big shoes to fill, but it has also given her a strong foundation as she continues to shape the business in her own way.
Why Community Still Matters
Century 21 United's involvement in Peterborough extends well beyond real estate.
The brokerage continues to support community initiatives that have been important to the Oake family for years, including the Carl Oake Rotary Swim, the Century 21 Lakers and an annual toy drive.
These are not simply new sponsorships added to a business plan. They are traditions that connect the brokerage to the people and organizations around it.
Oake Hogan remembers her children growing up attending the Carl Oake Swim, making its continued success particularly meaningful to her family. The brokerage also remains involved with the Century 21 Lakers, a connection her father established and one she enjoys seeing continue.
“It's all about community,” she says.
After spending 12 years in Toronto, she appreciates the difference of living and working in a place where relationships often extend far beyond a single transaction or introduction.
“It's anonymous there versus here. It's more of the community feel,” she says.
That sense of connection was also part of what brought her family back to Peterborough. She and her husband, who grew up in Toronto, regularly returned to visit her parents before eventually finding a way to move home and raise their children here.
For Oake Hogan, being involved in the community is a responsibility that comes with running a local business, even when finding time for everything can be a challenge.
It's a commitment she sees reflected throughout the brokerage, where agents and staff contribute in different ways and help maintain the relationships the business has built over the years.
“We have some incredible people at this brokerage,” she says. “I am really grateful that I get to work with everyone here.”
As Century 21 United approaches its 50th year in business in 2028, Oake Hogan is preparing to mark 10 years as owner by continuing to build on the work her father started.
The Ascend Conference is one part of that effort, giving real estate professionals an opportunity to learn from one another, prepare for a changing industry and think about what they want the next year to look like.
For Oake Hogan, moving forward doesn't mean leaving the past behind. It means taking the values that have served the business for decades and finding new ways to put them into practice.
And in a community like Peterborough, where relationships can last for generations, that may be one of the most important parts of the job.
