Burlington-based real estate investment firm Equiton has experienced remarkable growth since its inception in 2015, surpassing $1.5 billion in assets under management and expanding its portfolio across Canada.

At the heart of this success is president, CFO and co-founder Helen Hurlbut. Her extensive career in real estate and finance has been instrumental in shaping the company's trajectory.

In honour of International Women's Day, RENX spoke to Hurlbut about her journey, challenges she's faced as a female leader and the importance of mentorship.

After completing business and economics degrees from York University, followed by her accounting designation, Hurlbut entered the real estate sector with part-time reception and accounting roles at Citicom, a company involved in real estate ventures across Canada and the United States.

Hurlbut quickly advanced into treasurer and controller positions in her 20s, a progression made with the help of mentorship from Michael Herman, a former litigation lawyer turned CEO. 

"He taught me so much during a very volatile economic environment. I've never forgotten that," Hurlbut said.

Through his guidance, she learned the importance of trust, transparency and honesty during difficult times: "In the end, if you're not (instilling them), you can't hide — especially in hard times. That was a very important learning."

Following Citicom's downsizing, Hurlbut transitioned to Mattamy Homes, a smaller company at the time, where she spent nearly a decade witnessing and contributing to its significant growth. This experience provided her with insights into dynamics of both large and small organizations, as well as challenges posed by economic fluctuations beyond one's control.

Her subsequent roles in real estate, including highrise and multiresidential sectors, further solidified her industry expertise.

The birth of Equiton

In 2014, Hurlbut received a call from Jason Roque about launching a private equity startup in real estate. Despite her extensive experience, having primarily worked for private companies, the concept of private equity was new to her.

However, Roque's combination of kindness, respect and business aggressiveness resonated with her, prompting a leap of faith into the venture.

Roque, who became Equiton's CEO, feels similarly about Hurlbut and described his experience. “From the start, Helen and I immediately clicked. We shared a clear vision for the company and the determination to make it happen."

Hurlbut's decision was also influenced by personal reflections following her father's passing a few months prior. Her father had harboured entrepreneurial aspirations, but prioritized family survival after immigrating from the then-Czech Republic (now Czechia).

This, and her family's support and belief in her capabilities, inspired Hurlbut to co-found Equiton with the purpose of democratizing Canadian real estate investing and making it accessible to all Canadians. "That (purpose) truly pushed me to join," Hurlbut recalled.

Leaving a mark and improving society

Beyond financial performance, Equiton places significant focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. The firm is actively involved with organizations like Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), reflecting its dedication to governance, environmental sustainability, diversity and social responsibility.

"I'm very proud of our organization for going beyond, with things we don't have to do, but that we want to do." Hurlbut emphasized. "It's important to leave some kind of mark that makes things better."

Recognizing and rewarding female leaders

Hurlbut's leadership has been celebrated through accolades like 2025's Enterprising Women of the Year award and ranking 13th in 2024's Women2Watch by the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO).

She's extremely proud of these achievements, but what stands out most to her is that she found only a handful of Canadians on the international lists.

"They try to award (female leadership) because it's not easy — I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Some people don't want (women) to succeed. They do the work, but don't get the recognition or reward," Hurlbut pointed out.

She explained that Equiton attempts to counterbalance this by hiring the right person for each role, regardless of gender. "With that, we naturally create a diversified force."

Awards aside, Roque offered a personal acknowledgement of Hurlbut, stating "(Helen's) ability to anticipate industry trends, her relentless pursuit of excellence and her collaborative leadership style have not only shaped Equiton’s growth, but also set a benchmark for others in the industry.

"She embodies the qualities of a true trailblazer and I’m continually inspired by her commitment to innovation and the high standard she holds us all to.”

Mentorship, empowerment and advocacy for women in leadership

Throughout Hurlbut's journey, her mother served as a significant mentor, someone who she says always believed in her. A childhood memory that illustrates this influence has stayed with her to this day:

"I came home from school with a bad mark in sewing, and I was so scared because of it. But looking on the positive side and focusing on how well I'd done in other subjects, (my mom) said, 'Who cares? You don't need it. You got really high marks in these other classes.'

"To her, it was more important that I succeeded academically than in becoming a homemaker."

Male confidence: The missing piece

Hurlbut acknowledges the challenges faced throughout her career journey as a woman in a predominantly male industry, often finding herself the sole female in boardrooms. Despite possessing the necessary technical skills, there was a "missing piece": she lacked the confidence of her male counterparts.

About that confidence, she reflected:

"The harder something is, the more you want it . . . I have it today and I had it in me then, but I didn't know I could go beyond what they (men) were."

This realization led her to cultivate self-belief and assertiveness, moving beyond constant apology and self-doubt.

In a commitment to empower women and help them avoid the uncertainty she once dealt with, Hurlbut now mentors other females, including former Equiton directors and VPs. She encourages them to believe in themselves and avoid detrimental comparisons — something she describes as "the worst thing" one can do.

Hurlbut believes it's extremely important to continue to give feedback and strength to other women, so they're never in the position she was years ago, wondering what they're missing.

Her biggest piece of advice? "If something's challenging and you feel you can do it, it's okay to be scared. But go for it."