Courageous Conversations

How to build systems to protect your business for the long term.

After a successful 13-year career in sales, Angela Avgerinos made the unexpected decision to walk away from selling. But rather than leaving real estate behind, she found a new way to make an impact, helping agents succeed from the sidelines.

Barry Plant CEO Lisa Pennell explains the importance of personal relationships in today's technology-focused market.

“I started looking on the internet about garden gnomes and they're like mystical creatures that protect the home. And I thought, what a really nice notion for owners to feel like we're protected, we're looked after.”

How did a near-miss in early strategy lead to Michelle Champion starting her own groundbreaking business?

When Michael Nitschke took over the family business at just 30 years of age after the sudden passing of his parents he discovered a business deeply in debt with only six weeks of cash left.

In today's real estate industry, professionals face numerous challenges - market fluctuations, client expectations, and economic pressures. To succeed, developing resilience, adapting to change, and maintaining a positive mindset is essential.

Surrogacy is a journey filled with hope and anticipation. So is starting a real estate agency, or any business, from the ground up

Surrogacy is a journey filled with hope and anticipation. So is starting a real estate agency, or any business, from the ground up

From standalone agent to industry leader, Melinda Kirby breaks through barriers with a blend of fierce strategy and genuine care, setting new standards for women in real estate.

In the face of life's most daunting challenges, some individuals not only persevere but also emerge stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. Grant Turner's story is a testament to the transformative power of resilience. When confronted with a sudden and serious health condition, he refused to let it define him. Instead, he embraced the struggle, rediscovered his passion for real estate, and committed himself to making a difference in the lives of others.

Imagine a world where every young person is empowered with the skills, confidence, and resilience to face life's challenges head-on—this vision drives Mel Thomas and the transformative KYUP! Project.

In a realm where tradition sometimes stifles innovation, Rebecca Halton shatters the mould, pioneering a unique blend of team empowerment and wellness in real estate, turning a career curveball into a triumph of managing a staggering 2500 properties.

Imagine transforming from a front desk receptionist to a high-flying partner and head of department at leading Victorian agency Jellis Craig.

With 22 years of experience under her belt, Christine Ewin reveals how resilience, adaptability, and spot-on people skills made her a force to be reckoned with.

When Jonny Warren was homeless and struggling to get his life on track after battling drugs in his 20s, he never imagined he would one day lead a team of 13 as director of one of Canberra's fastest-growing real estate agencies.

Laura O'Reilly's always been incredibly passionate about helping those around her who haven't had an easy path in life.

Five months into his retirement, Harcourts Managing Director, Mike Green knew he wasn't living his best life.

BresicWhitney sales agent, Romany Brooks is passionate about real estate and her community, with a strong ethos of building a positive culture wherever she goes.

How Nathan Casserly restructured his business and why going into “Superman mode” isn't always the right thing to do as a leader

In a short space of time, Avi Khan has been able to create one of the fastest-growing agencies in Brisbane, driven by his personal leadership style.

Navigating your way through life and in the process trying to find yourself, are some of the biggest challenges we all face.

With all the demands that real estate puts on you, it can be difficult to start a career as an agent later in life.

Much like a professional athlete, real estate is a high-performance activity that rewards the people who are prepared to work harder and never give up.

Fifteen years ago, Renee Reynolds was told that a standalone property management business would never work.

The housing crisis across the country is hitting all rungs of society, but for the most vulnerable people in regional areas, it's reached crisis levels.

Auctioneer Clarence White has been crowned the best in his field, but he's the first to admit it's been a long journey of rejections and close finishes to get to where he is today.

High-performance coach Jet Xaiver has had a long career having difficult conversations with business leaders and elite agents to try and get the best out of them.

With four RE/MAX offices to her name, Hayley Van de Ven is rightly regarded as a real estate success story.

As one of OBrien Real Estate's top performing sales agents, Tanja Neven-Jones has enjoyed a career of incredible highs. It's also had its fair share of devastating lows.

Like a lot of women, Refurb to Invest Chief Executive Officer Corissa Sorbello goes by a few titles. She's a mum, business owner, entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast, who concedes it's a balancing act to fulfil all those roles well.

Stockdale and Leggo CEO Charlotte Pascoe never imagined heading up a major real estate group. In fact, she says if you'd put that idea to her even a few years ago, she would have laughed at the prospect.

Kolmeo's Scott Bateman could quite rightly be described as among the smartest minds in any real estate room. He's Harvard educated, quick as a whip and a firm fan favourite when it comes to all things business and property management.

As the CEO of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, Jen Baird firmly believes in having tough conversations when they matter.

As one of the industry's first female CEOs, Sadhana Smiles vividly recalls a time when the real estate industry had a glass ceiling.

There's more than one way to look at any situation. Change can be seen as opportunity, or it can evoke fear. Failure might be viewed as the chance to learn and grow, or it can be something that defines you and holds you back. How you see any scenario depends on your perspective, says Laing+Simmons Head of Growth and Development Harriet Saunders and whether you choose to embrace it or excuse it depends on whether you operate ‘above the line' or below it. Harriet explains ‘above the line' people own their mistakes and see them as a chance to develop and improve, while those who find refuge below the line are fueled by excuses and the ‘buts' that inhibit the chance to grow. In a highly successful real estate career both here and in England, Harriet's had her share of professional and personal moments where perspective has mattered, including her experience at Purplebricks. In her 20s, she and her young family left the UK with just three suitcases and a dream of adventure. Now a single mum with a thriving career, she looks at the ways reframing the perspective has helped shape her success, along with the lessons it has helped her learn. She notes many of those key lessons came from her time working at disruptor Purplebricks when they made a foray into the Australian market. Harriet offers an insight into why she believes the model didn't work here at that time, and how her ability to change perspective allowed her to view the experience as a positive one that shaped her belief sometimes you learn more when you fail than when you succeed. In this Courageous Conversation with Leanne Pilkington, Harriet looks at what it takes to be someone who embraces ‘above the line' behaviour where each challenge presents opportunity. “An above the line mindset is somebody that takes ownership, accountability, and responsibility, which sounds really trite, but it's actually quite important. It's about looking at a scenario and saying, I understand that this may or may not be my ‘fault', but what am I learning from this? What can we do better from this? And it comes down to that - being able to evolve.” - Harriet Saunders. https://youtu.be/PIPl0AphCFM Harriet and Leanne discuss: What it is to be above the line or beneath it, and how this helps you grow in a real estate career.Why perspective of any situation is key and how it helps you appreciate another person's world view and their approach to the task at hand.How Harriet became someone who was happy to have tough conversations and the benefits this transparency offers.Why intention is the thing that matters most and how you can relay this in the conversations that count.Harriet's story of coming to Australia, including how she manages the work/life balance as a single mum with two children.Why success in leadership and any role involves taking responsibility, and how this can help open a much more positive conversation.Why where you are now is where you've chosen to be and how realising that liberates you to take ownership and accountability.What Harriet learned from working with real estate disruptor Purple Bricks and why it's something she would definitely do again.Why feedback is always about offering a different perspective and how you can take it on, without feeling under threat. And much, much more… Links and resources mentioned Laing+SimmonsPurple Bricks Connect with Harriet FacebookLinkedIn Connect with Leanne Courageous Conversations on Apple PodcastsLaing + SimmonsLinkedInTwitterRWIRE 

No property manager should feel threatened or in danger simply doing their job, but anecdotal evidence suggests some do.

What do you need to ‘do, be and have' to take the next step in life – whether that's in your career, your business, or in your personal life?

Imagine moving halfway around the world to restart your real estate career from scratch.

Looking back on a 20-year real estate career, Sydney auctioneer Emma Brown-Garrett has two key pieces of advice: have the patience to find your niche and seek out someone who will mentor and believe in you. Emma notes it wasn't until both these elements fell into place that she found her true calling as a highly successful female auctioneer. And it took her a lot of false starts, a whole host of perseverance and a near exit from the industry to get where she is today. Now two decades into a career that initially appealed for its glamour and excitement, Emma has truly found her feet as an auctioneer at Menck White who also thrives on the challenge of auction competitions. In this Courageous Conversation with Leanne Pilkington, Emma shares her real estate journey, including why she feels her real estate career has just begun, and how she persevered to get where she is today. She discusses what success looks like and why it's deeply personal, the achievements she's most proud of, and how she balances a career with family life. Emma also looks at the importance of finding a good mentor, and how her mentor took her career to the next level by identifying a skillset she never knew she had. She offers an insight into the relentless commitment to training which keeps her at the top of her game, shares some thoughts on female leadership in the industry, and offers some key tips for young agents starting out who may not yet know where their destiny lies. In the process, Emma discusses the work/life balance that comes with raising a family and why it's okay to have goals and aspirations that extend beyond the role of motherhood. She also offers some sage advice on why success is something you find when you least expect it, and how it's important to believe in yourself, back your ambition and have the patience to know if you work hard, train hard, and surround yourself with the right people, your time will come. “I've just started my career and this is something that I wish someone had told me when I was younger. If they'd said to me that at 44-years-old you'll be starting your career. Everything else leading up to it is steps and they're chapters in your book that lead you this amazing chapter. But I cannot believe that I'm now really embarking on my true career.” - Emma Brown-Garrett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88iYgjwD5eA Emma and Leanne also discuss: How Emma came into real estate, and why it took tenacity, perseverance and a jar of Keen's Mustard to get a foot in the door of real estate sales.Why her career faltered on numerous occasions, and included sales and property management before she realised auctioneering might just be her true calling.How Emma's previous experience as a sales agent is one of her greatest auctioneering strengths.Why she almost exited the industry and how a chance phone call from someone who believed in her turned it all around.How competitive auctioneering helps Emma hone her craft, and why she would love to see more women join her in the competition space.Why getting into auctioneering proved a chicken and egg scenario where you need the experience to get the job and the job to get the experience, and how Emma overcame this.How Emma juggles a career with a young family and why she believes it's important her children see her ambition and success.What Emma is most proud of in a lengthy real estate career and what she would tell her younger self about the definition of success.Emma's advice to younger agents starting out in the industry and why there's a niche for everyone.Why she now feels more connected to the real estate industry than ever before and how it revolved around the realisation she has finally found her place. And much, much more… Leanne Pilkington will be on hand at Elite Retreat from 31 July to 3 August, helping attendees create memorable mission statements and marketing that allow them to find their point of difference and stand out from t...

When Anna Neelagama took on the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, little did she realise a pandemic would promptly see her plunged into unchartered real estate waters.

Having led some two of the industry's best known real estate groups to success, it might come as a surprise to hear Barry Plant Chief Executive Officer Nigel O'Neil say he was a ‘terrible leader' when he first started out as a business turnaround expert more than 20 years ago.

When it comes to domestic violence, there are few people with as much access to what happens behind closed doors as a property manager.

What one thing would you change in your life right now which would make the greatest difference to your future?

Rebecca Wiener McGregor is widely regarded as one of the best hypnotists and money mindset mentors in the US. Renowned for her spiritual practice and gratitude meditation, she has empowered the lives of thousands of people to achieve their vision and purpose. 

When successful agency owners Kylie Maxwell and her husband Jason sold their business in Queanbeyan, New South Wales last year, many in the industry were surprised.

While the real estate industry might have stood at a precipice of unknowns during Covid-19, the entertainment and events sector was forced into total freefall.

It's easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day activity of being in real estate that you can overlook other areas of your life.

After starting in off-the-plan sales aged 21, Lara Moro has enjoyed a highly rewarding and successful 30-year career in real estate that unites her expertise in marketing and sales. Along the way, she has worked with some of the country's best known hi-rise developers. But that doesn't mean it was an easy or quick decision to start her own business. Instead, Lara explains it was a long time coming, despite her friends consistently urging her to back herself and take the leap. Now, that leap is well and truly paying off. Just two years after launching her own brand, Lara has been named among 15 property experts to watch by the Australian Business Journal. Working with developers and buyers, Lara specialises in assisting developers market and sell their project. She also works with buyers to help them make the right decision when it comes to purchasing an apartment. Looking back, Lara reflects the buyers' advocate role in the apartment space was a gap in the market that needed filling, allowing downsizers, property hunters and investors to make educated choices. In this Courageous Conversation with Leanne Pilkington, Lara talks about creating a career that unites her extensive sales and marketing experience with a commitment to mentoring others. She shares an insight into what finally prompted her to start her own brand, including the unique services she offers. Lara also discusses how she came to be in project marketing and sales, and why it was a career she was destined for since she was a child. In a podcast that's all about finding your niche, embracing your skills and picking the moment to take the leap required, Lara also talks about dealing with the negative voice in your head and the strategies she uses to make tough decisions. “For years, I said I'm going to work for myself. And then I would work for a developer and work as a channel manager or in their sales and marketing team…but then I just thought, no, enough's enough. “It's been a great experience to work with some of Melbourne's best developers. I just feel that now I can offer my expertise and be a lot more impartial.” Lara Moro This‌ ‌episode‌ ‌of‌ Courageous Conversations ‌is‌ ‌brought‌ ‌to‌ ‌you‌ ‌by‌ ‌‌Connect‌now‌  Leanne and Lara also discuss: How Lara fell in love with real estate and construction at a young ageWhy she quickly found her feet in project sales, and used a range of additional skills to her advantageHow those skills translated to the hi-rise project space and allowed her to work with some of Australia's best developersWhat finally prompted Lara to step into her own business, and how a pandemic gave her the time and perspective she neededThe two-pronged approach that Lara takes which sees her help both developers and buyers, and why she loves the idea of mentoringWhy Lara describes herself as a real estate matchmaker who helps people make the right decisions for their lifestyleHow Lara came to be named one of 15 property professionals to watch by the Australian Business JournalThe strategies Lara uses to make tough decisions and why her first priority is to take the personal out of it and consider things from a different perspective And much, much more… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9HKpCwcGxk&feature=youtu.be Links and resources mentioned Prima Pearl Tower, MelbourneAustralian Business Journal – 15 property experts to watch in 2021 Connect with Lara WebsiteLinkedInFacebook Connect with Leanne Courageous Conversations on Apple PodcastsLaing + SimmonsLinkedInTwitterRWIRE 

Sherrie Storor is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the industry. Renowned for her can-do attitude and positive mindset, she has worked hard, achieved success as an agent, lost it all then reinvented herself to emerge as a sought-after real estate coach.

Inspire Realty founder Colin Lee had always dreamed of starting his own business, but it wasn't until fate threw a curveball that he found the courage to take the leap.