In this episode, our guest is Louise Barton, a Licensed Real Estate Agent at Richardson & Wrench - North Sydney. Here, she shares the story of what drew her from Scotland to Sydney and the skills and self-belief that saw her attain success.

That’s exactly the position Louise Barton found herself in when she took the plunge and booked a ticket from Scotland to Sydney.

Armed with a working visa and the belief Sydney was one of the best real estate markets in the world, Louise set out to forge a fresh career in a town where she knew no-one and had nothing but a suitcase worth of clothes.

She would either make it or come home, tail between her legs…

Five years later and Louise has built a readily recognisable brand as an agent with Richardson & Wrench North Sydney.

But it wasn’t always easy or without its hurdles. There were temp jobs along the way and the temptation to shift careers totally.

However, persistence has well and truly paid off for an agent who had an unshakable belief in her skillset and an unwavering faith she could make it in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world.

In this Courageous Conversation with Leanne Pilkington, Louise shares what drew her to Sydney, how and why she backed herself, and what changed the playing field to see her interviewing agencies, rather than vice versa.

She offers an insight into the mindset that helped her attain success, along with how she’s used social media to build an established brand.

Along the way, Louise talks about her approach to customer service, the skills that translate regardless of what market you’re operating in, and how she’s setting her team up for success in a Sydney market that’s quickly turning.

“I’m up against people that have been born and bred here. They’ve done it for a very long time, but luckily I always believed in my ability and failing wasn’t an option. And I think if you’ve got that mindset, then you are going to make it. You’ve got to believe in yourself. And then everyone else around you will start believing in you.” – Louise Barton.

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In this episode, our guest is Emma Brown-Garrett, Auctioneer at Menck White Auctioneers. Here she shares how it took two decades to shape a successful real estate career, and why patience, perseverance and a great mentor all helped her find her feet.

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.

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In this episode, our guest is Anna Neelagama, the Chief Executive Officer at Real Estate Institute of Australia.

When Anna Neelagama took on the position of REIA CEO, little did she realise a pandemic would promptly see her plunged into unchartered real estate waters.

Closed borders, rental moratoriums and social distancing all saw the industry in the spotlight while both sales agents and property managers were grappling with constantly shifting legislation and the very real challenge of trying to secure a roof over people’s heads.

In this Courageous Conversation, Anna discusses her real estate baptism of fire and how she went from someone with no inside experience of the industry to advocating the sector’s needs on the national stage.

She talks about how, in the wake of Covid, the exodus of property managers has emerged as the single biggest challenge facing the industry and what the REIA is doing to assist.

Anna also looks at the age-old issue of a single rule book for agents across the country, noting this is an issue dating back to the REIA’s inception almost a century ago.

But now, 100 years later, she explains the REIA is finally making progress, and offers an insight into exactly how that’s being achieved, and why it’s not been as simple as many might believe.

Anna also examines how the industry can showcase the critical role agents and property managers play and why people need to appreciate that buying or selling property ranks alongside all the major life milestones.

She shares what she has been surprised to learn since taking on the sector’s top job, and looks at why she remains inspired to be the industry’s most passionate advocate.

“The reality is we have made an extraordinary amount of progress. The institutes themselves are very much on the same page when it comes to standards of training, of licensing and of on-the-job compliance. So the industry leads with that regard. The regulators simply haven’t caught up. And what we’d like is for state and federal governments to come to the party and meet us there” – Anna Neelagama.

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