Raquel Manning

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Raquel Manning is proof that dark times can lead to the most stunning of successes

JOSIE ADAMS

Chatting to Raquel Manning is easy and fun. Over the past 12 months we’ve had numerous phone calls dotted with fits of laughter and lasting much longer than anticipated. She’s smart, intuitive, compassionate and can find the positive side of any situation (including the many months of lockdown this year). The proud Walwain-Wiridijui woman, mother, entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of Blue Diamond Property Group does not shy away from her past, her femininity or her vulnerability. Because she believes those very traits have made her who she is today.

“I actually think it’s one of my greatest assets — being a woman and having emotional intelligence, having that very human element.

“There have been times in boardrooms in the city where I’ve been surrounded by men and I think I’ve deserved more respect. But when I look at actually getting the bigger deals done and talking and merging developers together with the families to get the right deal. That is where the real value is. And I know I am more than capable of doing that.”

Growing up in Western Sydney in a large family, Raquel started her career in the family’s construction and plumbing business. After working as their business manager, she said there came a time when she was keen to step up.

“We had a meeting, and I can remember explaining to Dad that my work within the business deserved the same pay as my brothers. Dad was fairly oldfashioned in a way, and I can remember him saying ‘ok well if you think you can do the job, I’ll give you a couple of my old trucks and you can run your own business from the office.’

“So, I did,” she says laughing.

Her business providing 24 hour maintenance to builders alongside her family’s construction work became very successful, very quickly.

Life was good Raquel said. The family had set themselves up nicely.

“Then the GFC hit the construction industry and the businesses suffered significantly.”

While business-wise the family had taken a hit, it was the passing of Raquel’s mother that left the family devasted. Her father in particular was overcome with grief.

“Mum had always been the one who raised the children and supported dad with his work. She was the rock and Dad didn’t know what to do without her. He didn’t want to work anymore, so he retired.”

Then Raquel’s marriage ended.

“My choice ended up being give up my assets that I had worked so hard for or put my children on the stand in court. So, I chose to give up my assets. The boys were young, and they had been through enough.”

At this stage Raquel says she remembers thinking ‘this was rock bottom’.

“We had to start again, we had absolutely nothing. I tried to stay positive, but I was worn down.”

It wasn’t until Raquel was encouraged to have a coffee with an a local businessman that things started to turn around.

“So, I went and had that coffee. And he said ‘I know a little bit about your story. And I think you need a bit of a helping hand’.”

He knew Raquel had worked in the development industry through construction and maintenance. He had success in development through real estate sales and now owned several commercial properties, including shopping centres.

“He said ‘I think you would make a brilliant agent. If you go and do your agency diploma, I will let you a shop space, rent-free for 12 months,” Raquel said.

Borrowing money from her cousin to pay for her agent’s licence and able to get a low-cost shop fit-out from an old school friend, she ran with the opportunity. Raquel came up with the business name from her young son’s drawing of a house made of blue diamonds.

“It was coffee, coffee, networking, coffee, for many years. I worked hard. I would take calls while driving the boys to school. My dad would often have to pack their lunches if I had early meetings. I had all the usual feelings of guilt, because I wasn’t always around, but I think in the end, it has given my boys a very good understanding of the value of hard work.”

Working predominantly in the city and western Sydney suburbs, Blue Diamond Property Group found success quickly.

“I realised that my background, and everything that I’d done the last couple of decades made me way ahead of so many people. I had an advantage because of what I had experienced and learnt. I could say I had a different angle of approach. I had a different way of doing business. And I could say I was different.

“Growing up where I did was very multi-national with a lot of different lifestyles. It was a nice little melting pot that has allowed me to understand people. I deal with a lot of people in the city, but obviously, out west is where a lot of the growth has been. The fact that I know how to deal with all the different cultures. And understand how they see property ownership was a good starting point. Is it to house their multi-generational family or something that they can hand down to their kids? Understanding motivation is important. “And from a landowners perspective, when you’re negotiating the development of a family farm, its not just about the actual land. I think developers lose sight of the fact that these owners have worked and given their everything for that land for maybe 30, 40 or 50 years. A lot of them are scared. They don’t know what to do, even when they get the money.

“I’ve seen men come in like bulldozers when negotiating land acquisition and it never works. They have no idea how to relate to these people. They think if the landowners are making money, then that’s enough. But sometimes it’s not about the money.”

The success of her business through a softer approach has allowed Raquel to take the time to connect with her heritage, which she only started to really discover after her mother passed away.

“Growing up we weren’t really involved in the community. But after mum died, I felt drawn to discover more about her heritage and culture. And I think it has been a very healing experience for me. I feel a sense of community and a stronger sense of self.”

Founder and Director of Dreamtime Women Australia, another company part of the Blue Diamond Group, Raquel has successfully achieved outstanding business results this year and was awarded the 2020 AusMumprenuers Indigenous Businesswoman Award.

“Dreamtime Women Australia is something I am really excited about. I can see its potential for growth.”

For Raquel, with two booming businesses, numerous awards and a home by the ocean ,success has been hard fought for, but still sweet.

“I have been very lucky to have my family, friends and school friends and the community support me and I think that just comes from nuturing relationships and making connections.

“If I was to give advice to any woman who is going through a hard time, I would tell them to follow their intuition, take risks, just do it.

“And go have that coffee.”