Motivational highlights from AREC 2024, and honest feedback where the speakers fell flat

In this episode, we're bringing you the highlights and personal reflections from the AREC conference on the Gold Coast. Get ready to hear from first-time attendees Vanessa Naso from The Agency and Shannon Welch from Property Assist, who share their excitement and valuable insights. Their experiences, combined with our varied backgrounds in sales, leadership, and business ownership, provide a multifaceted look at the event, rating it a solid seven out of ten.

You'll hear about the emotional impact of motivational speakers and the enthusiasm necessary for success. Learn from our stories of trying new approaches, like experimenting with different fee schedules, and be inspired to take risks that could transform your business.

We also can't overlook the importance of dynamic speakers at events. Candid insights from high-profile personalities like Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Serhant shed light on balancing demanding careers with family life, offering validation for those striving for success. 

The podcast provides honest feedback on the event, what worked and what fell flat for us. We hope you enjoy the listen!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:30

All right, you guys are in for a goody for this podcast today, because I'm joined with Vanessa Nasso from the agency and Shannon Welch from Property Assist, and today we are going to do an ARIC wrap-up. An ARIC wrap-up. We've just been over to the Gold Coast together and we had a good time, didn't we?

Speaker 2: 0:49

Yeah, we did, it was great.

Speaker 1: 0:51

And I think one of the things we said was that the well you said this, vanessa, that you got just as much out of going with other people than what you did going to the event as well. So let's start with you.

Speaker 2: 1:09

So my first time, ari, it was a bucket list for me, so I was just so excited to be there and to be going. And, yeah, exactly what you said. I didn't expect to get so much out of connecting and networking with everyone there, both people from WA and from new people that we met over there. And it's really funny because we see each other all the time but we're all so consumed with what we're all doing that when we do see each other, it's little snippets, so it was really nice to be able to spend some time together and connect properly.

Speaker 1: 1:41

And. I know that we're going to dive into, like more specific speakers and things like that later. But if you were to rate the, let's rate the ARIC conference at a 10 and then let's rate our weekend at a 10.

Speaker 2: 1:57

Oh okay, weekend 10. Easily, 10. Aric, I'd probably give it an 8. Excellent, wonderful.

Speaker 3: 2:07

All right, shen over to you. Yeah, it was my first ARIC as well, so I guess I didn't really know what to expect. But I'm very much the same as you, vanessa. Like I had such a good time with all of the connections that we made and just yeah, like you say, we know all the people that we went with. But to actually travel and spend quality time with them, it was just yeah, it was really nice. I think I've made some real lifelong friends out of it as well. But yeah, for the ARIC, I guess the rate I think I would give ARIC a seven and the weekend was, yeah, I reckon, a good 10 or 11 for me. So yeah, no, it was good.

Speaker 1: 2:51

Excellent. Yeah, and I'm the same. I think I had been to ARIC before, about five, six years ago, and I did enjoy it then as well, but it wasn't something that I felt like I needed to go again the following year. Um, but again weekend, definitely 10 out of 10, and then the event I'd probably, yes, sit in at about a seven as well. So I mean I think like overall, like it was great, I think we all agree with that. But what I want to do is just go through some nitty-gritties of it, because the I think it was probably like. What I'm thinking is that there was probably only a small part of it that gave me that higher, that higher rating, if that makes sense. Like there's definitely a few standouts, um, and then there were a lot that I sort of just went meh, like take it or leave it, um, but I mean, at the end of the day, like it's not possible for an event to be 100% perfect over everything is it like?

Speaker 2: 3:50

definitely not, no and it's not what we were expecting either although we did go to another event that may may have got to that level.

Speaker 1: 3:57

Yeah, we'll talk about and and we'll talk about that one after the um, the conference because yeah, that was um, that was really great and I think when, when you're listening to this podcast, you will see that we have all got different experiences. So, like for me, I'm going in with an experienced business mindset, so that's what I was focused on. Vanessa, you know you're in sales, so you were probably I don't know, are you more the learning motivation? What were you wanting to get out of that?

Speaker 2: 4:31

No, actually I think I don't know if I am the same as other sales agents, but because I come from a business background, I do treat my sales business like my own business and going to this conference I definitely had a business mindset on and I've come back with a change in what I see for the future of my sales role. So I definitely did go in with a business mindset, although I probably got different things out of the salesy type speakers than you guys did, so my view on those might be different to yours. But yeah, a bit of a combination, but definitely to learn and be motivated too.

Speaker 1: 5:11

Yeah, and then you know Shan you're coming from, I guess more of a contractor, trade type, business owner aren't you, so you're like going to experience it totally different.

Speaker 3: 5:23

Yeah, I think we briefly spoke about it as well, like I liked the.

Speaker 3: 5:28

I know that ARIC is very sales heavy, obviously, as a lot of people sort of say, but I think you can always change that.

Speaker 3: 5:35

So I listened to something or some kind of sales tactic or idea that people have and I'll say, yeah, cool, I can convert that into how I can get new business or how I can treat my clients or look after clients or do things differently. So I'm always sort of grabbing things and changing them around, which that was good. But for me, I realized that I really enjoy the leadership sort of stuff and I feel like that was lacking in Aric, I think, because now I have quite a large team, so you know the 18 inspectors on the ground here and then our remote professionals, which we've got 15 at the moment over in the Philippines like it's a huge team, and I just want to make sure that I'm doing the best job that I can to look after them. So I think for me that's what I was looking for with Arik and it was like it. It popped up in pieces throughout, but it wasn't there as much as I guess. Yeah, that is it, that higher level, like management high level business.

Speaker 1: 6:42

Um, yeah, I don't know, I think, yeah, down on my notes I've just put there that I think that for us, we were, we are, at that high level. I put high level leadership in business. So that's really what we like, that all of us, that's what we're needing and that's what we're wanting because we're at that stage of life as well as business. Um, but I think that the ideal person who would get a lot out of Eric is maybe that person who's only been in the industry for two or three years, because while they were like exactly what you said, it came through a little bit here and there, but the property management part of Aric I felt a little bit disappointed in because I was needing that extra high level, which it didn't hit the mark for me in that space.

Speaker 1: 7:34

And, at the end of the day, you want to be, you want to be hearing and listening to people that are like 10 times, 20 times better than what you are, because that's how you learn. You sort of don't really want to hear from people that are potentially on the same level as you, as as maybe, as blunt as that may sound, but that's not. Um, yeah, what we, that we need, or that, what we were seeking um, and that's why we got that from the leader conference.

Speaker 3: 8:02

Yes, yeah so, like they said, put yourself in a room of people that are smarter than you and then continue to learn, and like that's exactly it.

Speaker 3: 8:12

I mean, I did take some things away from Eric. I think my like a couple of things I took away which you always think about, but it's a good reminder, isn't it? Um, for me, like there was a lot around your health and your mindset and consistency, like they were the three things that, of course, we all know we need that, but I know that, like, for me, my health is the first thing that drops off, like as soon as I've come back to work, after being on mat leave, I don't think I've even thought about going to the gym or, you know, anything to do with my health, and that, yeah, is silly, because that's what helps you have the energy, and I don't have the energy. I haven't had the energy. I just keep pushing through. So that was a good reminder for me to just like reassess that and get that in control again. Um, and that's, yeah, probably the biggest thing I took away but it's still stuff that you knew Exactly.

Speaker 1: 9:12

Yeah, let's start with Ryan Serin. So, vanessa, we'll start with you because, like, obviously, this is, you know, he's in sales and he, you know, he's definitely, you know, one of the famous people that attended. He spoke on day one and day two and opened up both days. What was your thought on Ryan?

Speaker 2: 9:36

I just loved him for a start. I mean, he's just gorgeous and he was just so real. His delivery was entertaining and engaging, which was really good. He was funny as well.

Speaker 2: 9:48

But the biggest thing that I loved about what he said was be future you. Because I think when you're in sales, we're always so focused on the short-term goals and short-term meaning what do I want to do this year? How many sales do I want to do? What GCI do I want to do? It's always those same conversations and I don't think we really focus too much on what do I want to look like? What do I actually want to achieve out of my sales role for the future?

Speaker 2: 10:16

So he was very much about be future you, like be that person that you want to be already. And I actually it actually is something that you taught me, ash, because I remember when I first started, you said to me it's all about perception. Just put it all out there, everything you're doing, just and multiply. You know your, your platforms and what you posted on and everything. Because and it's true, because people will come up to me, even when I'm having a bit of a lull in my business, and say to me oh, you're doing so well and you know this sort of thing, which it is. It is very much an exposed business that people watch you, so unfortunately, we do have to put it out there. So I liked that. I liked the Be Future you.

Speaker 2: 10:55

The other thing that I loved about what he said was collaboration. It's something we don't do enough in the sales part of this industry and he was very much about. You know there's people in this room that you're going to network with and connect with over this weekend. Make the most of it. You've got so many opportunities to do business together and I think a lot of agents that have been in the industry for a long time. They protect their business so much and they don't want to do that and I would like to see that as part of the change in this industry. So I loved that he encouraged collaboration.

Speaker 1: 11:26

What about you, shannon?

Speaker 3: 11:30

Yeah, I struggled on the first day, didn't I, ash? I don't know if that was because I had a few too many drinks the night before, I was a bit tired, or if, um, I just wasn't, like I don't know, I didn't I, like I said, I really wanted that value and those bits and pieces, like that real takeaway stuff. And he commenced on a lot of his, his story and like how he got there, which, of course, is like you say, vanessa, like be the future you, and he consistently did that to the point where, like, he got himself into strife a few times obviously with doing that, but again, yeah, like he was great, I loved him on the second day and I took so much away from that. Um, and yeah, I think, consistency like he just talked about consistency all the time, like all the time, I think that was just the biggest thing and yeah, that, like I said, that's one of my biggest takeaways.

Speaker 1: 12:26

So, yeah, for me, um, it was exactly that future you. So it was exactly how Vanessa explained it. If something comes up, if someone says to you, for example, hey, do you do property management? And you're not at that stage of doing property management yet, he was like what would future Ryan say? Well, future Ryan does want a property management arm.

Speaker 1: 12:47

So, yes, we do do property management, bring the property over. And because I'm a bit like that as well, I loved hearing that he was like that. For me, specifically, what I got out of it was that he was talking about when he last spoke in Australia and he saw our selling process being a little bit different, and then he told a story about how, when he went back home and he did, he used like an Australian selling technique, I guess, and everyone said you're crazy, he's like no, you know, they do it in Australia and had really good success. So he did something completely different.

Speaker 1: 13:23

And because I was in the middle or I was umming and ahhing about this, this fee schedule that I wanted to do because I'm sick of fee schedules being so boring in property management, and I was sitting on a different type of fee schedule and when I heard him say that, I was like you know what, I'm just going to do it. I don't care. And actually, do you know what? I haven't told you girls this, but I, you know, when I gave it the new fee schedule to Sam and I said, sam, this is Sam's, my BDM, for those that don't know. And I was like Sam, I want to do this fee schedule. It's a bit different, but I think it makes sense. And she was like, oh, I don't know, ash, maybe just like only like a month, like let's not commit to it. And then when I came back and I said to her no, we're doing it, she goes. Well, actually, I've actually already started putting that through to clients and she goes. The feedback has been amazing oh, how good that loving it.

Speaker 1: 14:14

So that was for me. Um, what I got out of Ryan was it doesn't matter that it's different, just if you like it, just do it and and that will, it'll work out. So I got a lot of confidence from his um I. The words that he used a lot were brand and expand. So, yes, really just a great reminder. It's all about your branding and then expanding to you know your future, future, you and he. I wrote this down in my notes. Selling is the transfer of enthusiasm and I think that he oozed that with his energy. So I loved both days. I really loved day one, shan. You loved day two and Vanessa, I think you loved day one.

Speaker 2: 14:59

Yeah, day one was my favorite. I didn't actually take any notes on him on day two um, I just sat there and consumed it all. One other thing that he did say that I loved was, um, stress and anxiety takes away your pleasure, and I'm big on that and it's something that I've recently learned and it's so true. So I hope that there's people there were people there that do suffer stress and anxiety that resonated with, because it really does. If you let that take over, it takes away everything that you can enjoy. So I loved that as well. I feel like he was a really good mix of enough sales, enough wellness, enough everything that we need to do. He was a really good mix and balance, whereas some others were heavy on the wellness, not so much sales, so he really did it well, yeah that's actually a really good point of making.

Speaker 1: 15:47

He did balance it well Now, Matt Steinway.

Speaker 2: 15:52

I love Matt Steinway.

Speaker 3: 15:53

I't cry, but I feel quite, I just I just cried watching the um, the 5am, the 6am reel that he just did again and I sent it to Stu. That is honestly incredible he was I wrote him down. When I did the survey, he was my second favorite definitely I'll talk about that.

Speaker 2: 16:12

Way I can pose myself with him geez Ash, you're crying more than you were on the day. Haven't you got your tongue in the roof of your mouth today?

Speaker 1: 16:21

I will, no, I'll have to do that so roof in the top of your tongue can stop tears. So I had to do that through Matt's session because I was sitting next to Vanessa and Vanessa I always give a picture whenever she cries. So I couldn't see her crying because then I look like you know a little bitch. I guess so, but it was. It was sad, wasn't it yeah, look, he was.

Speaker 2: 16:45

It was. It was so good of him to share and it's so nice that a man like that is not shy to share and be vulnerable. And you know, you're in a stage with 5 000 people and you could not hear a thing in the room. Everyone was sobbing, it was silent because he was obviously speaking about his son who committed suicide last year and the message that he was obviously trying to give is there's no excuse. Like everyone goes through stuff and he had to pick up the pieces and get going Like he was. He's just lost the biggest part of his life and the biggest part of his family's life. So you want it, you do it Like that was his thing.

Speaker 2: 17:22

So, yeah, I think and someone did say, oh, I don't think he was ready to do that because he broke down like that. But I actually disagree because he could do that talk in 10 years' time and he will be exactly the same, because you never get over something like that. So I think the idea and the reason you know he wouldn't have known how he was going to be when he tried to talk about that. So it was real and he got his message across. And he also did say, and what a lot of the sales agents said, which surprised me they all went on about making you calls, and it's something that I'm really bad at. So hearing from those people saying that they do calls every day, it was like need to, I really do need to do that. So, um, yeah, that's my wrap up on him. Like I just love him. I could listen to him all day, yeah what about you, shannon?

Speaker 3: 19:00

yeah, I, I just I mean I've followed him on socials and stuff and you know I've liked bits and pieces that he's done. But I just have a whole new respect for him after that. Like good on him for just being able to share, I mean even his story. Like I again, I knew bits and pieces, but from like where he's come from and to what he's doing in his business now, and then that happening to him at the end of last year, like so many people would not keep going. Like, and that's what he just kept saying. That's another thing actually I wrote down when I got out of it. He's like, just don't give up, just keep going. And like so many people just complain about their bloody, crappy coffee that got made that morning.

Speaker 3: 19:43

Like, really, like we've got so many bigger things going on in everyone's lives and if you make it a problem, then that's your problem and you're going to continue with that rather than just don't give up Like just keep going, just keep going. If that's what you want, you've got to keep going. And he was true to that, like yeah, he's just great.

Speaker 1: 20:08

And also he, yeah, putting full responsibility on you, like you're the only one that has responsibility for that, so there's no other, yeah, no one else involved. On my notes for him I put how can you make wow part of your property management? Not property management, so how can you make wow part of your service? So he talked about a guy called manuel, didn't he?

Speaker 1: 20:29

at a hotel who was, oh yeah, like a concierge, I guess at a hotel who was like a concierge, I guess, at the hotel and he was just saying how this guy was, wow. So we probably go through business, just, you know, just probably trying to scrape through, making sure everyone's happy, and it's like we're content with happy, like we don't feel the need to go, like even further like wow, and that's probably just an Australian thing, maybe we just we're pretty content, aren't we, with just people being happy you don't have to please more than, like, making someone smile, that's it like.

Speaker 3: 21:06

But whereas he was ridiculously over the top, but he did it because he needed to pay for his child's um uni fees, and that's like so many of other cultures and countries out there.

Speaker 2: 21:18

That's why they try so hard, like yeah, I think it comes down to that tipping as well, like the other countries tend to over service, because they're on a, they get tips for the value of their service and I've always said that I wish we had that here because we might get better service in retail shops and restaurants and things like that. So, um, yeah, I think that might be part of it as well. Um, just on Matt's down weight as well, if I can just quickly say from a presentation's point of view, I really liked how theatrical he was, wasn't he like he just moved around and he like did a little dance and move. You really use the stage, and I think it's really important when you're presenting on a big stage like that, because there were some others that didn't really move around much and I could feel myself like my eyes closing because the tonality was very stagnant and they didn't move, and but him and Ryan Serhat definitely had that in their presentation as well, so that was really enjoyable too.

Speaker 1: 22:16

Said like a true dance mum. Yeah, I do like the theatre, use the stage correctly and you know entertain people yeah, exactly Needs to have it all All right Now, so this part was great, okay.

Speaker 1: 22:36

So, ari, we're in day one. We've just heard from Ryan, we've heard from Matt, like we're feeling really good. We go have morning tea, we come back and we see Chip. Now Chip is on Zoom and he is a like I don't know how old he is, maybe he's sort of 60 ish, um, and he's from the US. Um, lovely um speaker, like in terms of like he's lovely to listen to, but he was only talking sort of about one topic as such, and I don't I mean all all I can think about with him. Um, so he I'm just having a quick look at the notes on that doesn't really have too much of the notes of what he was talking about, but all I took from him and I got sleepy in his session, and it's probably because I had two pies for morning tea, though, but all I remember him talking about is bloody green smoothie.

Speaker 2: 23:32

I knew you were going to say that Did anyone else get something else from it.

Speaker 3: 23:37

No, yeah, you go, shannon, he is. He used to work with Tony Robbins, so he's. And when you flick over there's the notes where he made you fill out, obviously, those words throughout the section. And that is a very Tony Robbins thing. I've experienced that myself and he was at one of the events that I went to and I find watching something virtually is really hard, like he can't move around. Like you just said, vanessa, he couldn't move around the stage, he couldn't keep us engaged. It was only his tv that he had next to him with his slides and then him on the screen. So, um, I kind of wondered that if we did have him in person and he could give us more tonality and that sort of thing that I think we probably would have got more from him. But again he is around that, um, that mental state of him. But again he is around that, um, that mental state of, yeah, like looking after your health and well-being sort of thing.

Speaker 1: 24:40

So yeah, what?

Speaker 2: 24:41

about you. Yeah, I, I, um, I also got sleepy during his session and I felt that it was way too long. It actually did make the day go late, over time. Um, and, yeah, I, I didn't really get too much from it. I don't even think I've got one note on his um, yeah, which is a shame. But yeah, not much to say about him yeah, yeah, we'll move on, move along, um.

Speaker 1: 25:04

So after that, um, I'll come back to Gavin Rubenston, because I think the next you watch Gavin, but, shan, did you come and watch Fiona Blaney and the property management? Yeah, yeah, so I'll just quickly go through. I mean, there's not a lot on the property management, on Fiona Blaney, but what I will say on my notes, what I wrote with and I love Fiona Blaney, I actually she's got my personality, so I really enjoy just listening to her um, so I am a fan I wrote down everything has in property management, everything has changed, but nothing has changed. So I thought that was quite a powerful like set of words, because that was very true With her session and with the one afterwards I can't remember, I think it might have been a BDM, it was, you know, nice presentations, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 26:01

But for me, I think that that would have been better for someone with lesser experience, because it was very much about mindset and motivation. You know, being consistent, having a positive mindset to, you know, have good results in your new managements and things like that. For me it didn't hit the mark with me, but that was me personally because I, you know, I have had the business for so long and would my team have liked it? Possibly, but for me I was happy getting back into the selling room and listening to a bit more of that um. But that was my overall um summary, I guess, of the property management uh sessions. They I did feel like I wanted a little bit more than um, than the basics, but, like I said, I I'm conscious to people are listening to this um, because I I really like, I really like Fiona um, and I think it was pleasant. But yeah, I just wanted more. But what did you think, shem?

Speaker 3: 26:59

Yeah, I think, um, like I can see it from your point of view like you've grown your business, you're, you are currently growing your business, so you're always open to other ideas on how to grow your business, and the one that, yeah, yeah, we listened to she'd had incredible growth and was so good at her job and we could see the numbers that she was bringing in. But I think it would have been great to just get a little like a few more tips and like just get into it a little bit more. I think that's sort of what I'm assuming you're kind of getting at. Yeah, yeah, totally Like, yeah, sort of what I'm assuming you're kind of getting at yeah, yeah, totally Like yeah, tell me how many calls you're doing.

Speaker 1: 27:38

What is your? I don't know. What is your new management pack look like? Are you doing something that's a little bit different, that's helping you stand out in the market? Like that's sort of nitty-gritty, because we got that in the sales side with, at the end of the day, with a guy called Trevor who was a firefighter and part-time sales agent and and I, and what I loved about him is he was like on the screen.

Speaker 1: 28:04

It was like here's the checklist I use, here's my neighborhood pack when people come in. Here's you know, here's the Easter thing I do, you know, here's the easter thing I do, you know with the community, and actually gives you all of that information.

Speaker 3: 28:17

And here's my signage that I use and how I use it, so that practicality is definitely my style, um, being a little bit floppy so I think it would come down to the businesses that people work for as well, and how much they're willing to allow people to share. So I think, um, yeah, it's just. I guess it's just. Yeah, that's just our opinion, though, isn't it so?

Speaker 2: 28:43

on that, girls, from the property management point of view for the people that are listening, because I know a lot of property managers have reached out that didn't go and have FOMO for not going are you still glad you went and would you encourage property managers to go next year? That didn't go?

Speaker 1: 28:57

I I think it would depend. Um. So, like someone like Alicia who got the FOMO hello, alicia, yes. Um she, because she's starting a portfolio, she's and she's in that BDM role and she's like selling, I think a BDM would actually get a lot out of the sales side of things. Um so, but if you're a property manager just managing properties and happy with that, I actually don't know whether you'd get much out of our interest, because managing properties it's not, um, you're not interested in BDM, you're not interested in selling it, you're they're probably. But what if that's not?

Speaker 2: 29:33

um. You're not interested in BDM, you're not interested in selling it. You're, they're probably but what if that's their future? You, if it is not future?

Speaker 3: 29:39

you then yes yeah, but they probably get more out of the connections that they'd make with their team on that travel level, like if they're going over with a team, if they are managing a portfolio to yeah obviously we sit in the seminars and sit in the conferences throughout the day and they'll get bits and pieces.

Speaker 3: 29:58

But yeah, I don't think it's like specifically I wouldn't, yeah, I wouldn't encourage it sort of thing. But if they're going with team and like they're going to generate those connections that we've made and that we've been so stoked about, then yeah, 100% yeah, you can take the time off, you know away from it.

Speaker 1: 30:14

Now, vanessa, we didn't um, so we didn't watch Gavin Rubinston, but you did. What did you think?

Speaker 2: 30:18

yes, I loved him as well. Um, he had a really different way of presenting. He was really calm, so it wasn't high energy. He did use the stage but he just delivered the message like just yeah, like really well. Um, one thing that I loved that he said, which I found really interesting coming from him, is he said real estate is 20 skill, 80 mindset. That's a huge ratio and for someone like that to say that, I thought wow, and it it's, it's true, like you can get in your head and it can really mess up your business. So that was a good takeaway.

Speaker 2: 30:57

He also spoke a lot about find your edge. So just find your own edge, how you want to do things and do it your way and try to be. You know, we always say try and be a bit different from the next and there's only certain things you can do to stand out. But it was find your edge. And he also said to go from prospecting to being prospected. So you want to get to that level of people are coming to you to do the business. Um, and play with passion, which is huge. If you lose your passion, you're not going to be successful. So so play with passion. And again, calls, just make the calls. So but, yeah, I really enjoyed listening to him, listening to his story, the message that he gave and the way that he delivered it. So, yeah, I really liked him.

Speaker 1: 31:45

Now I'll skip Matt Gray, because I quite liked Matt, but that was a very specific one on some online businesses and stuff like that, so I'll sort of bypass him and get straight into Sarah Hackett. So Sarah was the lady that stood there, stood behind the pen the pen team, do you call it and then she read pretty much read her thing, which was powerful in a way because she was a very strong woman standing there doing it. I was definitely engaged. But I was engaged because of her content and her presentation as such, because when people don't have a script, obviously their personality comes through a little bit, like we saw with everyone else. But her didn't see as much of a personality, but very, very strong presence still and I liked her.

Speaker 1: 32:38

I'm just going to try and find my notes on her because I actually again is what it came back to. Um, where are we? What it came back to was I just want to quickly see, um, what I wrote on her. It came, it came down to the content and she actually showed what she did and does in her business. So I think from memory she did a lot with the buyer management side of things, but she actually did like a flow chart or a chart of like what each of the positions were in her business and actually the real practical how to so and how to set up that sort of buyer management client centric team. So I thought that was really good. So I got a lot out of the actual practicalities of it. I'm just seeing if I can't bring up my notes. But what did you girls think of her?

Speaker 2: 33:25

I agree. I think it would have been nice for her. Even though she had the, it was basically a speech in front of her. It was definitely just like reading it off the off the paper, which it would have been nice if she did add a little bit of her own, um, personality to it. Um, so I agree that, but you know it's a difficult thing to do talk to 5 000 people so obviously that's the way she felt comfortable doing it. She got her message across, um, she was very inspiring. You girls didn't listen to the other lady who actually she employed and she was also really good, megan Muir. So they worked for the same company and Sarah employed her as a student from school and Megan has since, you know, grown to be a high performer. So it was nice to listen to Megan and then Sarah as well, to know what that leadership looked like. Um. So yeah, I didn't have Sarah down as one of my favorites, but I did enjoy her presentation.

Speaker 3: 34:23

Shannon, did you watch it? I, I did watch, but I just I struggled to connect with the reading. I maybe I, yeah, I just need the, the personality and the theatrics, and obviously it was very much um. See, you're saying now that she had a great flow chart on you know the, the way that she's implemented things, and I must have missed that because I thought it was very sales based. So I guess that's why I tuned out. Um, but what?

Speaker 1: 34:53

was that. Did you blink too long?

Speaker 3: 34:56

yeah, probably no, but like, honestly, she like I would be doing that if I was walking into five, a room full of 5 000 people, I would be doing the same thing. But um and yeah, so that was just, that was just me. Yeah, yeah, I definitely would have scripted it as well.

Speaker 1: 35:12

So no, no hate to that, um, and and then two more for the day. Trevor Bowen, who was the guy I was talking about, part-time real estate, part-time firefighter, loved his casualness, loved his no crap. Here's what I do. Take it, leave it, whatever.

Speaker 2: 35:30

Love that same for you guys or yes, yeah, he was great, he was surprisingly good. He was the last speaker of the day and he's. You saw so many people leave like I don't want to listen to this guy, but for me I was like, oh well, we're here and he actually was surprisingly good. Yeah, and I loved that. He shared everything that he does and, yeah, he was just so real yeah, so so.

Speaker 1: 35:52

So green smoothie chip had gone over time, which meant that we couldn't that, which meant that we had to get ryan reynolds still at the same time, which meant that poor trevor had to go for the end of the day, but it worked. I was like yeah, like yourself, shan. You left, didn't you?

Speaker 3: 36:08

yeah, I left, I was out.

Speaker 1: 36:11

So ryan reynolds, I'm I, I really actually really like that, but the the only thing that keeps on coming to mind with me is what a nice human being that's the same.

Speaker 3: 36:24

He's such a good human just just genuine and like real and just honest and yeah, lives a normal life, in a way like obviously he doesn't at all, but like he thinks he does and he told us he does, and he just does things because that's what you do as a human being, like it.

Speaker 1: 36:46

Yeah, it was great yes, yeah, nothing to learn from him, but just lovely. Um I. I did have some feedbacks from some people that we went away with saying that they didn't like the way John McGrath interviewed him, so that was.

Speaker 2: 37:00

Before I start, I'm sorry, John McGrath, if you're listening, but he could have been wearing something a bit nicer.

Speaker 1: 37:05

like you're talking to Ryan Reynolds, John McGrath doesn't listen to him Like podcast number one and number two. Yeah, he wore it. Do you know? This is what I actually was saying when I came back to the office. I was like, like I actually like Tom Panelt. He's a love or hate person. I actually quite like him. He's been, I love him, but yeah, um, and then you've got John McGrath but it felt like you know, we were there, we spent you know a lot of money to go and so for us it was like you know, we want the emc to be bubbly and um and really motivate us for being there and make us feel special for being there. Where those two came on, grandpa's, you know, jumping and sort of just like, sat on the couch with their glasses on, um, not motivating and not feeling excited or like for us to be there, and it felt they were quite flat.

Speaker 3: 37:58

I would have liked to see it yeah, you needed more entertainment, essentially like to group it all together. You had these incredible speakers, so to have that like professional emcee would have really kept us going. They would have possibly introduced the speakers a little better and, you know, hyped them up and maybe people would have stayed, like me, maybe I would have stayed for the fireman at the end of the day if I had that hype up on who he was and what it was that he got. You know that he was doing.

Speaker 3: 38:29

Can I go back to Ryan Reynolds. Actually, one thing I took from him, and also, um, ryan Sirhan, was they spoke a lot about family and they got asked questions like how do you manage your time with your family? And I mean we all take what we want to hear, I guess, from these things, don't we? But for them I really appreciated that they were actually quite honest in saying that they don't have a lot of time for their family or for their kids and, like people that know me know that my husband works really long hours as well, and it was just nice to hear that these people at these high-performing levels, they are being honest in saying like yeah, I don't have the time.

Speaker 3: 39:22

I don't spend as much time as I would like to, but that's because I'm creating this future for our family, essentially. And yeah, they both said that they're doing things, so that they're. You know, ryan was saying he's worked out with him and Blake that they're not going to be filming together like at different times anymore. It's going to be all together and he was planning on actually going back and settling their home and settling down. After he was talking with us when he was in where was he? In Russia or something, somewhere.

Speaker 1: 39:55

He was in like what is it Lodzik?

Speaker 3: 39:59

I don't know, but yeah it was just nice, like, and I think, yeah, there's a lot of pressure on families to spend lots of time with their kids, but then there's also pressure on us who want to be high performing and want to be successful, um, and then it makes you like, obviously we get, we'll get that mum guilt where you feel bad that you've got a babysitter picking up you know once or twice a week and their kids are going to daycare and all that kind of thing. But to hear that they were just like you know what I can't manage it and I don't manage it well, and it is what it is like. But we are doing what we want to do because they love it and they love what they do. And yeah, I just I really liked that. That was one of the biggest things. I actually told Sue, my husband, about it. I was like you know what it was really nice to hear, like yeah, yeah, we don't all get mum guilt like you, shan.

Speaker 1: 40:53

What's that? We don't all get mum guilt like you. I don't feel guilty when I get that babysitter or drop off at daycare.

Speaker 2: 40:58

No, well, just remember my kids are older Ash.

Speaker 3: 41:02

Yeah, that's what I was gonna say you guys are further along, maybe when I'm like on the tip, when they're 10 and 12, I won't feel so bad.

Speaker 2: 41:09

I do get I will. I will say I do get mum guilt and on that it actually gets harder as they get older when you're talking about how you watch other families and they're doing this and they're doing that and you know they're having these lovely weekends as families and we're all working. But then you've got to find what the positive is and what you're doing and teach them that and you don't even need to say anything. They understand and they learn. So for my kids, for example, I do, I work a lot and they do say, mum, you're always working, but then we'll go, you know, on on lots of holidays and when we're on holidays we get that quality time. And they understand now that that's what we're as a family. We're making a sacrifice to work towards that.

Speaker 1: 41:51

So you're right, that are the messages that those um speakers did did get across did I tell you, girls, that I came home and millie had rolled an ankle at dancing the night before and then my mum being like exactly, or me being exactly like my mum my mum messaged me and goes when I got off the plane. She's rolled her ankle, but she could still eat KFC, so I don't think there's anything wrong with her, but yeah, with that anyway next morning. So what do we get in like at home at like midnight, wake up in the morning and Millie goes? Mum, my ankle's like really, really, really sore and I look at it it's bruised, it's swollen. So I took her down to the hospital and she'd broken it.

Speaker 1: 42:35

So, yes, morning. Yeah, so her whole like ligament had pulled off some of her bone so she's in like a full moon boot now for five weeks. Oh, no.

Speaker 1: 42:45

Yeah, and she was really then being just like me and mum was just like I'm glad there was something wrong with it, because she didn't believe me. So I took Millie to school yesterday after getting all that fitted. After an hour she was like and so like, picture me Ash just wants to get into work, get work done, then get her to school. Finally she calls up after an hour and a half. I can't do it, my ankle's too sore. All right, nan, pull up. Nan, go pick her up, because my mum's got eight hours left of being in Perth so I'm going to use every single minute. And then half an hour after that, st Columbus calls up.

Speaker 1: 43:26

I was like bloody hell. And then I answered the phone from primary school for Angus and then I was like I've already picked up one child, what's this one done? And they're like well, he's had a fall and I don't think it needs stitches, but I'd rather you just double check. So I was like Nan, go pick up that one as well. And yeah, it's pretty deep because even like this morning, the blood's still coming through, like it's still bleeding a lot through the kneecap, and I was like I don't have time to go to the hospital, bandage that up again, you know, and maybe hope that it heals before we need it. Oh my, gosh um the.

Speaker 2: 43:59

So, oh, sorry. Just one more thing on on Ryan Reynolds. The other thing that he got across was just know who you are, which is really important. So he did talk a lot about that, so that's something that I got from him.

Speaker 1: 44:11

Excellent. Now let's go speed through day two, because it wasn't anything that was major highlights, but Chris Gilmore. Oh yes, cool guy, loved him and comes back to those practical tips. Showed us oh yes, cool, love him and comes back to those practical tips. Showed us exactly what his marketing looked like. This is what I'm doing. Had some humor in that. Love his ballsy attitude gives no shit, just does what he wants.

Speaker 2: 44:33

Love that um how cool is his marketing. So he has some really good marketing ideas that I love, yeah, and so generously sharing them as well. Oh, 100%.

Speaker 1: 44:44

And just a great you know, coming back to that whole spending time and listening to people that are better than you, he does marketing far better than me and anyone that I know, and that's why I think we liked him so much. Did you get to see him, shep?

Speaker 3: 45:01

Yeah, I saw him. Did you get to see him Shep? Yeah, I saw him. I loved the whole. Like the whole skip bin thing and the yeah, the no chunk mouth, yeah, and I could just have. I could just hear Stu in my mind like that real, just like, just get it, they just get it. Yeah, like it was great.

Speaker 1: 45:20

I loved it. No fluffiness, and I think again, we all love the non-fluffy approach. That's our general consensus, and let's just finish off with Mark Goris.

Speaker 2: 45:30

I was disappointed. Yeah, I think I expected a little bit more of a futuristic type angle from him, and he was just all about health and wellbeing and wellness.

Speaker 2: 45:42

And I do think a lot of people. The whole conference had a lot of wellness in it, which I like, but I didn't expect him to be so heavy on that. I did take some notes on him, but yeah, I thought I mean I like him, I respect him, I think he's great, but not what I expected from him. Winning mindset that was something that he put across which I loved. And play to your strengths and live to your weaknesses they were the two things and just the reminder of health, nutrition and sleep. But other than that, yeah, it's not, I think again, and even he didn't seem very prepared. So I think that's why he waffled on a lot about that and then realised he didn't cover the other topic.

Speaker 1: 46:27

So what Vanessa's saying is when he first came on stage it's the first words that came out of his mouth were so I called Tom this morning and asked him what he wanted me to talk about this afternoon, and as soon as we heard that we're like, oh okay, maybe you shouldn't have told us that you were, you know, somewhat unprepared, because that set my mind, um, to be disappointed. Um, I guess all I took from him was that he's very strict on a routine. I probably could be a little on my routine and my sleep and my, you know, meal planning and things like that and things like that. Um, but I'm also not interested in being strict like that either. I can see the benefit of it. So very, very disappointing. I thought I would definitely have rathered Ryan finishing off I think the event that would have probably made the biggest difference for me, as opposed to finishing off with Mark. But yeah, shan, do you have anything to add on with that?

Speaker 3: 47:21

one yeah, not really I mean Mark, or like with the whole uh routine, like that's very much stew. So I think I just knew that and, like I said in the beginning, like that was my biggest takeaway is looking after your health and your mindset and that sort of thing. That's what can help you be successful and have the energy to put in the work every day, sort of thing, and I think there's a place for it, definitely. But again, it's just getting that and reminding yourself that that should really be a priority or can be a priority. And yes, stew is exactly the same, like it's the same thing every day. It goes to bed at the same time, like it gets up every morning at the same time, eats at the same times every day.

Speaker 3: 48:03

So, yeah, it's something that obviously I'm used to being around and I do see how successful you can be being like that. So, um, yeah, but I agree, I wonder if he didn't say that he wasn't prepared in the beginning, that we would have maybe thought he was okay throughout, but I think, because he said it and then it didn't really flow and then we all came back to what he'd said in the beginning. So, yeah, but that's all right.

Speaker 2: 48:29

I didn't focus too much on that. For me, it was more that he said I'm going to talk to you about this and this, like he said, the two topics that he was going to talk about, but then he got to the end and he's like oh, I don't have time to talk about that now and that's, I think, what everyone was waiting for, which was more about the forecast of everything that's happening at the moment with the country and yeah, yeah, all right.

Speaker 1: 48:54

Well, so that's pretty much our ARI wrap-up for those two days. So you can sort of see definitely some really strong, strong high and then the rest sort of a little bit mediocre. But let's be sharp talking about Leader. So this was an event that Sherry Storer from Real Estate Nation had organised. It was a half day event on a Tuesday and it was followed by a really lovely lunch for anyone that went with. Oh my God, I should someone please tell me the name of the guy we had lunch with. It's terrible Wayne Bennett. I keep on calling him Warren, wayne Bennett, don't shoot me. Wayne Bennett, very important, and we had lunch with him afterwards. So the event was on leadership, business profits. I think it was 300 people there.

Speaker 1: 49:42

Sherry does beautiful events, like her attention to detail and her marketing is I. I love that side of things. So for me that's like um, really cool. Um, special mention to the food. They had scones and like mini burgers for morning tea right up my alley. I love that, um. So that was like that was cool for me. But, vanessa, yeah, you really liked it, didn't you the lead on? I?

Speaker 2: 50:05

loved it. It's not a typical thing that a sales agent would go to. So that day actually made me realise that I am very much of a business mindset and still am, because I got so much out of it and the speakers were just next level and I was engaged so many takeaways and gold nuggets and it really did completely change my mindset. Rebecca Holton, in particular her delivery, the way she spoke and everything that she shared. She just opened up, she was like an open book and I think that's amazing. She just shared all her figures, how she's got there, where she's going, and it's really inspired me to to make a future plan, because it's not something that I've really thought about. I'm just sort of sailing through, like I said before. So she was great.

Speaker 2: 50:56

Um, I loved Jeff Lucas as well. Um, our CEO, he was brilliant too. Um, and Sandra Larkin I got a lot out of her. She was of the wellness and, but I don't know there was something about her slides and her delivery that it was just like, yeah, you know, let's make sure that our health and mindset is good. So, and, of course, anthony Catalano loved, loved his presentation on what we see for the future and the world's going to change, with or without you.

Speaker 1: 51:26

So see, anthony, I actually, um, found really difficult to listen to. Oh, did you? And I don't know what it was. I I think it came down to like um, a very ascripted presentation, um, but also going through my head is he speaks just like my brother and I think was like that was constantly like going circling in my mind like gosh, he talks like my brother's Anthony as well, but gosh, anthony, gosh, he sounds like Anthony. So it was really hard for me to connect with him. But for that stupid, um, you know, stupid reason.

Speaker 3: 52:03

Yeah, I just found it difficult.

Speaker 3: 52:05

Yeah, I enjoyed him, but I found trying to keep up with the numbers and stuff that he was talking about because he's generated like his story is incredible. But I needed like an extra couple of seconds to like process what he just said and I kind of feel that if he just had have let us let a couple of sentences sink in like, definitely, his story is incredible and I actually like I was Googling him last night to reread it because I knew that I hadn't taken it all in and yeah, like that's what I think. If it was just slowed down and he just allowed us to, yeah, have a paused minute, um, I think we would have got loads more out of it. But in terms of like the tech side of um things, I love that obviously. So we've created our app and like hearing what he's done with viewcomau and all of that, like it's pretty, pretty insane what he's created Like and just to think that he's got nine kids, like you know, and he's got nine kids.

Speaker 1: 53:13

Oh, does he no.

Speaker 3: 53:14

I think he said 10 kids, oh, 10 kids.

Speaker 1: 53:16

Okay, yeah, well, that is his website. If you read it, I'm positive. He said 10 kids on stage. Okay.

Speaker 3: 53:23

Yeah, but like how you know, and again it's like how the hell does he have time to have like a billion-dollar company or whatever these companies like with all these children? But yeah, it's support and when you get to that point, obviously Of course, yeah.

Speaker 1: 53:36

I was so funny, you said it. Because in my mind I was thinking that, in my mind I was thinking, sophia, like if you had so much money, like how many children would you actually have? Because I was like, you know, because sometimes money is what puts people off having more children, not me. I'm happy with the rag.

Speaker 2: 53:52

No, I wouldn't have any more, not personally. No, no, I'm done.

Speaker 1: 53:58

Yeah, I thought Sandra Larkin, I really liked her as a human and I loved her presentation and what she had to say. I really enjoyed that. And Jeff Lucas, I actually really I would have put him up there. I think that definitely number one of her transparency. But Jeff was my number two because he I just really liked when he had his like red flags for like leadership. I think it was him that did um and I I liked like his real, it was practical tips for me, um, but you know as, and what about Wayne Bennett? Like he's um, he was again like he'd love his style, um, really old school leadership and a beautiful way to finish off. You know our weekend as well, um, and he was good. I can't tell you what I got out of him, but it was for me. It was a feeling from listening to him that I loved feeling yeah.

Speaker 2: 54:53

I think it was very much like you said oh, just old school, classic advice, something that your dad would sit you down and say well, for me anyway, I felt like it's the advice that my dad would always give and it's so simple. I think sometimes we overcomplicate it and you've just got to go back to basics and you know he just had really good things to say and just really simple stuff. Yeah, and even Jeff Lucas, something that he said you've got two ears and one mouth, use them that way. And I think Ryan Serhan or Ryan Reynolds said silence is violence. Same sort of thing like listen more, talk less. So it's just that, that simple advice, um, that I loved.

Speaker 2: 55:35

Yeah, and just quickly on, oh sorry, I was just going to say one other thing about the the leader um panel. I loved that the sales agents that were on that panel had hadn't been in the industry for very long and they told their story about how they grew so quickly, because quite often we go to these events or me personally, um and it's always agents that have been in the industry for 30 years and you know, and sometimes it's a little bit soul crushing for the agents that haven't been around for very long because it's like well, of course you're doing well because you've been in it for so long and you're so experienced, because it's all about having the experience behind you. So it was really refreshing to have that as a difference and hearing their story.

Speaker 1: 56:19

Yeah, absolutely, and I think, as a general the notes I've just written now that we all seem to have a lot more respect and enjoy the sessions where people were open and transparent and gave a really amazing idea of exactly what they're doing and weren't scared to share all their tips and tricks with us. If you look at as a general, they're the ones that we seem to have been attracted to more than the ones that just gave us a surface level mindset. You know about, you know making phone calls, whatever it was the ones that said this is how many phone calls I make. I do this weekly, I do this monthly. These are my numbers. Like that was probably a fair summary that they're the ones that?

Speaker 2: 57:06

Yeah, definitely, and I think if you take that back, like if that's what we got out of them, and then if you look at how the public see us, that's probably how they select their agents on those qualities, as opposed to the agents that are a little bit more surface level and look a bit sketchy. So the more transparent you are and the more upfront you are about what you're going to do with them and collaborate with them, the more chance you're going to be of having success and that comes down to the social media about, um.

Speaker 1: 57:37

You know, when you are transparent online and you um people, you get to show you who you are, what food you like, how many kids you've got, and you give all that information to the public, who don't even know you, they're more likely to trust you and you're more likely to. So it's interesting that you've sort of said it that way, because that's exactly how it works. Yeah, like you said, with our clients yeah with leader.

Speaker 3: 58:03

I think I took a lot from Sherry as well. Like I was just looking at my now and I just feel like a lot of there was just little things again, like little, just pops of like value, and I like wrote it down like it was. Yeah, she was great as well.

Speaker 2: 58:17

Yeah and she's such a good human being, isn't she oh?

Speaker 1: 58:20

yeah she is, and I love her energy, yeah, so we, um, we were talking at lunch one day I'll finish off with this story. We're talking at lunch one day and when we're over there and we're talking about how, like you know, some of them had like massive schedules and showed us what they did between 5 am to 11 pm, and one of the guys that we were with, sean, he was saying how he, you know, quite often, just works in, he's a sales rep, works in his row, does a couple of hours, he goes. I still make good money and I, you know, only work three hours a day or whatever it was, and we're like we really need the real Eric. Like we want an event where you have the people that actually just say it as it is. You know what an event where you have the people that actually just say it as it is.

Speaker 1: 59:05

You know what? I still make good money and only work two hours a day, as opposed to these high performers. But we've still got people that are still high performers in their own right um, who do less hours, and it was like it'd be really interesting to do some sort of event where there was some real truth behind um and transparency around what it looks like when you don't do all that, if that makes sense. Don't do the traditional way, but still successful. So I think there's something there.

Speaker 2: 59:32

Definitely Watch this place Absolutely Well you know what that was.

Speaker 1: 59:36

Such a great summary. Thanks, guys for jumping on and sharing that with everyone. And for me like, or actually actually for you guys, would you go next year? I would?

Speaker 2: 59:48

yeah, I would go. Yeah, I would go if it was with the same or a similar group like that's I, I didn't. I've always planned to go to ARIC and I never really thought about who I would go with. This kind of all just came together this year, um, and it made me realise that it was that part of it that I enjoyed the most the being together, the networking. So it would depend that would be my decision maker on whether I would go or not. Not so much for ARIC you wouldn't go just by yourself.

Speaker 1: 1:00:20

No, I can't.

Speaker 2: 1:00:22

No, because I loved like sharing our um takeaways and everything every day and you know the networking, the connections and, just for anyone listening, we didn't get drunk every night. It wasn't about partying, because that's what everyone thinks and is thinking and some people do and that's fine, um, but it kind of would defeat the purpose of being there, um. So, yeah, the evenings were very much about just sharing everything that we got from the day and, yeah, just just all about our businesses and everything. So that would be my deciding factor if I went next year, um, but I would definitely go again at some point. If it's not next year, then the following year, and what about?

Speaker 3: 1:01:01

you. Yeah, I'm the same. I I think I like to do those things and it was really nice to have three nights away from the kids.

Speaker 1: 1:01:09

I will say I mean, I miss them.

Speaker 3: 1:01:12

I miss them. But yeah, I'd love to do it again with Stu. To be honest, I'd love him to come over. But yeah, I'm the same Like the connections that we made and the people that we got on a deeper level with. That we didn't really know too well. I guess that was the main thing out of it. But yeah, and to be honest, I'd love to do LIDA again next year, like that was if. I went. That would be the top of my list.

Speaker 1: 1:01:35

And value for money for Arik, I think. What did we pay? Maybe $1,000 for the ticket. I feel that that was pretty good value, even though I wasn't like impressed 100%. I feel like that's pretty like pretty good still, you know, $500 for a day's conference with some pretty good speakers I feel like a pretty reasonable price yeah, yeah definitely and the trade fair.

Speaker 2: 1:02:02

We didn't really talk about it, but you've always got that as well, which um had the opportunity to find new things to put into your business too. So, yeah, definitely worth the money yeah, excellent.

Speaker 1: 1:02:12

Well, guys, thank you for your time. Great wrap up with everyone thank you and um, I will speak to you soon, okay.