Celebrating our Leading Ladies

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THIS International Women’s Day, we’ve shined a light on a few of the women that make Ray White great. Not only are they outstanding real estate agents and business owners but also inspirational women who live this year’s IWD theme ‘Cracking the code’ everyday. While innovation has the power to transform lives, we know that there are still many barriers to equality. Access to inclusive digital technologies and education is critical. We sat down to talk about their real estate careers, the many hats they wear and what advice they would give to women starting out in the industry.

Ray White has created Leading Ladies of Real Estate, an industry-wide initiative focused on building a community that supports and inspires women in the industry to chase their potential – both personally and professionally.

Megan Jaffe 
Ray White Remuera, NZ

I have a background in healthcare as a registered nurse, and then management and consulting in the private healthcare sector, when I also obtained an MBA. After an experience as a frustrated vendor, I was inspired to pursue real estate as a career. 
I started Ray White Remuera in 2007. 

 

Vanessa Golightly
Ray White Papanui, NZ

I started my real estate career by accident really – when I completed my business degree I took an office job and it just so happened to be on the reception desk of a local real estate company! The rest is history and 17 years later I am now a business owner.

Anita Martelli
Ray White Rotorua, NZ 

In a previous life I was a bank manager, but I had an interest in real estate from a young age. It wasn’t until I was in my 40s and expecting our third child that I decided to get my real estate licence. My advice to others going into real estate is to work hard and be enthusiastic! 

Vivien Yap
Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont, WA

There’s no end point to how much you can grow. Don’t give yourself a goal that you can’t completely smash, so break your goals down to bite sized goals but never lose sight of your dream. There are no shortcuts in life.

Jody Fewster
Ray White Cottesloe | Mosman Park, WA

Before real estate, I founded a management consulting firm in Sydney. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from Harvard Business School. I founded my Ray White business with my business partner Deborah Brady in 2018 and I credit my success to the training I received at Harvard. Being consistent and doing the basics really well is so important.

Wendy Samrani
Ray White Caringbah, NSW

The best advice I have ever received is to treat your clients with respect, treat them the way you would like to be treated, present their property the way you would your very own, work hard, be transparent, enjoy kicking goals and reap the rewards – (this golden advice was given to me by my father).

Angela Duncan
Ray White Aspley, QLD

Never apologise for being a powerful freaking woman. It’s such an amazing advantage to work with clients, juggle our crazy lifestyles and a huge strength that I believe most women can be both tough negotiators as well as calm and empathetic for all clients.

Vicki Pain 
Ray White Rural Dayboro | Eumundi, QLD

Knowing what I know now, I would tell women thinking of joining the industry to just do it. If you’ve spent your life raising children and navigating life with your partner then you have every skill in negotiating you will ever need.

Sonya Treloar
Ray White Bridgeman Downs, QLD

I started in real estate in late 2010. My advice would be, don’t let anyone tell you that you are not good enough to succeed in this industry, believe in yourself and get a good mentor who shares your values. Let real estate be your career, not what defines you.

Tahlia Gabrielli
Ray White Mt Gambier, SA

There is always something that you can learn, something you can improve on, something you can do better or even a new way to look at a situation. You have to be open minded, stay hungry and be passionate and on the front foot, to be innovative and to continually grow. 

Sarah Bower
Ray White Norwood, SA

I started in real estate as a residential property valuer 15 years ago. I moved into sales five years ago and also became an accredited and practising auctioneer around three years ago. My advice is to stick in there!

Aimee Carding
Ray White Sherwood | Ray White Graceville, QLD

I tell women starting in the industry to never be ashamed of asking for help. You can achieve anything and it is important to remember your goals are just as important – so make time for these and set up a support network to help you be able to achieve what you want.

Ruby Rozental 
Ray White Commercial Western Sydney, NSW

Prior to Ray White I was a lawyer for 17 years. The opportunity to join Ray White arose just after our second child was born, as my husband Peter Vines was growing restless in his role with a big corporation and I was looking to resurrect my career after another stint of maternity leave. 

Fiona Conde
Ray White West End, QLD

I have been in the industry for 17 years. My advice for up and coming women in the industry is that it’s not as glamorous as you think, it’s going to be lots of hard work and agents are really just glorified telemarketers in a cute outfit. But you have to be willing to put in the work to succeed.

Helen Yan
Ray White Balwyn, VIC

I love selling and I always go above and beyond for my clients. We truly do have the most supportive network in which agents can thrive and grow. There is no secret to success in real estate, you must work very hard for your clients.

Vivian Li
Ray White Wantirna, VIC

Being a perfectionist, it can be hard to give control over. Some of us can be very detail oriented, but we are all human and sometimes we need to let go of some control. I now have embraced a wonderful team and we learn from each other.

Cindy Cash
Ray White North Richmond, NSW

My advice to upcoming agents is to be yourself, don’t be a carbon copy of someone else because you will never succeed. There’s also no shying away from the work you have to do either. There’s no excuse for not putting in the hard yards to succeed.

Judi O’Dea
Ray White Paddington, QLD

One of my favourite things is an open home. I run them very professionally and when people come in, I ask certain questions of them so I can create a platform for further conversation. I am always mindful of building relationships because that’s the foundation of our business.

Catherina Khouzami
Ray White Liverpool, NSW

My advice is simple but there’s actually a lot of depth to it. Always be looking for a seller and one of the best ways that I can do that is great customer service. Referrals are my best way to get new business. I’m always up for a chat, no matter who I meet.

Kim Olsen
Ray White Kim Olsen Property, QLD

I celebrated 10 years in real estate last year, and moved across to Ray White on my anniversary! Be authentic to yourself, and to those around you.  Don’t wear different hats, be the same person in business as who you are in your personal life.

Margaret Black AM
Ray White Rural Atherton, QLD

In my spare time I love to travel and I love spending time with my family – my grandchildren bring me great joy. I devote a lot of time to volunteer work and because of this I was honoured to be awarded a member of the Order of Australia. I am a director on the Carinya Home for the Aged board.

Julie Mahoney
Ray White Julie Mahoney, QLD

The best advice I have ever received was from my dad. What is takes to succeed today is undoubtedly, process, discipline, and communication, both technically and verbal. Mix this with genuine passion for our industry and top it off with an unrelenting work ethic.

Elsie Corby
Ray White Rockingham | Baldivis, WA

Real estate is one of those professions where it doesn’t matter who you are; you can be old or young, male or female. I think it just comes down to having a good motor and tolerance for stress. My advice to people starting in the industry would be to make sure that you learn all the systems available and always be pleasant to people and show respect.

Jessica Cao
Ray White Upper North Shore, NSW

After an international career in sales, based overseas, I began in real estate 10 years ago. 

The best advice I’ve ever received was the more “no”s you get, the closer the next “yes” is.

Leesa Paull
Ray White New Farm, QLD

I have been a proud member and administrator at Ray White for over 28 years and the unofficial “queen of the perfect week“. My favourite quote: Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card. How you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.

Chrese Morely
Ray White Ascot, QLD

The real estate industry can be tricky to navigate. I have found that surrounding myself with like minded people and being a part of a close team of genuinely good human beings has meant that we can provide consistent and quality service for our clients.  It’s the people that are the cornerstone of any success story.

Genevieve Hill
Ray White Patterson Lakes, VIC

I have been in real estate for almost 18 years. The best advice I ever received was to treat people the way they like to be treated, don’t take things for granted and be true to yourself. I think what it takes to succeed is don’t wait for things to happen, you have to make it happen. Be consistent.

Cristine Jones
Ray White Ferntree Gully, VIC

Before I started in real estate 20 years ago, I was a mechanic and race care driver. 

What I learned from being in a male dominated industry is to never doubt what you are capable of, just give it a go!

Eleni Notaras 
Ray White Commercial Canberra, ACT

I’ve been around real estate my whole life as my father was a real estate agent. He then opened his own agency where I worked part time while I was completing my tertiary study. When my kids were all at school, I started working full time for the ACT Government in their land release program before moving  into a  commercial property management role.

Marina Gear
Ray White Inner West Group, NSW

I started in real estate in 2015. What I’ve learned in my career is this – the two things in life you are totally in control over are your attitude and your effort.

Karla Lynch
Ray White New Farm, QLD

I was working in hospitality and got sick of working the strange hours. I ended up working with Ray White New Farm as the receptionist and everything worked up from there. My advice is to be authentic and be yourself. 

Emily Scriven
Ray White New Farm, QLD

After a year of working in hospitality, I decided that wasn’t for me and took a leap by asking Karla Lynch if she would consider hiring me. I did an interview and got the job and have been working for her for over a year. When starting in the industry, you have to make sure to keep yourself grounded and take in as much advice and information as possible.