Leading ladies recharge and reset

The theme of the March events was Recharge and Reset, with attendees hearing from a mix of real estate, self improvement and wellness experts.

“The demand for both in-person and online content from our community of women in the real estate industry has absolutely skyrocketed since we kicked off the initiative 18 months ago,” Ray White head of organisational development Natalie Hortz said.

“Women from all across the industry, as well as adjacent industries, in all job functions, cannot get enough of the inspiring stories and networking opportunities that a community like ours provides,” she said.

“The Leading Ladies community provides a platform for women to share their experiences, challenges and successes. Ultimately we’re here to uplift and empower women in the real estate industry to reach their full potential.”

In Sydney (pictured above), over 150 women gathered at the Domain headquarters in Pyrmont to hear from inspiring speakers and connect with peers.

Ray White’s Natalie Hortz and Bridgette Collis opened up the event, speaking about the significance of International Women’s Day and introducing the inspiring speakers.

“As a community, we’re here to provide opportunities for individuals to succeed and thrive in this exciting and dynamic field,” Bridgette Collis said.

Kate Kendall, founder of Flow Athletic Sydney kicked off with a holistic icebreaker, captivating the room while guiding everyone through a powerful breathwork exercise.

“We chose this session to provide tools for our attendees on how to overcome stress and manage their wellbeing during stressful times in their jobs or personal lives,” Bridgette said.

Human Connection Scientist Dr Ali Walker shared her insight about the power of human connection and its direct correlation with our mental and physical health. She ran through an entertaining presentation about personality assessments, identifying connection types and motivational drivers in relationships.

“Being here together today and connecting with our colleagues is building our longevity,” Ali said.

In Melbourne (pictured above), Lauren Macpherson, Property Management BDE at Ray White VIC | TAS opened the event at Domain Headquarters, welcoming everyone and the inspiring speakers.

Alice Stolz, National Managing Editor at Domain, spoke about her “no idiot policy”, explaining that “it’s about having the right people in her team, whether that is at work or personally”. She then shared entertaining details about her time on The Block and women in the industry in general.

Keynote speaker Lana Samuels, Director at Whitefox Real Estate, recounted her career journey and talked about her inspiration every day. The session was hosted by business development executive Valentina Parra.

“It’s all about mindset, I really believe energy attracts success. Find your niche in what you do, find that selling skill you have."

In Adelaide (pictured above), Ray White SA/NT state operations BDE Brynja Berndsen opened the event and hosted the Q&A session with Amelie Borg, key defender for the AFWL team at Port Adelaide Football Club. Amelie spoke about the parallels that she has noticed between AFL and real estate.

“Working in a team towards a goal is super important in both roles. The discipline to keep learning. I have so much to learn in both areas and a constant drive to keep getting better is really important and a priority of mine,” she said.

“The ability to communicate well; this is critical in real estate to make sure that the client is being looked after and understands what you are providing. In footy, excellent communication not only on the field during games but also with your coaching staff and members is really important!”

Across the ditch in New Zealand, the Leading Ladies event was held at Grid in Auckland (pictured above), and attendees were given a treat by Tonia Dixon with a meditation breathwork practice coupled with a sound bowl experience.

After running a beautifully relaxing and inspiring session, Tonia thanked the group for their energy, “Thank you so much for the opportunity to be able to share my passion with such a wonderful group of ladies this morning. It really means a lot to me and I’m on a mission to share sound healing in as many ways as I can and this was a great opportunity,” she said.

Clarissa Searle, office performance manager at Ray White Mt Eden shared her thoughts of the Leading Ladies event, “Sharing ideas and visions with women in real estate was an eye opener. The calmness of the morning and a feeling of belonging shows how much the Ray White network supports women in real estate.”

In the sunshine state, Homely sponsored the breakfast event at Victoria Park in Brisbane’s inner north (pictured above). More than 150 women gathered to mingle with old and new friends.

Ray White Queensland’s chief growth officer Katie Cotton opened the event and spoke about how as a mother of three daughters, it is wonderful to be surrounded by so many inspiring women lifting each other up.

Yoga teacher and holistic counsellor for women Samantha Lindsay-German took the group through a number of simple exercises to do at a desk to achieve a state of clarity during the day.

“For many of us, we live a life where we just go, go, go. It’s not sustainable. We have to find ways that we can manage our lives while still being in a state of balance within ourselves,” Samantha said.

Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee then talked through her lengthy and impressive career in economics, throughout many different markets. Today she is one of the most prominent real estate voices in Australia.

“There are jobs that you can love – you don’t have to stay in a job that you do not like. I’ve never had imposter syndrome. I’ve always thought that is a waste of time. There is a reason you are in your job,” Nerida said.