Embark on an insightful expedition through the ups and downs of property management with our esteemed guest Talisha Buttsworth, Gladstone Property Manager. Talisha's tale is one of resilience and savvy planning; from her post-high school beginnings to the partnership with her mother at Island Sands Asset Management, every twist and turn offers a lesson in personal and professional growth. Her candid recollections of surviving the industry's downturn and leveraging a bartending gig into a strategic financial stepping stone exemplify the determination required to succeed in this field.
This episode doesn't just chart a career trajectory; it also underscores the importance of self-care and the nuanced craft of intentional BDM. Talisha and I unpack the essential role of rest in maintaining peak performance, and how BDM goes beyond mere salesmanship to cultivating deep-rooted client connections. The mother-daughter dynamic duo at Island Sands Asset Management illustrates the power of teamwork and consistent service quality throughout the property management lifecycle, offering a masterclass in client relationship maintenance and satisfaction.
Nearing the episode's conclusion, we explore the innovative concept of hybrid roles blending BDM and leasing consultant responsibilities, a strategy that enriches the client experience. I also peel back the curtain on creating a compelling online presence, demystifying content strategy with an honest look at the challenges and triumphs of engaging with audiences on social media. As we wrap up, we celebrate the industry's high achievers and tee up the potential for future in-person discussions, fostering a community that's as connected offline as it is online.
Sensor Global saves lives with automatic compliance and manages Smoke Alarms, Gas and Water leak detection with 24/7 remote management.
It provides complete control, reduced risk and improved compliance for property managers.
To find out more speak to Anthony Booth or head over to www.sensorglobal.com
Todays sponsor is InspectRealEstate: They are a global software company that specialises in tech solutions for the real estate industry and are one of the most important programs in my business.
Their products are designed by agents & property managers who have been in your shoes, to allow you to be more productive and streamline tasks.
For a free demo, call 1300 942 721 or visit inspectrealestate.com.au
The team at The Grout Guy are the leading experts in regrouting, waterproofing, and tiling services nationwide. Property managers find comfort in their 10-year waterproof warranty on all full shower regrouts.
Visit thegroutguy.com.au to rejuvenate your properties tiles and grout now!
www.thegroutguy.com.au
Embark on an insightful expedition through the ups and downs of property management with our esteemed guest Talisha Buttsworth, Gladstone Property Manager. Talisha's tale is one of resilience and savvy planning; from her post-high school beginnings to the partnership with her mother at Island Sands Asset Management, every twist and turn offers a lesson in personal and professional growth. Her candid recollections of surviving the industry's downturn and leveraging a bartending gig into a strategic financial stepping stone exemplify the determination required to succeed in this field.
This episode doesn't just chart a career trajectory; it also underscores the importance of self-care and the nuanced craft of intentional BDM. Talisha and I unpack the essential role of rest in maintaining peak performance, and how BDM goes beyond mere salesmanship to cultivating deep-rooted client connections. The mother-daughter dynamic duo at Island Sands Asset Management illustrates the power of teamwork and consistent service quality throughout the property management lifecycle, offering a masterclass in client relationship maintenance and satisfaction.
Nearing the episode's conclusion, we explore the innovative concept of hybrid roles blending BDM and leasing consultant responsibilities, a strategy that enriches the client experience. I also peel back the curtain on creating a compelling online presence, demystifying content strategy with an honest look at the challenges and triumphs of engaging with audiences on social media. As we wrap up, we celebrate the industry's high achievers and tee up the potential for future in-person discussions, fostering a community that's as connected offline as it is online.
Sensor Global saves lives with automatic compliance and manages Smoke Alarms, Gas and Water leak detection with 24/7 remote management.
It provides complete control, reduced risk and improved compliance for property managers.
To find out more speak to Anthony Booth or head over to www.sensorglobal.com
Todays sponsor is InspectRealEstate: They are a global software company that specialises in tech solutions for the real estate industry and are one of the most important programs in my business.
Their products are designed by agents & property managers who have been in your shoes, to allow you to be more productive and streamline tasks.
For a free demo, call 1300 942 721 or visit inspectrealestate.com.au
The team at The Grout Guy are the leading experts in regrouting, waterproofing, and tiling services nationwide. Property managers find comfort in their 10-year waterproof warranty on all full shower regrouts.
Visit thegroutguy.com.au to rejuvenate your properties tiles and grout now!
www.thegroutguy.com.au
so today's uh conversation is with the lovely Talisha Buttsworth, and I obviously know you very, very well on social media. I don't think we've ever met before, have we in person?
Speaker 2:no, no, we've never actually met before, which is wild so weird.
Speaker 1:It's so weird, um, and I am obviously. We've been um following each other for a while. You also helped me with some coffee and conversations over your way, so I would love I mean, I think everyone to be honest would know you. But for the entertainment, how about you share a little bit about yourself, your career, where you are now, and then we'll get into our episode.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely so. Most of you know me as Gladstone Property Manager. However, I do have a name as well and it's Talisha. And I have been a property manager for 10 years. Next month, which is so exciting I actually started property.
Speaker 2:Property management was nearly my first job out of high school and, yeah. So I started off at an agency in Gladstone and then the Gladstone downturn kind of pushed me out of town. So I shipped off to Brisbane when I was 18, turning 19. And I did a few years in Brisbane, moved home to Gladstone six, seven years ago now, I think. So I did about three years in Brisbane, moved home.
Speaker 2:I did work for my mum for a little bit when I moved home. That didn't work out. And then I worked for a couple of agencies in Gladstone and then mum and I sat down and basically had a meeting and I said I'm ready to come into the business again. And you know, we game planned it and I was due to come into the business in probably like two to three months time, let's say. But then her property manager resigned and she goes I've got a position and it's yours, and I said, okay, no worries. So I walked into my boss and I resigned. They wouldn't take my resignation actually, and yeah, and then it's been game on ever since for mum and I in the business together. And for those of you that don't know, my mum and I both own and operate Island Sands Asset Management. It's a property management only agency based in Tannum Sands, which is about 30 minutes south of Gladstone in central Queensland.
Speaker 1:I love how you realise that working for mum wasn't maybe as bad as what you thought it was, and I think that's maybe probably a maturity thing, do you think?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I think I was 21 when I first worked for mum and then I was 24 or 23, turning 24, when I actually went back into the business, um, so I did need those like two to three years just to grow, really find my feet again. And I was so lost when I come home from Brisbane like being in the city and then coming back to a small country town but just a smaller regional town, I guess, like my head was just I had a big head I come home from the city, I was 21. Yeah, I didn't know, I didn't know what to do. I was lost too, I guess as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I didn't know, I didn't know what to do. I was lost too, I guess as well. And then I just found myself and I was and I think I went through a phase of I don't want to be a property manager anymore as well. Actually, I did. That did happen. I wasn't property managing for about four months in that timeframe and I got a job as a bartender and I worked at a local pub for about four months when I was 21 and then that's when I realized that I need to go back to property management.
Speaker 1:This is not for me you are spoiling my future dreams, because everyone that knows me knows that my future, my fantasy job, is to work in a bar, like that's all I want to do when I retire. I don't want to do anything else. But then I also didn't have the luxury of doing that when I was younger, like I went straight into property management at 17, 18. I never got to experience those things like I did. I did do waitressing and stuff like that, but I didn't have your normal, um, normal career path. It was straight into real estate. So I feel like like my life in reverse, a little bit, like I'm having the good career now and then I'm just going to do something really, you know, because I know it's a basic, but something just very different when I, when I retire yeah, I loved it, um, so I'll get into it in a second.
Speaker 2:But I what I loved about bartending was that I could do my job and go home and all I had to do at the end of the night was clean the bar and just go home. And that was it. And I was like, cool, this is awesome. And then I guess I decided to miss property management. I was like if I'm going to deal with drunks of a night time, I may as well deal with some of them during the day, and the people that you deal with in a pub are really similar characters to property management. So I guess I had a really good like. When there was like bar fights, I could diffuse it, because I was used to diffusing things with tenants and owners and I don't know, maybe that's why I was a good bartender. But I actually kept my job for a few months.
Speaker 2:After I got another job in property management. This was another agency in Gladstone, not with my mom. So I worked a bar job and my full-time like day property manager job as well. But I really wanted to buy a house and so the money that I was getting from my bartending paid my rent and then I could bank on my rent and my electricity and my food, and the only thing that I had to pay out of my own money was my petrol each week. But I had a Suzuki Swift back then, and so I think that was like $40 a week to fill, and so I was just banking my whole property manager wage to buy my first investment property, which is so wild to think about, cause now I'm like thinking about buying a second property and I'm like I can't bank my whole way no, that's right, go get another job at the bar.
Speaker 2:I know it's so crazy, but I could not work two jobs now because I work two actually. So, um, my first job when I, when I left, um, what I wanted to be when I grew up was a personal trainer and, um, up until around two years ago, I actually still had a job at F45. So I've only just given up my like my second job. Um, so I've worked two jobs like this whole time, which is kind of crazy. And then, yeah, I think it was around 2022, january 2022, I stopped working my second job at F45.
Speaker 2:So, um, I've always had two jobs. It's um, yeah, it's been good, but then I was like I'm getting older, now I need to like slow down. I want to spend more time with my partner and you know, we have our dog, archie. And yeah, I was like I do, I do and it and works not everything anymore. Love my job, I love my property manager. Like I love the business, I love everything about it, but also like working a second job that I didn't really love anymore was kind of like one of those things where I was like got to let it go.
Speaker 1:What I want to talk about is something that you just mentioned before, about how, with bartending, you finish your shift and then that was it. So obviously I don't know what that feels like, as I've never been in that position, but it sounds really good. And one thing that I speak about with my team and it's definitely a business goal that we're working towards is that when you are in property management and you have all your tasks that you need to do for the day but then let's just hypothetically say you finish those you know the actual tasks by 2 or 3 o'clock, we find that we can fill our daily like we can fill our hours in the day, just with there's so much to filling. Like you never finish your job and go oh I'm done, I'm going to go to the beach, and I don't know why we don't get to that point. So we have a process that we've been working on for about 18 months now.
Speaker 1:We're still a little bit probably another year, I think away from it but the idea is changing the team's mindset so that you have your tasks to do today and once you've done those tasks, you go home like your job's done and of course, yes, you need to stay on call in case there's um, in case there's emergencies and things like that. But it does mean that you can leave the office, go to the shops, go do whatever you want to do and just keep an eye on your phone. And that's where I want to get to, so that we don't feel like we're always working, working, working. So that's something that I think we should all start thinking about about, about how you can bring that into your office, and that sort of is reflective of what you were talking about just off air before, about what you're doing this year with balancing that. So can you talk us through your thoughts and mindset around it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. So, like I was saying a few things that I want to do this year, is that if I wake up in the morning and I've, you know, when you've got that sore throat and you're just feeling under, like under the weather and most of the time it happens during winter, I don't know why, I think it's just that time of the year, it's cold, you really don't feel like going to work, or you've had a big couple of months and I'm just going to take a day, and I think that everyone needs to remember that. And if you're a business owner listening to this, absolutely If you're a normal employee and you wake up and you don't feel great, you take a sick day because you generally don't feel well. But as business owners, we get up and we just keep going.
Speaker 2:We'll take a Panadol, we'll take a cold and flu, we'll take as many supplements as we can just to get rid of whatever we're fighting, instead of actually just resting, which one day won't hurt, like if you take one day off out of the 365 that you're going to work, your body is going to be a lot more thankful for that one day than the other 364 days that you've tried to push through with that sore throat and I just think that that's one thing that I'm really implementing this year that if I wake up and I'm, you know I just don't feel great, don't feel great about myself, I'm honestly just going to take a day truth is is that we'll find that we, even though if we push through and I'm probably not the right person to be preaching this for record's sake, but I will um that if we are not feeling 100% and we do force ourselves to go and do the day, we're actually probably not going to be that effective anyway like in real realistically we might sort of be doing the equivalent of like three hours work.
Speaker 1:So it's like why bother? Why not just refresh yourself and then turn up the next day feeling 100% better?
Speaker 2:yeah, absolutely, and um, what I like? The reason why I kind of went down this mindset is that when I feel like I'm not well and I go to work, I am useless, there's no point me being there. I feel sick as it is, I don't want to talk to people, I don't want to write that email. I may as well just stay home, have a rest and then maybe wake up around lunchtime and then I could tackle my emails. But I don't have to. There's no obligation, it's just I wake up. If I want to, I want to. If I don't, I don't, and I'll just tackle it the next day.
Speaker 2:And I think everyone, a lot of people, say yeah, but you know, you show up, you give 40%, even though the only, like the only amount of work that you can give is 40% of your like. You know that 40% effort instead of 110%. And I'm like I'd rather show up and give my 110%, because my clients are paying for that service. They want that email answered professionally, they want that air conditioner fixed, they want their leaking tap fixed and I'm like I can't give that to them today. So I'd rather show up and give 110% or at least 100%, then show up and give 40%.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've been finding a bit of a problem and I'm recognising it, but it's more when it comes to the evening work, like when I'm really, really tired. In the past, like I've pushed through and I still probably push through more and trying to catch up on emails in the evening when I'm so tired and I'm probably not doing them that effectively. So I have to tell myself, ash, just like, go to sleep and wake up tomorrow morning, and you'll probably wake up early anyway, and then just deal with them with a fresh mind. And last night I did that. I just I had a big meal and I just wasn't feeling a hundred percent, and I think it was 7.30 and this is like very unusual for me, and I ended up just closing my eyes because the meal I had had just made me really tired, and so I actually just fell asleep and I fell asleep for a couple of hours and I did wake up and then do some emails when I felt a lot better. But in the past I've probably pushed through that tiredness level and yeah, and I need to get better at that. And so it's really great speaking to other people like yourself, and hopefully those that are listening can hear that we sort of all have that same problem, like we are all doing the same thing, and it's a good reminder to go you know what. But everyone else has got this problem and this is what they're doing to tackle it. So it's good to share those like pain points. I guess that we've had in the past and know that it's very, very normal.
Speaker 1:I wanted to talk to you today also about intentional BDM work. So we had some episodes where we talked about transactional property management and how we need to stop being a transactional property manager that just collects rent and does maintenance and look at the value add that we can offer clients, which is really important. So I want to talk to you about the transactional BDM and how we can sort of add value to get new business. So transactional BDMing would probably be I'll get your thoughts on this as well, but in my mind I'm thinking it's sort of the BDM that gets the business, signs them up and then just passes them on potentially to a property manager and their role is physically to just get the business. But let's have a little chat about more than that and I guess maybe what BDM should be considering when they are bringing a new business into their office. So what are your thoughts?
Speaker 2:around that topic. Yeah, absolutely. So one thing that I know that we do in our office is that, oh, look, it kind of helps that mum and I both bring in the properties together and then they get put onto my rent roll. So I guess we do have that really seamless transaction, because most of the time we do do the appraisal together, bring it into the agency, both of us will nurture the client and then mum will kind of taper off and then I'll just kind of pick up and go from there.
Speaker 2:But one thing that I think I see a lot of, especially in big agencies, is that there's a BDM just there to bring in the business, which is amazing, like absolutely nothing wrong with that. But I think that when you're bringing in the business, you also need to nurture the client as well, because people are like you bring in the business and then people are like okay, so what's next? What are you going to give me next? And then you get palmed off to a property manager and it's like well, you didn't service me the way that you were preaching, that you were going to service me as the client, and we hear that day in, day out as well, and I think that's why a lot of BDMs also do a lot of the leasing process as well.
Speaker 2:So they bring in the management, then they advertise the property, they show the new tenants through, they do the application, or they might have a lead like a leasing agent that might do the application, but then when the application is ready to be presented to the owner, the BDM does that because it's a new management. So it's kind of just going the extra mile. And then at that stage you'd start to introduce the property manager and the property manager would like come into play then as well. And or you could introduce the property manager from the get, go and be like Talisha is going to be your property manager, I'm going to be here the whole time, and then when it comes time to do the handover, talisha will be here the whole way, or something along those lines, and I think that's just going the extra mile for your clients as well.
Speaker 1:Would you, as a BDM, go have any touch points with the? I mean, I know it's different for you because, like you manage them, so you've always got those touch points. But I wonder whether there's BDMs out there that have touch points with their clients during the management. I don't know if I know of any that do that.
Speaker 2:I was thinking the same thing. I can't unless you're a business owner and unless you're set up like mum and I. I don't think there's many BDMs that would check in with the clients that they have bought in for the rent roll, which I think is a huge thing Like. If you're a BDM, I think that you should have at least a touch point, like at the first routine inspection, even just to say, look, your first routine inspection, even just to say, look, your first routine inspection has been carried out. It was a good routine inspection. Um Talisha will send it through within 24 hours, um, and then obviously the property manager would send through the routine inspection within that 24 hour time frame and it would be all good. And then, um, maybe, if it's a six-month lease, touch base at the lease renewal. 12-month lease, maybe. Touch base at the lease renewal.
Speaker 2:I think it's just also not so much BDMing but just customer relations as well and by going that extra mile and keeping in touch with your clients throughout, maybe the first 12 months, to make sure that they are happy, because that first 12 months is crucial.
Speaker 2:That will like make or break um a management. Really like, if an owner's not happy within the first 12 months guaranteed they'll leave, um, but after that first 12 months, you still have to keep nurturing your clients. Your clients want, your clients are paying good money for a service and you should be giving them a service and you should be giving them an experience as well. I always talk about giving someone an experience because I you probably saw, I just bought a new car and I did not have an experience, did not have an experience, did not recommend my car is still not here, by the way, and it's been over seven days and I had to follow them up yesterday for the car. So yeah, but that's like property management, right, like you want to touch base within, maybe like the first routine inspection, lease renewal and then maybe the 12-month anniversary, just to make sure that your clients are happy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I bought a car last year and their customer service like hands down, you know, during the process.
Speaker 1:But then after I purchased it and it was a week after, they checked in on me because it was an electric, like a hybrid, so they were just checking on how that was working for me.
Speaker 1:But then when I had a flat tire like honestly, the experience of being able to call them to come down they literally had a set of keys waiting on their counter for me because they knew I had the kids in the car to get them to school. They were like Ash, ash, just take this car. Like it was so, like the, the convenience that I experienced was so good and it sort of makes me feel better about, you know, my weekly payments on my car, because I know that if I do have a pain point or I have a problem, I know that they're there and they're going to make it go away very easily and that's what's worth the money. Sometimes, isn't it when we're paying a management fee? I think, like, also maybe at the point, and I don't think that BDMs are doing this well, they're not that I know of but when it comes to renewing the managing authority, whether that falls under normally a property management duty or whether that should be something that the BDM can do, and that would potentially be another touch point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. Do you mean? Um, so in WA do you renew the management? We do. Does that not happen in Queensland? No, it's just a continuing agreement. So we, unless we increase fees, then we have to redo our management agreement.
Speaker 1:So we can let it roll on month by month. The agreement allows for that and that's fine and I usually do that. But I got in trouble by my auditor for letting them lapse too long. So I had a client that we had the property for, say, 10 years and we hadn't increased the fees or anything like that. So it was always the same month by month, like I was allowed to do that.
Speaker 1:But where I got caught was our rental range. That we have to know on the managing authority was out of range. So let's just say, 10 years ago the property was 200 to 250 per week, but now I've leased it for 400 per week. My auditor actually told me off because he said that I was working outside that agreement because I had leased the property for 400 and not 200 to 250, which I know sounds dumb and stupid and it's like well, the client's not complaining, are they? However, what he had told me that I had to do was get an email of that approval for the application and I was meant to have attached that because that's the owner giving. I was meant to have attached that because that's the owner giving permission for me to work outside the rental range of the managing authority. Stupid, oh, that's so funny.
Speaker 2:That's so stupid. Yeah, so we get audited, obviously every 12 months, but we don't have to redo any of our management agreements. So I could imagine because I talk about this a lot as well on my socials but Gladstone's downturn so we had a really bad downturn about 10 years ago and properties were renting for like $200 to $250 a week, which are now probably like $600 a week for reference. But some of those management agreements probably have like $300 a week on that management agreement. So that's actually something that, but it's not something in Queensland that they get us to touch on. It's just. Yeah, it's kind of funny that stuff like that happens.
Speaker 1:I don't know why they make it like across the board that everyone has the same, but here we are, and I'm pretty sure that those listening to it had probably never experienced an auditor that's done that, and so it was just. I think it was just an annoying auditor that was like can't find them for anything, want to make sure you know they'll look like I'm doing my job, and that's what he found himself doing so do you pay for your auditor to do your same?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, so, um, which is a bit. Yeah, I mean, of course it needs to be done, but they vary in ranges, so much so auditing ranges anywhere between seven hundred dollars to three and a half thousand dollars, for example, um, and the cheaper ones, you're probably not going to get the same experience, but they just want to come in and out. So it's like counterproductive. It's like you want the really thorough one, but you don't want to. Why would you pay, you know, four times the amount for that order that wants to come in and out? That's right. That's right. So, um, it's a bit, I find the whole auditing system. I know it needs to be done, but I feel like it needs some sort of consistency with auditing throughout. That's my problem with it, but it is what it is.
Speaker 1:So we talked about the BDM roles and maybe a few ideas that they could have to have that constant contact, which I think is important.
Speaker 1:And if those listening go back two episodes ago, I have done a really great podcast with a guy called Gabe Hagen and he is like a breath of fresh air. He's this young guy who has a real interest in the economy side of the housing crisis and he's actually a BDM and leasing consultant. So what I'm just thinking is that he will probably find that, because he's a leasing consultant as well as the BDM, that when that property comes back around to needing to be leased again, he will be back in touch with that client and I think that's probably a really nice consistency for the client experience to be able to come back and say, oh okay, you know we need a game, you know leasing the property and feel the client would feel like they know him well enough and obviously trust him with the leasing side. I think there's something to be said with this hybrid role and I don't think enough businesses are actually doing it like a medium and leasing consultant. They're having two separate people, but I really think there's something there that people should consider.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and that's what I was saying at the beginning. I've seen a couple of I think there's two agencies, I just cannot think of who they are. They're down South New South Wales, victoria, and their BDM is also their leasing agent and I think that that is such something that is so overlooked by other agencies. But they're actually hitting the benchmark of customer service because those clients have, or they trust them, they know them, they've met them multiple times. Well, if they're overseas or interstate, you know they might not have met them, but they've talked to them're overseas or interstate, they might not have met them, but they've talked to them, they trust them enough to know that they'll lease their property again.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I think that by having that BDM and leasing consultant in one is just, and also it's good for BDMs to see the property multiple times as well. And because BDMs are out there in the market appraising, they know how much property should be renting for of that caliber. So then you can go oh, I've just leased a 4x2 in West Gladstone for $450 per week, and they can go. Oh, okay, no worries, mine's a 4x2 with a shed, so obviously it'll be a bit higher, but at least you can set a benchmark. Okay, so benchmark would be like $450.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and just increase from there, absolutely, so they're at those home opens can tell you exactly, yeah, how many people are coming through, but they probably already maybe have a tenant in mind that missed out and they want to help. So that totally makes sense. And one thing that Gabe said which I really loved is he said like the more people he can make an impact with, the more his BDM work can grow. And the fact that in this market he'll be meeting so many tenants at the moment and every single tenant that he meets he has a, you know, creates that personal relationship with them, makes an impact and that is how he's leveraging for his BDM work. Because hopefully then those people talk about the good experience and, you know, have properties as well and so, even as a tenant, if you've had a really good experience and you've got a friend that's wanting to lease the home out, for that tenant to be able to say, oh listen, this company was great, he was so helpful.
Speaker 2:He gave me the time.
Speaker 1:That's what people, that's the feedback you want landlords to have. You know yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think people well, not people but I think a lot of property managers and BDMs forget that tenants are your biggest word of mouth. Tenants talk all the time they go to work, they have jobs, and they will say my property manager is so shit. Like they will. If you have, if your tenant, if you do something, I guarantee it, your tenant will go. My property manager is shit. Like what do I do? How can I? Or they get on Facebook and they go what am I going to do? My property manager won't get me, won't do maintenance, and so they're probably like the two things that will come up the most in the workplaces. It's never like my property manager is so good. I love my property manager.
Speaker 2:So unless you leave that lasting impact, I guess, on people as well and give them an experience, then they'll never. Then they'll talk. They want to go. Oh, you know what? That company went above and beyond trying to find me a property. They sent me so many listings they showed me through, they spent time with me and that's the biggest thing. Like people want, they want. They. Like they don't want to use your time, but they want to find the right property for them and I think trying to find the right tenant for the right owner as well.
Speaker 1:Um, it's just a happy, happy tenancy too yeah, totally, and I just had it like a. I have thought about this before, but what is coming to mind is that imagine getting those good applications and holding on to those good ones, and without obviously sharing them directly to your new business that you're bringing in. But imagine being able to say hey, here are five really good applications, so that you're becoming a bit of a Tinder-like service where you've got these applications. So then you go to a new management and say I've got these people and I reckon they'll love your house because you know what they're looking for. And then you can match it straight away and it's done.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's honestly one of those things that I think is, once you find a good application, it's like gold and you really want to try and help those people to find a property as well. And by having that again, the hybrid role of the BDM and the leasing agent, you can go to your marketing appraisal and go I have a tenant for you. Um, can I bring them through? Do you know what I mean? And I think that's how, um, some of like I know for a fact that I've got tenants that have to move out because I've got owners moving in, but I've got new managements coming on, um, and I go, I have a tenant for you, like it might sound crazy, but I have a tenant for you. Like it might sound crazy, but I have a tenant for you. And they just sign and I'm like here's your application, let's move them in. When can you move out? And they go oh, okay, no worries, and they just make it happen because it's such a good application and you don't want to miss out on it. Yeah, so good.
Speaker 1:Now let's just finish off by having a little chat about your social media, because you are one of the active ones socially and it's great to see and definitely, even though I'm not bad, it keeps me motivated, like when I see the likes of you constantly posting. So where are you most active on? First, up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I switch between Instagram and TikTok. Anything that's posted on my Instagram is basically copy. Actually, for reference, I film everything in TikTok, I save it and then I post it to Instagram because I'm finding that's my most efficient way of recording at the moment, because it's like a quick little edit done, dusted, and then I chuck it on Instagram as well, because it's like a quick little edit done, dusted, and then I chuck it on Instagram as well, so they're like my top two, okay, and do you find that you are doing it for the creative outlet and the enjoyment, or are you seeing traction with leads?
Speaker 2:So this year I've just been posting for the Creative Outlet and I've just been trialling a different style of social media. I guess I've kind of taken away a lot of educational content and posting more about my service that I can offer, so like helping property managers and along those kind of lines, and I have. Last year I got a lot of leads from social media, which was fantastic, and this year people are finding me on social media. But because I have been posting more creatively as opposed to like the more educational content of why you should have landlord's insurance, why you should have multiple keys for your property, like instead of posting educational content, I guess I've just been posting for that creative outlet and the leads have just been coming in that way because people go oh wow, she's really interesting, she knows what she's talking about but she's actually funny. So I guess that's something that it works both ways, I guess as well. And landlords are saying that, like I have a personality too, so I'm not just a person behind a camera.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, and that's it. There's two sides to it. Well, actually there's three sides.
Speaker 1:There's definitely the creative side, which is probably more what I do as well, and I'm starting to get like the odd lead here and there which I think is very slow. But it's one of those things where you just have to trust the process and just post and know that at the end of the day it is going to sort of kick in, you know, as time goes on and as that generation gets older and needs properties as well. So I think if you definitely being younger, the importance of it is super critical. And then there's also the maintaining of your current clients. So when they do see you online, it's easy for them to continue to connect and have that relationship with you and maintain that relationship. So there's the three reasons why you do it. And did you always um, and do you still always feel confident doing it? Do you still like struggle with it? Or are you just like a natural when it comes to camera?
Speaker 2:um, I struggle immensely. Like trying to get words out is so hard. Um, it's, I feel like, um, I know what I want to say, but I can't say it. It's like I sometimes I'll have to like write things down in a notebook and just like sit them behind the camera and just be like that's what I was going to talk about. Um, but I never use a teleprompter, because then I, because I feel like if you use a teleprompter, sometimes you can just see when people are reading and it is so scripted and I think that that it takes away the personality. Because you're reading, you're not actually saying how you feel, and people want to feel something as well. When they want to watch your videos, they want to like laugh, they want to just watch it because they want to know more about you, or they want to know more about property management. Or if you're on TikTok, they're just going to abuse you because you're a property manager. But I think that for me, I just love it.
Speaker 2:Like I didn't expect anything to come from my Glaston property manager page. I honestly, you're like, I mean like I guess, cause obviously I started off with, like Talisha property manager, and then you and I got talking, and then I changed it to Glaston property manager to centralize it down, and I think that was probably a big um like move for me to go right. Okay, what do I want to achieve from this page? Um, and it was absolutely nothing except for just show that, um, I'm a property manager and this is what I do, um, and then I started, oh, I started doing day in the lives of a property manager, um, on TikTok, and it kind of just took off from there, and that was about 12 months ago that I started doing that. And yeah, I look back at some of those videos now and I'm like who is she? I look nothing like that anymore and yeah, it's wild, but I absolutely love it and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I want people to jump on and go check out your stuff. So go to Gladstone Property Manager on Instagram and TikTok and use it for some help and motivation when it comes to posting just with different creative ideas, the type of content, and just like as a reminder that you know Talisha didn't start out feeling, you know, you still, like you said, struggle sometimes with the words. I do as well. I think it's very easy for people to assume, oh, she does it because she finds it easy. And it's never always the case.
Speaker 1:And still, to this day, I post stuff and it's like I feel like a bit of a douche doing it, but it's like you just got to push through that boundary. Like none of us at all feel 100% confident with what we're posting, but we're just doing it because we're trusting the process long term, absolutely. And, like with TikTok, at the moment, I'm trying to get a bit more consistent with it and I have been putting some stuff on recently and even, like this morning, I put one on about, or just I'm trialling, this new Nespresso pod which I don't understand it, because it's like an iced coffee pod.
Speaker 2:I haven't been on TikTok today.
Speaker 1:Well, it's an iced coffee coffee pod but it still comes out hot and I can't work out. What the difference is between a normal pod and a nice coffee pod confuses me, I don't know. Yeah, so I sort of just did like a little video on um. You know this pod and it's like one of those things where it did go through my mind going ash like why, why are you doing it? But at the end of the day sometimes you just have to put out content and see what sticks and see what people love and it's. You can't be too specific with what sometimes you're trying to do. You just got to give it all a go and and see, and that's exactly what we are all doing, and then, and what's like? So the other day I did something at Coles that was like they had moldy stuff on the fridge.
Speaker 2:I saw that. I saw that. Yep, I said to my partner Lindsay.
Speaker 1:I said I am so frustrated at TikTok right now because I do some really good educational videos, some really good stuff that people need to hear, and it doesn't get the same attention as a stupid moldy shelf at Coles like that's, that's not interesting but people like it.
Speaker 2:Yep, I know, and do you know what? So I um, um, like, I post um educational videos every now and again, but I mostly post other videos as opposed to the educational, because once I build traction, then the educational videos do better on TikTok, because the momentum is there and people are, because your algorithm is building and people like, oh, yep, she, they liked that before. They'll put an educational video and they'll just like it because it's there. But what did I do the other day that blew up? Oh, I just screenshot the top 10 suburbs around Australia or the top 10 cheapest suburbs off realestatecom.
Speaker 1:Did a green screen over that and it's like at 11k views because people are like ew, gladstone, and I'm like cool, yeah, exactly and I'm so glad you mentioned that because we both obviously think very similarly when it comes to the posting, your personal content, that random stuff that gets the attention. It does help the algorithm so that when you post potentially what could be perceived as boring, educational content, it gets seen. So you sort of have to have one like random personal post, I reckon, like every four or five even, just to allow that to happen. So that is a little bit of a strategy that I think there's a method to the madness. Yes, exactly exactly. But it is refreshing to hear, um, someone talk about camera, because it's still such a struggle for so many. And um, you have some great content ideas for um property managers, bdms and also for new clients. So that should give everyone listening a little bit of inspiration as well. Absolutely.
Speaker 2:I used you as inspiration for so long. I was like what am I going to post? And then I'd like scroll through Ash's feed and I'd be like that's a great post, let's make a video on it. And I think that that's one of the biggest things that we can all take from each other as well is, just take the inspiration and just make it your own, because, also, like copying other people's content like word for word I have a lot of that happening at the moment.
Speaker 2:Actually, we won't go into too much detail, the moment, actually we won't go into too much detail, um, but I think by copying my things word for word, it actually doesn't show who you are as a person. Um, as well, like people. People, if they follow you, they want to see your personality, they want to get to know you. They don't want to get to know something that you've copied and pasted from someone else or copied and pasted from chat, gpt. Um, people want to people again, people want to experience and they want to feel something when they go on your tiktok or go on your instagram and um, I give them that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, um I um, I remember there was a um, there's a personal trainer in perth and she actually found that um, there was another personal trainer copying her and and I'm not saying, don't use, it's very, always use inspiration and to get those ideas going. But yeah, just put your own sort of natural twist on it. But this personal trainer is quite high profile. She had someone copied her but even used the same location as a photo shoot, uh, which so like really copy, copied anyway. What? What happened is she started doing these videos, but I'm talking like massive sex appeal, cleavage, hardcore masculine music, like really, like you know, a lot of hip thrusts in this video, like full on. And I knew, because I went to her, that the reason why she was doing that was because it's like bitch, if you're going to copy me, you can copy this you know what I mean and you're no one's brave enough to do it and I just thought, my God, that's funny.
Speaker 1:And people that do copy word for word. You know, that would be my challenge to someone like yourself and say do something really full on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, and that's why I've branched out to do, you'll notice, like at the probably around November last year, I started to change my content style and that was just purely so that no one can copy anything that I do. And it's kind of just trademarking Gladstone Property Manager and just making her mine and making my content mine as well. And that's a big thing that I wanted to do. And I thought, well, if you can copy my content, copy this. And no one's been able to recreate it in any way because it's mine and they're my ideas and they literally come from my head.
Speaker 2:People message me and they go how do you think of stuff? And I'm like it's 1am in the morning and I'm writing stuff on my bedside table. I get the same thing. I'm on my phone like take gimbal to work, ask Sandy random questions on a Thursday morning morning, like that's how mum and i's little coffee chats come together. In the last week because I was like great idea, great idea. And also dennis said that mum and I have to do more videos on the island sands page and mum doesn't want to do them by herself. And I'm like, well, I'll do it, but I'm not the one answering the questions. You're on the firing line absolutely yeah, I got.
Speaker 1:I got asked by someone you know who do you follow for your ideas and I was like I don't follow anyone, I just they just come to me as well, and I've got in my phone under my notes, I just put ideas in there and um. But then people share things. Like you know, with one of my videos it was a TikTok with that long line in Melbourne but someone had messaged me and said Ash, check this out. Um, and then I've gone oh, that would actually make a good, um, you know good video. And then, as I was talking to him, he had been talking about something random and I had another idea just from having that conversation.
Speaker 1:I was like Harry, you just give me a second video idea and this is what I've got to do.
Speaker 2:So I've got so many ideas. After having our chat too, I feel like after today I'm like I have so much to talk about.
Speaker 1:Well, for me, after talking to you, my idea that I'll write down is intentional BDMing and non-transactional BDMing. So for me, that's like I now have thought a lot of you know from talking to you that that's something that I should write a blog on. So I'll go do that now. So that's how, how you get content, because you just always got that on your mind, isn't?
Speaker 2:it. I know, and just talking to everyone in the industry, like um. So, for example, I think last year you asked um to. I think it was in one of the training courses you did last year. You asked me to jump on and do a course, but I was actually having lunch with another property manager and I couldn't make it. And then I saw that Kelly tagged you after the training course and I'm like, oh my God, that must have been another girl. So I followed her and now we're best friends. Yeah, I will use her Absolutely.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh my god, that must have been another girl. So I like I followed her um and now we're best friends.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I will you know, it's absolutely now. Oh, so funny, I know. And now we co-host a podcast together. And then Tim, who's our other co-host, um, wild story about that.
Speaker 2:So, um, I met, so Tim Kelly and I met at the IGT conference this year and we got to talking and Tim's from Port Macquarie and my dad's born and bred in Port Macquarie and we lived there for a bit and we were chatting and I was like we have a lot of mutual friends. Where did you go to school? And he's like oh, went to primary school at St Joe's in Warhope. And I'm like same, same. So we actually worked out that we were in grade one together, um, which is so long ago but so wild. So we did grade one together and then we moved to tweet heads.
Speaker 2:Um, my family did, um, and now we co-host a podcast together, which is you want to give your podcast a little plug as well, okay? So if you want to follow our podcast, it's called the let's talk property pod and our first episode is actually going live this friday, which is so exciting. We've got a few episodes going up, but our first one all three of us will be live on Friday, which is so exciting. It's mostly just an introduction pod so you know who's talking. You know a bit about us, but yeah, if you go and follow us, we're on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1:And who is the target audience? Is the target audience property managers or investors?
Speaker 2:A bit of both. So it's kind of a bit of for investors, property managers, mortgage brokers and just anyone that's really interested in property. Either they want to start in real estate but they don't know where to start and just real talk, all about property, which is so exciting, amazing.
Speaker 1:Well, there's a little bit of extra inspiration for people that are listening to see. This is what the high achievers in the industry are doing and creating with podcasts, so I look forward to the first listen. So when everyone's listening to this episode, it will probably it'll be about. It would have been released about four weeks before, so it's definitely well and truly going to be available for you to head over there, give it a listen, give it a like and make sure that you give them a subscribe and a review as well, because that will help you. And, while you're there, do a review for me at the same time, so you get both done. Absolutely, yes, wonderful. Well, it was lovely chatting to you again and I'm sure I've got a bit of travel this year, so I'm sure I'll see you at some stage, definitely.
Speaker 2:Definitely. Thank you so much for having me.