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With over three decades coaching Australia’s top agents and business owners, Michael Sheargold is calling on the industry to rethink how success is built ahead of the 10th Business of Real Estate event.
That’s the key message from leading real estate coach and strategist Michael Sheargold, who recently joined Real Estate Business editor Liam Garman on the REB podcast ahead of his flagship Business of Real Estate event.
Now in its 10th year, Business of Real Estate has become a cornerstone event for principals, performance leaders, and sales teams seeking to sharpen their edge and build sustainable, high-performance businesses. This year’s conference is set to attract around 500 leaders from across Australia and New Zealand, its largest audience yet.
Speaking on the podcast, Sheargold emphasised that success in real estate doesn’t come from chasing the next silver bullet, but from mastering foundational habits and mindset.
“Many great agents have a sporting background – and like in sport, success in real estate comes from discipline, routine, and practice,” Sheargold explained.
“In coaching, I model what great sports coaches do. Often, the only thing that changes in a winning team is the coach. It’s all about the approach. That’s our mission at Business of Real Estate, helping leaders shift how they build teams, value, and brand.
“Your brand isn’t your logo, it’s the experience people have. Your weakest team member sets the standard. That’s what clients remember, and that’s what defines your reputation.”
That same performance mindset underpins the structure of the Business of Real Estate conference, which focuses on five strategic pillars: leadership fitness, talent and culture, business growth, property management growth, and team performance.
Sheargold’s journey in the industry began over three decades ago, including formative work with John McGrath in the early days of McGrath. Reflecting on those early coaching days, he recalled a distinct shift in culture and ambition that set McGrath’s office apart.
“It all started with John McGrath,” he continued. “He came through one of my time management courses, and we built a strong working relationship. I ended up doing up to six coaching days across the McGrath business, and you could see the difference.”
“It highlighted a real opportunity to transform the industry. That became my mission: to elevate both the results and the reputation of real estate. Internally, that’s about how teams function and the experience they create. Externally, it’s about how clients perceive you as a professional. Both are critical to lasting success.”
Among the highlights of the upcoming event is a “wisdom panel” of industry veterans, who will share real-world lessons from decades of experience. Speakers like Shane Smollen and Anne Crarey will dive into practical insights on performance, business development, and team optimisation.
Beyond strategy, Sheargold stressed the human element of leadership: the need to treat each team member as an individual and recognise not just outcomes, but effort.
“One mistake I see leaders make is only recognising results, not the effort behind them. New agents might be doing all the right things but aren’t seeing results yet, and without encouragement, they give up too soon,” Sheargold explained.
“That’s where understanding lag time is critical. Just like turning on a hot shower, there’s a delay between action and outcome. You have to stay under the cold water to get the heat. In real estate, recognising inputs – the calls, the activity, the discipline – is essential. It shows people they’re on the right track before the results kick in.”
For ambitious agents and leaders, Sheargold believes events like Business of Real Estate provide a rare chance to step back from the day-to-day and reconnect with vision and strategy.
As the real estate landscape continues to shift, Sheargold’s core message remains constant: long-term success isn’t found in shortcuts, it’s earned through discipline, personal clarity, and the courage to lead.
The Business of Real Estate 2025 will be held this August, with registrations now open. For agents and leaders looking to future-proof their careers, it could be the most important investment they make this year.
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