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With Father’s Day around the corner, REB decided to showcase the dads of the industry, including this son-and-father duo who took on the challenge of opening an office together.
One day, over coffee in the family living room, a father and son sketched out a bold plan – to build their legacy by launching their very first real estate agency together.
In January, veteran agent Luke McPhee and his son Jesse took a leap of faith and opened a new Belle Property office in Mermaid Beach.
Now, nine months later, they wish they had done it sooner, as working with family has brought them even closer than before.
“People come up to us, ‘How’s it all going, guys?’ We kind of wish we had done this earlier. It's a lot of fun,” the duo said.
According to the duo, working together has been impactful for their career as Jesse’s proactive, action-first approach has complemented Luke’s more considered style, creating a balance that strengthens their business.
“From a business perspective and even as a friendship and a father-son relationship, we bounce off each other really well,” Jesse McPhee said.
“When I might get frustrated with something, I know I can walk away, and Dad will pick up the pieces, and vice versa; I can go and take care of paperwork for him.”
For Jesse, working together with his dad has not only been a family venture but also a learning experience, as his dad boasts 25 years of industry experience, having worked for McGrath, realestate.com.au, and Kollosche.
He said that, in addition to spending time with his “old man”, his “best mate”, the learning curve has been invaluable.
“I think I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with someone like my father. I take a lot of mentorship from him, and when I’m stressed working with him calms me down,” Jesse said.
“I think the biggest advice I learnt from him was being patient and always putting people first.”
Jesse said his father’s career has inspired him from a young age, as he witnessed the lasting impact Luke made in every workplace, earning respect from colleagues who seek his guidance even after he moved on.
“The fact now that I’ve got the opportunity to run a business together with someone that has that strong of an impact on so many people, it’s an honour and it’s a privilege to be able to say that that’s my father.”
While being a veteran agent, Luke McPhee said working with his son has been a breath of fresh air and one of his best career moves.
“I just love waking up every day, having to go to work and coming to the office because I love seeing Jess grow and learn,” Luke said.
Luke said that having had his son in his early 20s allowed them to grow together and develop a strong bond.
He said that Jesse’s adaptability was a strength he developed by navigating family changes as a child, which boosted his natural confidence and presence.
“Combined with self-management and resilience, his qualities have become key strengths in both life and business,” Luke said.
“As a father, I’m very proud."
“He’s doing some great work running a business, trying to grow a profile and service people around him. It’s a credit to him and his growth as an individual, not just as a business owner, but just as a person.”
While working with family can be daunting for some, the father-and-son duo recommends that others try and build a legacy together.
“If you’ve got an opportunity to go and build something with your parents, that’s also one of your best mates, why would you not? There’s no other person you are going to be able to trust like your family,” Jesse said.
While the duo makes it seem easy, they had been previously orbiting around each other’s careers and offices for the last five years, learning each other’s strengths, weaknesses and work ethics.
Luke said working with family works best when there’s a strong relationship built over time, trust and mutual support, creating a bond that ensures they can cover each other’s mistakes and tackle challenges together.
“We’ve understood how each other works or how each other works in different environments, and our relationship has only gotten stronger each year, so it goes beyond,” Luke said.
“So moving into something together, we’re also very good mates, and then it helps to know that when it comes to family, there’s nothing closer.”
“You know that if you drop the ball somewhere by accident, the other person is going to pick it up because at the end of the day, it’s you guys versus the world sort of thing.”
While the father-and-son duo are only nine months into their business venture, they said their office on Mermaid Beach has already grown, now totalling 12 staff members.
The duo said it will focus on building a good work environment for its staff, continue to put clients first and work towards steady growth.
“Business growth can’t happen without the people around us,” Luke said.
“Jesse and I have got some good people around us, and that’s one of the key things for growth. We want to provide an environment for people to come to work and enjoy coming to work,” he concluded.
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