A Discussion with Kashane Walters About Motorsports, Financial Management, and the Importance of Pursuing What You Love
As a veteran finance manager, a position he’s held at Edmonton, Alberta’s RCM Motorsports for almost a decade and a half, Kashane Walters spends his days immersed in analyzing data, liaising with banks and other financial institutions, writing reports, advising colleagues, and, most importantly, working together with clients to devise payment structures that allow them to own recreational vehicles. Over the years, Kashane has accumulated a wide breadth of experience about nearly all aspects of the motorsports industry and, as such, is widely regarded as an expert in his field.
Throughout primary and secondary school, Kashane Walters excelled in athletics, specifically in football and track and field. He would later earn a degree in Business Studies, an accreditation which would pave the way for his career as a finance manager.
In his spare time, Kashane Walters loves jet skiing and snowmobiling, noting that these activities help him to relieve stress and commune with nature.
What do you love most about the industry you are in?
I love everything about it. I’ve always been a motorsports enthusiast—even before I worked for RCM. There’s just something about hopping on a snowmobile or a jet-ski that I find incredibly pleasurable and always have. Using recreational vehicles is a great way to get outdoors and appreciate nature. I think that’s why I find helping fellow motorsports lovers finance new vehicles so rewarding.
What would you tell others looking to get into your industry?
The motorsports industry is based around fun activities and full of great, knowledgeable people. It is a business in the end, but I think it’s more of a fun business than many others.
What keeps you motivated?
The idea of making my clients happy by pairing them with a recreational vehicle like an e-bike, a snowmobile, or an all-terrain vehicle—usually referred to as an ATV—is all the motivation I need to happily carry out my position to the best of my abilities each day.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned during the course of your career?
As I get older, I more and more realize the importance of never taking anything for granted.
If you could change one thing you did in the beginning of your career what would it be?
I regret next to nothing, but I suppose if I could change something from the beginning of my career, it would be to not make certain assumptions. I made some assumptions in my younger days that weren’t too smart, and a result, I had to learn a few difficult lessons.
How do you maintain a work life balance?
As I mentioned, my love for motorsports predates my employment at RCM. I love jet-skiing in the summer, and I love snowmobiling in the winter. I always make sure to include either one or the other every time I take a vacation. I love the feeling of driving unrestrained by roads and traffic, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, whether on a lake or on a snowy field. It helps me unwind and makes me at peace with the world. And the scenery is always breathtaking.
What trends in your industry excite you?
Well, the motorsports industry is projected to grow by more than 10% overall between now and 2027. From my vantage point, that is incredibly exciting.
What has been the hardest obstacle you’ve overcome?
Like every job, sometimes there are disappointments. Every once in a while, I’m confronted with a client who really, really wants to own one of our vehicles, but just doesn’t have the financial wherewithal to do so. I always feel bad for them. But I also always encourage them to use the experience to renew their motivation to work harder to succeed. I usually say something like, “I know it hurts now, but think of it this way: That jet-ski or that ATV that you want? When you finally get it, it will be the reward for all of your hard work, and a signal that you’ve arrived at the place you want to be in life.”
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
I once had a mentor who gave me great guidance. One piece of advice he related to me often was this: “Kashane, if you manage to find a way to merge your private interests with your professional life all the while making a nice profit, then you are well on your way to cracking the secret code to happiness.” I think about that quote all the time.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to others?
Don’t hesitate to pursue whatever you love as a profession. For me, it was motorsports, for others it could be medicine, dancing, writing, firefighting, or launching their own small business. Even if you ultimately fail, you have to at least try to make your dream come true. In my case, I knew enough to stay away from the engineering end of motorsports—that’s just not how my mind works. And because only a very small handful of people are paid to actually ride these vehicles professionally, I carved a niche for myself on the financial side of things. But I couldn’t be happier because every day I go to work in an industry I love, immersed in a pastime I cherish amongst like-minded people.
What is one thing you would change in your industry today if you could?
If someone twisted my arm for an answer, I would say the industry is a little bit over-regulated.
Where do you see you and your company in 5 years?
RCM Motorsports will continue to expand its client base and its fleet of vehicles, and I will be right here working hard to grow the company any way I possibly can.
