Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined (formerly The Elevate Podcast)

“In this shed, he [Alan White] said he’d hear them talking and talking, but they were always asking somebody to do something, to sell something, to buy something, to do something. Such a great lesson to agents, you’ve got to get people to do something.” In this week’s edition of the Elevate podcast Samantha McLean talks to Brian White AO and Paul White, Joint Chairmen of Ray White about what they remember of their grandfather Ray, their father Alan, the growth of the company from one Shed to over 1000 franchisees, plus advice for future leaders. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: Brian White AO and Paul White SHOW NOTES / LINKS 1:51 Paul White talks about the original business of Ray White; “Mixed Business,” selling machinery, livestock and property. ‘A true country agent’3:06 The original Ray White Shed was in a railway siding – outside of the town, making it difficult to build a brand3:41 The business was started with no capital4:00 The auction culture started with pigs; “The pig day was a big day!”5:14 Ray was in his mid-40s when he moved to Brisbane (1920s) to specialise in real estate6:58 Ray was an incredible personality and never missed an opportunity8:00 Brian remembers his grandfather and particularly his love of the Gold Coast, took him for his first surf9:26 For many years The Shed was lost to the family, the White family had to find it and buy it back. It is now located in the Crows Nest Historical Village and Museum11:39 “He’d hear them talking and talking, but they were always asking somebody to do something, to sell something, to buy something, to do something. Such a great lesson to agents, you’ve got to get people to do something.”13:05 Brian and Paul attended auctions with father Alan before the war. They were both tear sheet runners14:18 Alan’s real entry to the business was after the war, when many businesses had shrunk, and Ray White needed rejuvenation; which Alan should be credited for reinvigorating the business completely16:07 Paul becomes a Jackaroo; Brian enters the business, initially collecting rent. “The joy in being in a family business is pretty hard to describe; it just fits nicely”17:45 Brian opens his own office in South Brisbane18:38 Paul learns the mechanics of running rural properties19:03 Paul opens his own office in Townsville on 7/7/197719:47 The lessons from father Alan: “If you are not committed don’t do it”20:47 The move south into NSW: “We expand and we might fail, but we might succeed, or we can do nothing and fail”. Brian says he was ‘terrified’.22:54 Initially weren’t keen on franchising until an experiment, where they quickly realised that it would benefit everyone. “People have a desire to own their own business rather than working for someone else”26:00 “We went through the highs and lows as a family”27:28 Alan claimed to be the first to employ a female in real estate27:58 True leaders are made, not born. “We have so many unlikely people turn into something extraordinary, through training”29:33 The risks of complacency29:50 Why you need to bring value to your people, even your high performers31:41 What would Ray say if he could see the business now?32:40 Ray’s very simple, yet appropriate advice for agents when business is slow.

“What we’re doing right now is to be able to provide groups of businesses as well as individual businesses some really rich reporting and insights into their data and that’s going to allow them to get some strong insights from which they can then make adjustments in their business, which is ultimately what the data is for.” In this week’s edition of the Elevate podcast as part of our series, The Leadership Diaries, Samantha McLean talks to Alister Maple-Brown, CEO of Rockend, about excellence in customer service, becoming an employer of choice, what businesses should be looking for in moving to the cloud — as well as his own leadership journey, how innovation decisions are made — and what’s next for Rockend. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guest: Alister Maple-Brown SHOW NOTES / LINKS 1.36 Rockend nominated for six CSIA Service Awards1.50 Rockend recognised as Employer of Choice2:26 Easy to say customer service is how to differentiate you from your competition but it has to become your DNA.4:00 You need to help your people understand why they are doing what they are doing4:19 “Customer experience is the ‘new’ marketing”4:50 Why it’s important to recruit the right people with the right experience when you are scaling your business – particularly to get consistency in service and experience5:15 Alister touches on a couple of the innovations that Rockend are working on within their applications. Small wins can lead to big wins.8:48 Moving to the cloud: Why software itself is not the ‘silver bullet’ to fix all ‘process woes’ but moving to the cloud will let you communicate more effectively with your stakeholders as well as plugging into other world-class services (eg Xero, Mailchimp, Inspection apps and more)10:52 “The cloud allows businesses to more closely cater to the changing needs of customers”12:30 “No longer is it a situation where one provider has to do everything, that is long gone…” The Leadership Diaries13:28 Alister’s first job and what it taught him14:17 “Hospitality is a street MBA in customer service”15:20 An absolute cracker of a tip from Alister on getting your team to meetings on time inspired by Patrick Lencioni16:14 Which leaders have had a real impact on Alister’s leadership, why showing vulnerability and being a real human can create success17:50 Where great ideas in Rockend come from, and how do you prioritise multiple great ideas?20:33 Alister’s favourite question for a job interview: And why when someone says they are going to immediately ‘hit the ground running’ can be a bit of a red flag22:00 The value of induction meetings22:30 Getting new employees to understand the culture of the business; adopting values25:25 Chapter 1 by Daniel Flynn (Thank you Group)25:45 Alister’s leadership advice for new leaders.

“I think sometimes when you get knocked around, or someone gives you feedback or guidance…It’s because they care! So they’re seeing potential in you, and they’re wanting to invest their time and knowledge in you, that’s a privilege.” In this week’s edition of the Elevate podcast as part of our series, The Leadership Diaries, Samantha McLean talks to Kate Strickland, Director of Marshall White Bayside, about her journey in leadership, how to keep your energy levels up, whether or not there is a place for ego in real estate, as well as her advice for aspiring leaders and routines for success. SHOW NOTES / LINKS 1.37 Playing to win (Kate on the cover of Elite Agent)1.50 Is there a place for ego in real estate?2:12 Dan Harris – 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story2:19 Ego is just the voice inside your head, sometimes it drives you to be better, sometimes saying you’re not good enough.3:17 Being a good agent isn’t all about you, it’s about your client and your team4:47 “The market is not a thing, it’s made of people”7:08 How Kate built resilience8:16 How simple routines can get everyone into a peak performance zone, especially on days like auction days The Leadership Diaries11:02 How Kate keeps her energy up by working in sprints11:34 What Kate does to set herself up for success for the day12:34 How the mentorship of Jack Bongiorno has impacted Kate’s career, and her own leadership style13:30 Why both good and bad feedback should be seen as a gift15:24 What you should do when you don’t agree with someone’s feedback17:24 Where and when Kate’s best ideas come to her18:16 Kate’s approach to recruiting new team members, and what the Marshall White recruitment process looks like20:55 A good example of how having empathy gets the best out of people in your team22:20 Kate’s advice for someone going into a leadership position for the first time23:50 What does leadership look like at home for a successful personal relationship?25:50 Kate’s goals for the next 12 months

“You shouldn’t have an attachment to the outcome. You should just have an attachment to doing it. We run a formula which I’ve used before, which is: volume over consistency multiplied by quality. Keep doing a lot of things consistently with a high-end quality and you will win in the end.” In this week’s edition of the Elevate podcast as part of our series, The Leadership Diaries, Samantha McLean talks to Mark McLeod, Chief of Growth at Ray White, about the approach agents should take in slower markets, the ‘sequence of sale’, how to have the right conversations at the right time and his advice for aspiring leaders. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guest: Mark McLeod SHOW NOTES / LINKS 02:30    “You can look at the market and you can be paralysed by it or you can look at the market and look at the opportunities that are created.” 03:00    The two types of energy in real estate: external (factors beyond our control) vs internal (what we have control over)03:30    “All the vendors who are coming to the market today have heard the same news clips, read the same news clips, all the same news stories, read the AFR yesterday, saw exactly the same thing as what we did. Yet they continue and choose to come to the market.”04:00    Vendor motivation i.e. how the agent perceives the vendor: when the agent believes the vendor is motivated, they work hard. When they don’t think their vendor is motivated, they drop off. 04:45    “It’s about allowing good processes, good communication, transparency in information. I think that, ultimately, will determine the real desire for the homeowner to sell.” 07:00    Mark McLeod’s ‘sequence of sale’ and why the second of the three sales is overlooked.09:00    “We have a saying that when the market’s booming, the buyer creates the sale. When the market flattens, the vendor creates the sale.”09:30    The agent’s role is to enhance the consumer’s information-gathering to help them create a sale. 10:50    “The great agents have an ability to enhance or be part of the conversations that occur when they’re not in the room.” 13:30    Agents and vendor reports: “It’s the [agent’s] activities combined with the vendor report that create the movement that we’re looking for.”14:00    “At the centre of any ecosystem is that relationship with your marketplace. The relationship with your homeowners and how everything else kind of oscillates around that relationship.”15:00    Consumers are past seeing how many homes you’ve sold. Consumers want to be able to see exactly how you can transact during challenging times.16:00    Mark’s winning formula for agents: volume over consistency multiplied by quality.17:00    Social media VS face-to-face relationships. 17:45    “Moving that person from a skeptic through to an advocate is the journey that you want to take a consumer on.” 18:30    Technology tries to keep the agent at the centre of everything they do by creating a vehicle to point them towards the right conversations at the right time. The Leadership Diaries 20:00    Mark’s first jobs and what they taught him.21:00    What Mark does to set himself up for success for the day22:00    The most important things Mark is working on right now and how he is achieving them22:40    The three people that have shaped Mark’s leadership style23:40    Who Mark is learning from right now25:00    Mark’s favourite questions to ask in an interview26:00    The most important characteristic Mark thinks every leader should have, and the worst advice he’s heard given to new agents 26:45    “Speed kills so hasten slowly.” 27:00    “In this market, you don’t get paid for listing. You get paid for selling. You get paid for creating flow.”28:15    The key message to take away from the 2018 Ray White Connect conference.29:30    Mark’s goals for the Ray White Group over the next 12 months.31:30    Mark’s advice for writing from Seth Godin

Usually, things are never as bad as you think they’re going to be. Fundamentally, if you just stay present to right now, the worst thing that’s happened is, it’s done. Move on. If you’re working in the future and you’re constantly in a place that hasn’t occurred yet, it really just is all make-believe. The only thing I’m ever certain of is right now. The Leadership Diaries: Samantha McLean talks to Michael Love, Director of Love & Co, about his family’s history in real estate, what he has learned from his father and grandfather on service and ‘giving back’, how he employs and retains the best staff and his advice for fellow industry leaders. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guest: Michael Love Michael will be speaking at the ARPM conference on August 19-20 in Sydney. For more information visit arpmconference.com.au SHOW NOTES / LINKS 01:30    Michael’s decision to enter real estate and his family’s history in the industry.02:30    His first open home at 12 years of age.03:30    What Michael learned from his grandfather when launching their first office 04:30    “We need to make sure that we’re always offering a good service to our clients. I think that is often a fundamental piece when making a business decision. ‘How will this benefit our clients?'” 05:45    Love & Co’s Love Our North book and what Michael has learned from his father. 06:30    “Something that was instilled in my father and instilled in me is, leave a little bit in it for the next person. There’s enough there for everybody… you don’t have to milk everything.” 07:30    “The way that we stay connected with our community is very much around, ‘What can we offer the community [that’s] of value?’”09:00    How Michael manages staff retention.11:00    Rebranding Love & Co in 2011, what led to this decision and how it was done. The Leadership Diaries 12:30    What Michael does to set himself up for success for the day13:00    Who Michael is learning from right now13:30    Where great ideas come from within Michael’s business14:30    Michael’s values-based ‘test’ for employing the best staff: “If they’re not somebody that I would feel comfortable [with] to go and pick my little boy up from school, or from Kinder, then they don’t have the values to work in our team.”15:30    The most important characteristic that he thinks every leader should have16:00    Advice for leaders replicating someone else, rather than true to themselves. 17:30    “Any advice is good advice. It’s the ability to process and determine whether that’s going to suit me right now.” 20:00    Michael’s goals for the next 12 months.

The new generation of people coming in the business, they’re looking for a cause. They’re looking for something beyond the money, so what are we actually doing? If we’re not able to deliver that, then something radically is wrong. The Leadership Diaries: Samantha McLean talks to Michael Sheargold, CEO of Real Estate Results Network and Founder of Drive Performance, about some of the trends his clients are seeing, current coaching topics, how to deliver real points of difference to your clients in a changing market, improving team performance and what to expect at The Business of Real Estate conference. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: Michael Sheargold Michael will be speaking at The Business of Real Estate conference on September 3-4 on the Gold Coast. For more information visit thebusinessofrealestate.com.au SHOW NOTES / LINKS 01:40    Michael’s takeaways from RERN’s Principal Advance in Singapore02:45    What are the big topics on the minds of current principals/leaders? 04:30    “You can’t have strong client experience without a strong team experience.” 05:30    The Business of Real Estate; who it’s for and what attendees will take away from the event. For more information visit thebusinessofrealestate.com.au08:00    Episode 57: How to 10x your business with Sharran Srivatsaa09:00    The new breed of leaders; what Michael is observing in today’s leaders10:45    Changing mindset for team empowerment; “your employees are volunteering to be a part of your business”11:00    The brick, the wall and the cathedral; focusing on the bigger picture.14:00    Who Moved My Cheese? – Dr Spencer Johnson 14:30    “When you’re generating business, you are not looking for listings. You are looking for listing opportunities.” 17:30    Discussing “a point of difference” versus “a point of value”19:30    Bob Bohlen’s mindset before a listing appointment, “What am I going to learn?” The Leadership Diaries 21:00    Michael’s first job and what it taught him24:00    What Michael does to set himself up for success for the day26:45    Who Michael is learning from right now.27:15    Where great ideas come from within Michael’s business28:30    Michael’s favourite question to ask during a job interview: “Tell me a time when…”30:00    “Culture is caught, not taught.” 31:40    Empathy as the superpower leaders need to succeed.33:20    How to turn around thinking on ‘conflict’ to shape a better business.  34:30    “In my opinion, great leaders want people who are going to be part of the business for a long period of time. You keep the people and you will keep the profits. You lose the people, you will lose the profits. It’s that simple.” 34:45    Michael’s tips for spending time on the business rather than in the business.

What if I could give you 1 day back per week? If you have another 52 days a year, what would you do with your time?” Samantha McLean talks to Sharran Srivatsaa, CEO of Kingston Lane, about why he got into the business of real estate, what he learned growing Teles Properties by 10x, how he used content marketing to motivate his team, how to value businesses and why you need to think of your own exit plan in 7-year cycles. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: Sharran Srivatsaa Sharran will be speaking at The Business of Real Estate conference on September 3-4 on the Gold Coast. For more information visit thebusinessofrealestate.com.au SHOW NOTES / LINKS 03:00 The start of Sharran’s career in real estate as an investor in Teles Properties05:00 From investor to partner of Teles Properties06:30 Running a real estate business without any prior knowledge07:00 “…if you understand the sensitivity of the numbers in the business, you understand the business.”09:00 Establishing a value-proposition as a filter for recruitment: “What if I could give you 1 day back per week? If you have another 52 days a year, what would you do with your time?” 13:30 “We always delivered so we didn’t have to do anything different. We just kept our promise.” 14:00 “Instead of each office and office manager or ops manager or sales manager onboarding an agent, we are going to have a dedicated onboarding concierge.”15:00 ‘The cadence of evangelism’; Teles (now Douglas Elliman) hosts a 9am coaching call, 5 days of the week for employees. Available as a podcast here.18:30 The ‘right time’ to sell Teles Properties; “We were growing to the point where our partners and our management team didn’t have the capacity to manage any more growth.”20:00 The personal risks of exponential business growth for Sharran21:00 “We needed a partner who could do something that we couldn’t do.” The road to Teles’ acquisition by Douglas Elliman.25:00 Exit strategy advice for real estate principals and business owners 26:00 “As a principal thinking about selling … you want to set up a plan where you can sell the business 3-5 years before you actually need to be out of it.” 28:30 “Whatever we measure and report improves exponentially.” Building a ‘camaraderie of accountability’ by tracking yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s numbers.30:00 Sharran will be speaking at The Business of Real Estate conference on September 3-4. For more information visit thebusinessofrealestate.com.au

The Leadership Diaries: Samantha McLean talks to JoAnna Ferrari about what she learned working for Tony Robbins, where her new ideas for her businesses come from, how leaders can help employees understand culture and what she will be speaking about at the ARPM conference. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: JoAnna Ferrari SHOW NOTES / LINKS 02:30    JoAnna’s first job with Tony Robbins and what it has taught her05:00    JoAnna best takeaway from Tony Robbins: “Everything happens for the right reason and it serves me.”06:00    What the first hour of JoAnna’s day looks like, and what follows08:00    Who is JoAnna learning from right now:  James H Simons, Richard Feynman, osmosis and more.10:30    Where JoAnna’s best ideas come from in her businesses: the Blue Ocean strategy13:00    How JoAnna educates her clients before they consider being her customer, or using the service.14:30    The 3 key topics JoAnna covers when asking job interview questions.16:30    JoAnna’s tips for leaders to help new employees understand the business’s culture18:00    Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t18:30    Think and Grow Rich: Napoleon Hill20:00    The most important characteristic JoAnna thinks every leader must have23:00    The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It24:00    Keep your rules simple and teach your employees what you truly want them to be and do.26:00    Eliminating fears, but not being fearless: JoAnna’s approach to facing challenges.27:00    The most important thing JoAnna is working on right now, and how she is achieving it28:00    “‘How’ is none of your business. Just know ‘why’ you’re going to do it…”29:00    The biggest message JoAnna wants her audience to take away from her keynote at ARPM

Guest Interview: Samantha McLean talks to Steve Carroll, Director of Industry Relations at realestate.com.au, about his visit to Facebook and LinkedIn HQ, his key takeaways from Inman Connect, and why AI, partnerships and personalised service will move real estate businesses forward. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: Steve Carroll SHOW NOTES / LINKS 02:00    What it’s like to work at the Facebook campus headquarters04:30    A sneak peek at LinkedIn’s headquarters in Silicon Valley06:00    Vertical: the direction of Facebook and LinkedIn in the future07:00    The advancement of robotic/AI technology over the last 24-36 months08:30    Steve Carroll: Robots, Driverless Cars and the Need for Speed10:00    “Robots, in effect, will be replaced by AI.”11:00    The role of virtual assistants in building customer relationships12:15    “Only 18 months ago, we were talking about virtual assistants. Virtual assistants are now being used by forward-thinking real estate groups.”12:45     Identification and personal security in the world of AI13:45    “Technology is not going to replace the human factor, and the best agents and business owners are looking for ways where technology will take away menial tasks, which will put property managers and agents more time to speak to prospects.”15:00    Voice-activated AI and how this will change current buyer behaviour17:00    The 3 things Steve thinks agents should know right now:18:00    “We live in a complex world. To navigate through this complex world, you’ve got to build partnerships.”18:30    “It’s not so much about the importance of data. It’s about how you clean the data to make it really workable.”19:00    “We are living in a world of entrepreneurs. Where there are entrepreneurs, there’s disruption.”21:00    “If you’re operating on a gold, silver, bronze package, forget it. You’ve got to move on and you’ve got to work out how you can offer a tailored, bespoke, personalised package for every single customer.”

Guest Interview: Samantha McLean talks to Holly Komorowski, Principal of home.byholly and winner of the 2017 AREA Residential Property Campaign of the Year award, about how she grew her business and team ‘collective’, how to stand out in your marketing, and tips for leveraging the true power of digital. ‘Elevate’ is the official podcast of Elite Agent Magazine for real estate industry sales professionals, property managers, and leaders. Each episode, we will bring you behind the scenes coaching, news analysis, exclusive interviews, technology, and more to help you list more, sell more, and elevate your results. Want more from this episode? Get access to the full episode guide, quick video tips, tools and more by joining our community or becoming a subscriber JOIN COMMUNITY (FREE!) BECOME A SUBSCRIBER To subscribe on iTunes, click here.To subscribe on Stitcher, click here.Episode host: Samantha McLeanSpecial guests: Holly Komorowski SHOW NOTES / LINKS 01:45    Holly’s career; building ‘a brand within a brand’ and starting her own business03:15    home.byholly’s growth and how Holly built her ‘collective’ i.e. team06:00    How Holly approached marketing herself and her own business07:30    Changing the language: why Holly uses ‘Buy me’, not ‘For sale’ on signage09:00    Holly’s brand pillars for marketing: creativity, authenticity and effectiveness09:45    The marketing approach behind 40 Coranderrk Street, Reid13:00    home.byholly’s AREA-winning marketing campaign: 44 Frome Street, Griffith17:00    The Canberra Times: How do you sell a house in Griffith? With a Gatsby-themed pool party of course17:40    44 Frome Street photo shoot sneak-peek Facebook Live19:00    “You just have to start.” Holly’s tips for those hesitating with digital marketing21:30    Holly’s advice for agents for applying for the AREAs23:30    To apply for the AREAs (entries close July 19th) and for more information visit theareas.com.au