From art school to real estate: Alistair Macmillian’s 25-year journey of resilience and success

Date:

Share post:


Ray White Head of Performance and Recognition, Bianca Denham, recently sat down with  Alistair Macmillian at Ray White Wilston.
Alistair’s journey into real estate wasn’t a straight path. From boarding school in Toowoomba to art college in Singapore, and a series of sales jobs, he found himself navigating life with determination and grit.

Despite a rocky start and no formal qualifications, Alistair’s ambition drove him into the real estate world, where he would face challenges, setbacks, and triumphs over a 25-year career.

Along the way, he built a reputation for resilience and a knack for building strong relationships – ultimately shaping the business he runs today.

Alistair has spent 25 years in the real estate industry, but his journey began far from a typical path. His father, a pilot, was stationed overseas, and while his parents lived in Singapore, Alistair attended boarding school at Toowoomba Grammar.

By Grade 10, he was asked to leave and returned to Singapore, where he briefly attended art college, admitting, “I was terrible at it, but I had a ball.”
Eventually, he made his way back to Brisbane without a senior certificate, working various sales jobs, including selling artwork and phones.

A family friend then suggested he try real estate, and with limited education and job prospects, Alistair was eager for a chance to succeed.

In 1999, at the age of 24, Alistair entered real estate with Ray White Lutwyche. He describes his early days as being “thrown in at the deep end”, with nothing but the phone book and door knocking, no RP Data or real guidance.

After meeting Dwight Ferguson, Alistair was recruited to Ray White New Farm but left shortly after, transitioning into cinema advertising sales. He even attempted to buy a Subway franchise but eventually returned to real estate.

In 2004, he moved to Stafford, taking over a real estate business – along with its debt.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Alistair admits, but he embraced the challenge, hiring a receptionist and adopting a “catch and kill” mentality.

Despite his struggles with recruitment, he loved the energy of the business and aimed to be in the top 10. However, as his agents, many of whom had become friends, left to pursue opportunities in more affluent areas, Alistair faced difficulties selling high-end properties and recruiting new talent.

He later met the owner of Ray White Wilson, which marked a turning point. Alistair eventually sold the business, celebrating with many former staff members who returned to join him.

Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges the importance of geographic data and building relationships with staff, lessons that have shaped his career and contributed to his success.



Source link

Nicole Lambert
Nicole Lambert
Nicole Lamber is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes about arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and home news. Nicole has been a journalist for years and loves to write about what's going on in the world.

Recent posts

Related articles

Renée Zellweger’s former California ranch Listed for sale

The “Bridget Jones” star purchased the Topanga Hills property in 2015 for $3.35 million (about AUD 4.8...

Andy Cohen drops $2 million off the price of his West Village, NY apartment

In September, the 56-year-old TV personality enlisted fellow reality star and real estate agent Ryan Serhant to...

Leading Perth agency welcomes new GM

With nearly 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Michelle Ralph brings a diverse skill...

Five liability risks and how to steer clear of them

‘Legal liability’. Just the words are enough to make many feel uneasy. The fact that liability is...

Breaking Barriers in Real Estate: Adam Day on Growth Without Traditional Marketing

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:47 — 43.5MB) | EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify...

More suburbs join the $2million and $3million clubs

According to the latest PropTrack data, 30 more suburbs have joined the $2 million club, while an...

Talk less, close more: why real estate agents need to master the art of silence

In real estate, the temptation to talk is constant. You want to showcase your expertise, highlight market...

Ray White inks major partnerships with AFL powerhouses

Ray White, which operates more than 1,000 offices across multiple countries, has positioned itself as a Platinum...