Meet Diane Homer

Whether it’s exercise or travel, there is a definite theme to the way Diane moves—and that’s long distance. Her running events are measured in stretches of 50 to 100 kilometres, with her journeys covering oceans and continents. “I started running ultramarathons years ago. At first, it felt like I was going to die but I gradually picked it up.” A 100-kilometre event took 24 hours to finish, traversing rivers and mountains and climbing half the height of Everest. “You just keep going the whole time,” she explains. “And that means carrying all your food and hydration in a backpack—truly eating on the run.”

Distance is my thing
Her travels are on a grand scale too. “Distance is my thing,” she explains. Diane has had the travel bug since she was a teenager. “I’ve done lots of round-the-world trips, which are often a couple of months in duration. Fiji and Hawaii were highlights, as was a safari in Africa. It’s also involved living in the last place on the ticket, including Australia for nine years and now Canada. “I can’t say I have a favourite place to live—I’ve liked them all for different reasons. There’s a lot of flexibility required and much learning along the way.”

Diane’s advice to all is to try living abroad at least once in your life and if that’s not feasible, to try travelling for a couple of months to get outside your personal world. She grew up in a small town and found that moving away to university and other cities opened her up to trying more things. Of course, changing locations can be challenging. “But the good days outweigh the bad,” she concludes. “You see all walks of life and get to work with people in different environments, and now I have friends all around the world.”

No place like home
This year’s vacation will take her to the UK, where she grew up and where her family still lives. “It’s great to go back for a visit and immerse myself,” she says. She loves the countryside and the history, but also the comfort foods. “The curries are amazing, the chocolate is the best, and there are beers that you can’t get anywhere else.”

Travelling bulldog
“We wanted to get a dog for so long and finally went for it.” Diane is now the proud parent of a 20-month-old French bulldog, almost fully trained. As she notes, “In some ways dogs are harder than kids because they never really grow up.” Bella has, however, caught the travel bug, having done treks that include a road trip to the east coast, complete with camping and Airbnbs. “She goes everywhere with us.”

The B. Riley Farber journey
Diane’s time with B. Riley Farber has been an adventure of its own, getting to know all the services offered and learning from people with varied skillsets and different perspectives on clients. “I find everyone to be open and supportive, which makes for a great work culture,” she says. “At the same time, we’re all involved in the planning process, which makes B. Riley Farber inventive and progressive.” She thinks the firm’s 40-year track record shows real resilience and, after all, that’s a key ingredient if you want to go the distance.


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