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From starting a business during a period of economic uncertainty to adopting an unconventional attitude towards hiring, the principal of RE/MAX Property Professionals in Greater Springfield shows why backing yourself is sometimes the best motivator of success.
As Melina MacNellie-Verrall shared during a recent episode of REB’s The WIRE, she started her real estate career almost directly out of high school. But far from being an accidental career choice, the property manager-turned-agent who now owns her own agency fostered a great passion for the industry.
Still, when she found herself confronting some of the industry’s less-desirable aspects, as well as a desire to learn some new skills, Ms MacNellie-Verrall followed her gut and made a move into banking and finance, starting a new career from scratch.
And as with real estate, she started at the bottom – working first as a bank teller before growing into a leadership position over the course of nine years.
It was during her work filling out mortgage applications for clients that her two careers began to align.
“I’d be talking to them about the house that they’re buying. And even with the investors, it was like, ‘Okay, so what’s your strategy? You’re wanting to build your portfolio …’,” she said.
She soon realised how well her two areas of experience would serve her in the property investing game.
Not only that, but before too long, she began to see it as a means to get back to her first career passion, but with the added benefit of being the one to call the shots – and surround herself in the culture that she valued.
“So about 2017 or 2018, I started growing a small portfolio on the side and with the vision of leaving the bank. But I needed to build that up enough to be in a position to do that,” she explained.
“My goal was to have enough there to cover at least a premises to go out and fulfil this dream of mine.”
The dream being: to open her own real estate office.
She’d just about made it to that point when COVID struck, and those around her urged her to reconsider making any sudden moves.
Despite the market volatility, she instead took the global uncertainty as a sign.
“God, that was my push to get out because I jumped into retention for the bank and my experience there was just enough for me to go, ‘This isn’t me. It’s time to get out,’” she said.
If Australia knew then what it knows now about the market’s future performance, few would try to dissuade Ms MacNellie-Verrall from following that instinct.
“But at the time, my family and everyone were like, ‘You’re mad. Why would you go and do this now?’ People are freaking out, and I’m going and signing a lease for a premises,” she said.
On top of that, Ms MacNellie-Verral had a child on the way, so to say she’d taken on a lot was an understatement.
But more than anything, the agent trusted that when her gut told her it was time to make a move, she had to follow.
Just as being turned off by the culture in the particular market of her previous real estate job had urged her to chart a new path to learn new skills, the changes coming in the banking sector in the face of COVID-19 made her sure that it was time to branch out on her own. She credits those two different careers with arming her with the skills she needed to be able to run her new business successfully.
“I will take a risk if I truly, wholeheartedly believe it in my heart that there’s an opportunity here to grow a business, to employ local, to help other people in the industry,” Ms MacNellie-Verral explained.
“Everything I learned [in banking] gave me the skill set I have now to lead an amazing team. And I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to align my banking experience with my real estate experience and bring it together. I just think it’s made me not only unique as an agent but as a business owner as well,” she said.
Starting with her sister-in-law as the first recruit, who also had a newborn at the outset of the business, she’s been able to grow the enterprise to encompass 13 staff members in just two short years.
It goes to show that core values and gut instinct can oftentimes be the best drivers of success. She fully admits that when it comes to hiring, her priorities are quite different to many other real estate offices.
“I’ve taken a completely different approach to building my team, and it’s [based] off the back of that strong core value within me to help others – especially other mums with young kids, [wondering] how can you still have a career and make this work?
“Well, I have, and I’ve always been able to. And it’s my goal to empower other women to know that they can as well. Obviously, I don’t just have women on my team; I do have men as well. But that’s where it started for me and building that balance of giving back,” she said.
Listen to Melina MacNellie-Verral’s full conversation on The WIRE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.
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