Monday 06 March 2023

Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Commercial Real Estate has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, especially in Brisbane, with only a handful of women actively selling and leasing commercial property. Despite some improvement in recent years, women continue to be underrepresented in commercial sales, leasing, and leadership roles.

Your Commercial, a company that values teamwork, passion, and diversity, has broken through the glass ceiling, with 50% women to men in their workforce and their leadership roles dominated by women.The company did not intentionally set out to develop this gender balance, but their mission to provide equal opportunities for all stakeholders, including its team, naturally led to hiring based on merit and attitude rather than just experience and connections.

Melanie Scott-Power, Owner/Director, Sash Naidoo, Head of Property Management, and Hanna Peard, Leasing Manager, work hard to provide and generate opportunities for their team while overcoming their own challenges.

Amanda Miron (AM), Your Commercial’s Sales and Leasing Coordinator, chatted to Melanie Scott-Power (MSP), Hanna Peard (HP) and Sash Naidoo (SN) about their careers.

 

AM: Sash, Hanna and Mel, you all have had a long and varied real estate career. How did you start off in Commercial Real Estate?

SN: I started my career in commercial property management in 2007 after working as a New Business Manager for a prominent franchise group in South Africa. Working closely with stakeholders to locate a site, negotiating lease deals and assisting with premises fit outs made me realise that I had a passion for property and people. I was then offered an opportunity within the same organisation to manage their commercial property portfolio. I have never looked back since then.

MSP: Like Sash, I started in real estate many years ago in a foreign country. My career began in the United Kingdom in 2001 with Foxtons, the leading residential London agent at that time. After 17 years my husband and I moved back to Brisbane and set up a commercial agency with my oldest friend and business partner, Chris McLeod. Even though I had no real estate experience in Australia, commercial real estate was the obvious choice due to Chris’ extensive experience in the industry. Always willing to give something a try, I went in with a ‘can do and will do’ attitude.

HP: I had always wanted to work in a field where I could use my negotiation skills to get the best outcome in any given situation. I initially thought I would be a barrister but when I ran out of money travelling through Europe as a 20 year old and was forced to fly home to live with my parents again, I decided that real estate would be easier to get into and would provide a quicker return on investment. I secured a job as a Receptionist and Sales Assistant at a residential real estate agency and eventually moved into commercial property with a Brisbane CBD based agency. I was working in the Property Management team but also helping out with my clients leasing needs when they weren't getting good results from their own agents. It was a good move for me and I was moved out of my parents home again in no time!

AM: With such long and successful careers, what would you say has been your career highlight to date?

SN: I’ve had many, but the most important highlight would be bringing on new management into the portfolio and providing exceptional customer service whilst building strong relationships with tenants and owners. These outcomes are a major source of satisfaction for me.

MSP: I have been very fortunate to have had some amazing experiences due to my work. From doing my first deal within my first week of starting in real estate to winning a trip to Sun City in South Africa within 3 months of starting at Foxtons. I have met some amazing people, seen some exceptional properties and have done some fabulous deals! But the biggest highlight for me is helping and watching my staff achieve success. I am also very proud of the success of our company. Chris, myself and our team have built a strong brand over the past 5 years which has nurtured many new people into the industry.”

AM: What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as females in a male-dominated industry?

SN: One of the biggest challenges that I have faced in real estate is breaking through the glass ceiling and being taken seriously as a professional. I had to work extremely hard to prove myself in order to advance in my career.

MSP: I have worked in many male-dominated industries since I left university, including motorcycle sport, and nothing beats the ‘boys club’ and the gender biases and discrimination I have experienced in our industry. Though, I have always turned disadvantages around to my advantage and to be underestimated by my peers purely due to my gender, often works to my advantage. 

SN: The other challenge that I found is the lack of female mentors and role models. Without female leaders to look up to, it can be difficult for women to navigate the industry and to know how to succeed.

MSP: I agree with Sash that there is a lack of role models within our industry, it lacks the networking and communication that I experienced in residential real estate. I am a member of The REIQ Commercial Chapter and we are actively working on increasing the networking opportunities for our industry by hosting regular industry events. This will hopefully open up mentoring opportunities for people in our industry. 

HP: I've had the absolute pleasure of working with some wonderful people, both men and women. I have had great mentors who I continue to stay in touch with and who have become friends. I am very grateful for the people I have met and who have helped me along the way.

As a female I do feel that we have more expected responsibility than men to prove ourselves but that is a challenge I take head on. My team is predominantly male and they are all very supportive of me and their female colleagues. Gender should never get in the way of winning work and I hope we see less and less of those negative and outdated gender dynamics as time goes on.

 AM: What 3 events have shaped your careers in the industry?

SN: Industry Changes and Technological Advancements; the property management industry has undergone significant changes over the years, particularly with the rise of technology. I have been in the industry for 14 years and experienced changes such as the shift from paper-based to computer-based record-keeping, or the implementation of online payment systems. Keeping up with these changes and adapting to new technologies can be critical for success in the industry.

Economic Trends and Market Conditions; The property management industry is closely tied to the real estate market, and changes in the market can have a significant impact on a property manager's career. For example, a downturn in the economy or a drop in property values could result in decreased revenue and lower demand for property management services. On the other hand, a strong market could present new opportunities for growth and expansion.

My career has been shaped by personal achievements by working hard and growing from strength to strength by now leading a team and hopefully in still in them new opportunities for growth and advancement.

MSP: The first event that shaped my career in real estate was me moving to the UK and landing my first job in real estate. As a residential agent, I loved what I was doing and I was good at it. I was promoted quite quickly to Leasing Manager which was the next major influence on my career. I went from purely sales to leading and managing a team and I was responsible for developing and growing a business. I realised that my future in real estate wasn’t purely sales, but was business development. 

The third event was my husband and I moving back to Australia and me setting up Your Commercial with my business partner, Chris McLeod. I went from being an expert at residential property working for other business owners, to having to learn a brand new industry across the other side of the world as an Owner/Director being responsible for the careers of 10 staff.

AM: Do you have someone who has been pivotal in influencing your career?

SN: I have been lucky enough to have always had role models in the organisations I have worked for. All my Directors have provided me with ongoing guidance, advice, and support. They have helped me build my professional network and navigate the challenges of my career. Having these mentors has assisted me to achieve my professional goals and advance my career. Your Commercial’s Directors have experience in the field, and provide valuable insights and perspectives based on their own experiences.

MSP: I have been very fortunate to work with, and for some, very inspirational people throughout my career. Jon Hunt, the owner of Foxtons, was a major early influencer on my career. I have also worked with some exceptional landlords and business owners who have guided me throughout my business development. Today, I am very lucky to be surrounded by some amazing women and men across a number of industries who mentor and support me. One of the first being Jonathan Blocksidge, who I am forever grateful for taking me under his wing soon after Chris and I launched our business. 

HP:  Laurence Lancini and Rick McLaren, from my time at Lancini Group. I can’t say enough good things about those two people. Laurence hired me with a handshake agreement during a meeting and tasked me with looking after his entire Queensland wide leasing portfolio. He supported everything I did and involved me in everything he did, which helped teach me about property development and the intrinsic value of the leasing deals I was negotiating. Rick was pivotal in helping me learn and grow whilst at the company, and his emotional understanding of people and his lack of judgement is so admirable. I think the world of them.

AM: Where do you get your inspiration from?

SN: My inspiration comes from my clients and tenants. By working closely with my clients and tenants, I learn about their needs, preferences, and challenges, and I then can find creative solutions to meet their needs. A satisfied client or tenant is my source of inspiration.

MSP: I exist to inspire and to be inspired, this is what motivates me the most. I take inspiration from my environment, from the people I work with and from my personal life. No matter what I am doing, I always like to look outside of the box for business inspiration. Just because everyone does it, doesn't actually mean it is best for our clients. I like to challenge the norms and be creative with business solutions. 

HP:  My parents were small business owners all my life, as a team they built up a business of retail shops and ended up with more than 20 shops at their peak. I watched them work very hard and shoulder a lot of stress and responsibility and that really has inspired me to work hard but also to always do the right thing, not just my landlords but also the tenants I deal with. I also do volunteer work with underprivileged and homeless families, mostly for Wesley Mission and Young Care, so doing that once or twice a month, as I do, keeps me centred and reminds me that I do not have the right to waste my privilege. I wish everyone could have been born with the same opportunity that I was. 

AM: If you could provide one bit of advice to a female looking to enter the industry for the first time what would that be?

SN: Stay motivated and inspired; Property Management requires a commitment to continuous learning, growth, and improvement, as well as a willingness to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

MSP: The best advice I ever got from Jon Hunt former owner of Foxtons in the UK, was to learn to say no. You can always reverse a no, but it is a lot harder to reverse a yes!

HP:  Challenge yourself, don’t be slack, don’t lie, surround yourself with impressive people and supportive people, and be open to accepting help from friends and colleagues. Success is not achieved alone so utilise everything at your disposal.

AM: What are your goals for the next year?

SN: Adapt to changing market conditions and tenant expectations, and seek out new opportunities to improve their operations, maximize property performance, and build long-term relationships with clients and tenants.

As competition in the property management industry continues to increase,my fundamental focus is  enhancing the tenant experience to attract and retain tenants. This could include improving communication and customer service, offering personalized amenities and services.

MSP: Provide the tools for our team so that they can exceed their budgets! Double our team across sales, leasing and property management. And move into other suburbs across Brisbane.

AM: And on a light note, heels or sandshoes? 

SN: Heels.

MSP: Both. I am a shoe fanatic!

HP:  Both - it completely depends how I wake up feeling! 

AM: Champagne or beer?

SN: Champagne

MSP: Champagne or a good tequila, especially a refreshing chili margarita. 

HP:  Champagne if I’m choosing between those two, but vodka is my go to drink.

AM: Work From Home (WFH) or office?

SN: Both

MSP: Both. Our business is definitely having to adapt to the needs of our team members.

HP:  I love being around my team but sometimes working from home is very beneficial for those times I need ultimate focus.

AM: Open plan or private office?

SN: Open plan.

MSP: I have always worked in an open plan office. I love the commadory it develops and the opportunities and competition it can create. However, having had my own office for the past two years, I must admit I have enjoyed being able to focus and I am sure the team have enjoyed me not interfering as much!

HP:  I don’t think I have a particular preference, it all comes down to how well designed the entire space is. I think natural light, connection to the outdoors, good ventilation and an overall enjoyable space to be in is so important for a workplace, since we spend so much time there.

AM: What is your mantra?

SN: Progress, not perfection - This mantra encourages me to have a growth mindset and a focus on continuous improvement rather than expecting perfection right away. It's a reminder that success and growth are achieved through small, consistent steps over time. By keeping this mantra in my mind, I avoid getting discouraged by setbacks and mistakes, and instead see them as opportunities for learning and growth.

MSP: If you make a mistake, own it, learn from it, move on from it and don’t do it again! Mistakes are part of life and help you grow as a person. As one of my old bosses used to say, "if you aren’t making mistakes, then you aren’t doing anything!"

 

HP:  There’s always tomorrow.