14 minute read
It’s a woman’s world – ladies leading the way in real estate
Advocating inclusion and diversity is not a commitment Blackshaw Real Estate take lightly. We pride ourselves on attracting, developing, and retaining top, diverse talent regardless of background, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or religion. With 65% of our organisation being female, and with sixteen women in leadership roles across nine offices, our incredible team of female employees continue to make an unparalleled contribution to our business and set us apart in the industry.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, we caught up with seven inspiring ladies leading the way in real estate to discuss the importance of gender equality, particularly in the workplace, what they have discovered working in the industry, their mentors, and the importance of a achieving a work-life balance.
It is up to everyone to create a culture that forges a gender equal world. Let’s celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality this International Women’s Day.
PAT JAMESON
Principal | Licensed Agent Blackshaw Coastal
I am a people person and love the opportunity to meet and help a diverse range of people. In real estate, we work with people who put their trust in us to act in their best interests with what for many is their biggest asset – their home.
Real estate has been a natural progression for me from other service industries. I started in the hotel industry in London and then my husband and I had a restaurant in Batemans Bay for ten years before I ventured into real estate in 2003.
I think that gender balance is important in all workplaces as it better represents views of almost half the population. Over my life, I’ve seen that women have great empathy, and this is very important in this industry as we support vendors and buyers throughout the sales process. Many people feel a great need to be heard and I can see they appreciate the additional time we spend with them.
When it comes to work life balance in this industry, it is very easy to fall into bad habits and work long hours as it is a very demanding and time-consuming profession. It’s important to set some simple goals like taking time out throughout the day to go for a walk or catch up with a friend for a coffee. If life is stressful, I buy flowers!
When I started in real estate in Batemans Bay, my joint Principals were David Hayes Williams and Ray Bassett. Their contribution to my real estate career has been invaluable. They are quite different and bring unique perspectives to situations, but both are thoroughly professional and honest in their dealings. I am immensely grateful that they were my mentors.
ESTHER SEBBENS
Principal | Licensed Agent Blackshaw Belconnen
I love this industry because I get to work with like-minded, enthusiastic people who are focused on client servicing. When you surround yourself with people who have the same values and enjoy what they do, you love coming to work; the office culture is too fun to miss out on.
In real estate, we make a positive difference in people’s lives and that is so rewarding. Whether it be a client selling a property or someone purchasing their first home, it is a privilege that people place their trust in us to support them through the journey.
After almost 13 years in the public service, I knew I needed a new challenge – I wanted to be part of something bigger and make a difference. I am very much a people person, and the opportunity to work in an industry that is client-focused was a no brainer. Helping people feels good.
To me, equality in the workplace is everyone having access to the same opportunities, regardless of gender. I have been fortunate in my career where my ability to be successful was never hindered by the fact that I am a woman and has always been based on skill set and drive to get the job done.
Finding the right balance between work and personal life is challenging, especially when you are responsible for the success of a business, supporting a team and leading by example, as well as guiding two children through their teenage years. For me, setting a routine both at work and in my personal life is key. I make non-negotiable commitments and ensure I can be physically and mentally healthy, engaged and fully present, and maintain positive relationships.
My husband, Matt, is my biggest inspiration. He lives his values daily, he is other-focused and freely gives his time to support others. He has taught me self-efficacy, and together the world is our oyster.
DEBBIE MADDIGAN
Sales Consultant Blackshaw Manuka
What I enjoy most about working in real estate is achieving amazing results for my sellers. I do what I do because I love to help sellers prepare their house for the market and move on to the next step of their property journey. It is so very satisfying for me. What is very special about this work is that I have formed some great relationships and long-standing friendships with my clients.
I also love the independence of the job – I am able to run my own race and most importantly, be my own boss. I am supported by my office, but I am in control of my own work. I always thrive for perfection and to be the best agent I can be. I didn’t plan to be where I am today, but my background is in customer service and people would always tell me I should be in real estate. I also very much enjoy mentoring people like Julie, my PA.
As a woman in real estate, I realised quickly you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself. I have been in this industry for 17 years now and I must say, things have changed for the better in terms of equality but there is still more progress to be made as far as equal opportunities go.
I am still working on achieving work-life balance… my family has always been my number one priority, but my work hours do get in the way sometimes! I try to block some times where I can completely switch off and give my family all the attention they deserve, not often enough though! On a daily basis, I do always try to make myself available for little things they could need, like babysitting in the evening with my husband, which we really enjoy.
My parents are my role models and mentors. I am grateful for the way they brought me up – they gave me strong ethics and values. They are amazingly loving and hardworking people.
I hope to continue working with Blackshaw Manuka in the future. I am not thinking of slowing down anytime soon!
KYLIE BARRY
Marketing Blackshaw Gungahlin
I love the autonomy and creativity I get to relish every day by working in this industry. Creativity is in my blood, so this role allows me to play to my strengths and combine a genuine love that I’ve always had for architecture and interiors.
I love working in real estate because you get to be a part of something very significant in people’s lives. If I can be behind the scenes helping to optimise the way a property is presented to the market and show care and attention to detail when I’m working on someone’s home, then my hope is that I contribute to showcasing their property in its best light so that our clients get the outcome they need to move onto the next chapter of their life.
I’ve been creative since I was young – it’s always come very naturally to me. I love visualising things and getting lost in thought about how to design or create something or make something work that doesn’t seem like it can.
Everyone should have the right to excel and do their best – regardless of any factor. Equity is equity. And for me, it’s quite personal. It’s one thing to talk about equity in the workplace, but quite another to walk it. I’ve been part of a workplace that said all the right things on paper, but when it actually came down to it, didn’t walk the talk (my eldest daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was five years old, so flexible working arrangements were paramount for our family). Leaving there and coming to Blackshaw was like a breath of fresh air. Finally, an employer that genuinely ‘gets it’ and values the contributions from employees, regardless of whether they work primarily in an office, or have a more flexible work-from-home arrangement. I’m thankful for that.
Balance can be hard to master. I certainly haven’t, but I try! I recently read Brene Brown’s, “The Gifts of Imperfection” and it was a lifechanging book. I know that when I don’t have balance in-check it affects everyone I love most – my husband and three girls – and throws them off balance with the terrible mood that comes from imbalance. It’s something I’ve tried to be really mindful of over the past three years.
So many people that I see, read about and interact with provide me with snippets of inspiration that I try to soak up and incorporate into my own life. Professionally, my first manager Paul Walshe who is widely known across the Canberra and Queanbeyan community, as well as my current managers Michael and Rebecca Braddon – all three of these individuals bring heart to the workplace. They give back and they genuinely want to – it’s not forced. Their teams are like family to them. And friendships are lifelong. That’s inspiring to me and is how I want to live my life.
JO HOPE
Operations Manager Blackshaw Corporate
What I love most about my role and this industry is the people and the culture. The Blackshaw team is like a family and I believe that is due to the leadership across the offices. It is fast paced and although it is cliché, no two days are ever the same.
In my early 20s, I worked as an interior designer for a boutique design studio in Sydney. When I moved to Canberra, I wasn’t sure that career was what I wanted any more but when I saw an opportunity at Blackshaw Real Estate, I was excited for the change. I am grateful to have grown with this business and been given the opportunity to flourish and develop my professional skillset. I do this job because I enjoy playing a role in assisting our offices grow, improve their workplace systems and create a better environment for their teams.
Female equality means women in the workplace are valued, acknowledged for the contribution they make and are respected for this. I have been fortunate in my career to have been employed by women and had these women as role models for over a decade. For that reason, being surrounded by strong, independent and talented women in a professional environment has been the norm!
I am fortunate in my role to have flexible hours and the ability to work from home when needed, which helps me balance work and life. This is priceless. At the moment my personal life revolves around raising a 5 year old and a newborn, so I have little me time, but it is so reassuring to know I have a supportive work environment that accommodates my personal life.
I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by strong, smart, amazing women in both my professional and personal life – every single one of them has taught me something! My mum has taught me resilience and how to get on with things, my close group of friends of almost 30 years have taught me how to be
supportive of others but also how to let loose and have fun! And all our amazing mums at Blackshaw Real Estate have taught me that you can have a family and a rewarding career at the same time!
I definitely see myself with Blackshaw Real Estate in the future. The brand is continuing to grow and as long as I continue to provide value to the team and the wider group, the possibilities of where I will be are endless!
ALEX AH KEY
Principal | Licensed Agent Blackshaw Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra
The best thing about working in real estate is helping and making people happy. Clients, staff, customers. I do what I do because I love it and honestly couldn’t imagine a career in anything else. Success is my inspiration. Not necessarily financial success but a combination of repeat and referral clients, business retention, staff retention, feeling I’ve accomplished something meaningful after a long day. Getting a great result for a client – it’s a rush every time.
Real estate in particular is often recognised as a male-dominated industry, but I believe women bring a supportive and collaborative approach to the industry, especially to leadership. We are emotionally intuitive, which can lead to building rapport and trust – a rare but valuable commodity in today’s society. The combination of male and female critical thinking, collaboration and technical skill, can make for a winning combination.
Work-life balance can be a challenge. Sometimes one is prioritised over the other and that can lead to a bit of guilt, but it helps to be surrounded by supportive, generous colleagues who understand and encourage family time.
Role models to me are positive, empowering women. Women who uplift others, encourage them, help them and congratulate them. A key inspiration is Annie Gregg. She has had a varied career and currently runs a training business. She is a friend, a successful businesswoman, a mentor – my sounding board and voice of reason.
After almost 15 years of running my business, I was itching for something more – I took a corporate role in a much larger organisation and thought that was the direction I was headed. The learning curve was in fact that I enjoy small business, so I came back to real estate. I enjoy one-on-one contact with clients – the thrill of winning new business and the even bigger thrill of achieving a great result and exceeding a client’s expectations.
BELINDA CHAMBERLAIN
Principal Blackshaw Corporate
What I love so much about my role is working closely with my team – they are the best you could ask for – as well as the people you meet and the fact that no day is ever the same. As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I love my job and the people I work with – they are like family to me; I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
I started in the industry and with the Blackshaw family over 27 years ago, and now to own the brand with my husband Andrew is an amazing feeling.
I have a few mentors, but my mum and husband Andrew are the key ones. My mum has always put her family first but also followed her passion with her career, showing you can always do whatever you put your mind to. I’m inspired by Andrew who runs the business alongside me. He is the driving force of the business and motivates me every day. He has always had a drive to succeed and focus on ensuring all those around him do as well.
When it comes to work-life balance, from the very beginning, I have worked to ensure that personal time was always included as a priority. My family has always come first, and thankfully real estate has given me the opportunity to provide our children with amazing experiences and the flexibility of choice for my hobbies and family.
Blackshaw Real Estate employs on merit and it just so happens that more than 65% of our organisation and 80% of the corporate team are women. I am extremely proud of this.
I’m excited about the future and continuing to grow and develop this amazing business. I enjoy the creative process and collaborating with the great people in our team as well as watching our vision become a reality and the benefits it brings to everyone in our organisation. I want to continue to provide the best for my staff and franchise principals and maintain and grow the amazing working relationships I have with them.
–
#choosetochallenge #IWD2021 www.internationalwomensday.com
Photography by Christina@wocintechchat.com
