Josée D•••

About

On the record

Only two short years ago, we sold our rental condo with no clear plan of what was next. I had stepped away from my dream job, we needed the cash, and I knew a shift in strategy was overdue. My time at Shopify taught me something I couldn’t unlearn: that alignment between values and actions—whether it’s the products we buy, how we spend our time, or the businesses we support—is everything. That realization became my compass. After years of studying real estate investing (and completing not one, but two business degrees), I knew I wanted to approach real estate differently—through the lens of sustainability, intentionality, and innovation. And then, the unexpected happened. Just weeks after selling our condo, I was offered the opportunity to purchase a 13-acre lakefront property with a river running through it. The catch? It’s completely off-grid. No power lines, no utilities, no fallback plan. It was bold, uncertain, and absolutely perfect. Fast forward to today: we’re nearing completion on our off-grid A-frame build, and I’m more energized than ever to help reimagine the way we live—more connected to the land and more thoughtful in design. Now, I help solve one of the most overlooked challenges in the real estate lifecycle: simply & accurately documenting a property’s existing conditions. At Planitar (iGUIDE), I work with real estate professionals, architects, contractors, and insurance adjusters to simplify how spaces are captured and shared. Using 360° imaging and laser-accurate measurement tools, we produce immersive virtual tours and precise floorplans—saving clients hours (sometimes days) of manual work. For real estate teams, this means listings that sell faster with rich, interactive tours buyers can explore easily from anywhere. For architects and designers, it automates the time-consuming “as-built” stage—so they can focus on the creative and technical work that moves projects forward. And for insurance professionals, it offers a fast, accurate way to document damage—with visual records and notes all integrated into their software. Before all this, I began my career in EdTech SaaS, helping schools adopt tools that supported digital learning and access. That path led me to Shopify Plus, where I helped purpose-driven eCommerce brands scale—generating over $5M in revenue and learning the power of pairing people with the right tools. If you care about thoughtful design, smart systems, and lifelong learning—let’s connect. I’d love to swap ideas or have a great conversation. You never know where it might lead.