Former journalist inspires at Leading Ladies of Real Estate end of year event

On Wednesday night, over 60 property industry professionals headed to Coast in Glenelg for the annual Canapés and Conversations networking event hosted by the Leading Ladies of Real Estate initiative. The event was sponsored by major partners Realestate.com.au, Platinum Property Styling and Zulu8.

Leading Ladies of Real Estate was started to encourage and empower women from across the entire industry. This was the last of five events held on the east coast of Australia, and New Zealand, across November.

Leading Ladies South Australia chair, Brynja Berndsen, hosted the event, saying “from empowering networking breakfasts to yoga sessions, webinars, cocktail nights and so much more, the Leading Ladies of Real Estate initiative has been inspiring women from across the real estate industry to connect and thrive in a male-dominated industry since it began.”

The keynote speaker of the night was former journalist, Jess Adamson. Ms Adamson has had a career in the media spanning 30 years, starting in smaller publications before getting her break at Channel 7 at 25.

“I always wanted to get into TV”, she said. “Persistence and determination pays off.”

“I’ve seen the very best and the very worst of the human spirit,” Ms Adamson said, recalling her experiences covering the Olympic Games, the Beaconsfield Mining Disaster, the Peter Falconio murder and the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, where she was sent to Banda Aceh, one of the worst hit areas.

“That trip changed my life forever”, Ms Adamson said.

“Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw,” she said. “There were bodies on top of each other and I felt a huge sense of responsibility and that this country needed the world’s help. It was the biggest news story I’ve ever been involved in, and it was a privilege to cover.”

However, one of Ms Adamson’s biggest challenges came during COVID-19 when, after 24 years at Channel 7, she was made redundant.

“Finding the work life balance was hard, and being made redundant was devastating and brutal,” Ms Adamson said.

“Taking maternity leave is hard. We all like to think it will go back to what it was but in reality it doesn’t. Men get a better deal - sometimes it's not fair.”

“It’s important to call out the bias,” she said. “Which can be so hard because you’re labelled as difficult, hard to manage, sometimes... even hysterical.”

“You have to stand up for what you believe in, and identify and challenge the bias.”

However, Ms Adamson took the loss as an opportunity. She pivoted and created her own business MCing and hosting events as well as media training for individuals and organisations.

“Leaving Channel 7 was the best thing that could have happened,” she said. “The door didn’t close. It opened to let me walk free and give me this opportunity to learn and feel empowered.”

Matt Lindblom, Ray White SA CEO and Leading Ladies ally, asked “what can we do better, how do you navigate the bias?”

“Put inspiring women together,” Ms Adamson said. “Women can empower each other. Call it out. That goes for the men too. Be true to yourself. Don’t lose your identity along the way.”

“Don’t walk past it,” she said. “Stand up and call it out for the future generations.”

The feedback from attendees on the night and Ms Adamson’s speech was exceptional.

“I’m speechless - it was really eye opening,” said Paris Ingley of Ray White Mt Gambier.

“It's my first Leading Ladies event and it’s not what I expected, in a good way.”

When asked why she loved the Leading Ladies initiative, Kirsten Shulver of Ray White Port Adelaide said it was “the networking and meeting people you wouldn’t usually talk to.”

“Catching up with people you wouldn’t normally see,” she said. “It’s more relevant because it’s all women. My favourite Leading Ladies event so far.”

The night also raised money for local charities, with $490 going to Canteen and $610 going to the Royal Flying Doctors Service.