In 2018, I lost my father. He was 57. Not long before this, my Mum passed. She was 55.
In the space of a few years, I was thrust into the unknown, both personally and professionally. My father was also my boss, as the CEO of the family real estate business.
But it was there, in the abyss, that I learned some of the most profound lessons.
Invaluable lessons about life, love, loss, and leadership. About making something magnificent out of a mess.
Not retreating when faced with losing everything.
It’s in these moments, of great tragedy and contrast, where we discover who we truly are.
The sheer will of the human spirit, to not only survive but thrive, in the face of it all.
Loss became my ladder to leadership.
Becoming Nitschke’s Managing Director at 30
Dad started our business as part of a major network in 2000. When he was diagnosed with cancer, I was 12 years into my real estate career, and at that time, a lead salesperson at the agency.
I’d never worked in a managerial role, but I grew up in the family business and, so I had good instincts and a strong vision for the business.
Call it intuition, blind optimism, or a responsibility to my keep my lineage alive, something was guiding me to take over the company.
At 31, I became Managing Director of the business, while deep in the trenches of grief.
Soon after I became the sole director, I learned the business was close to dying.
There was only six weeks runway of cash left in the bank and the business was millions of dollars in debt – a secret my father took to the grave.
I spent the next four years resuscitating a business and turning it into a profitable, independent agency.
I wrote a book documenting my leadership journey and how I rebuilt the business.
In hindsight, this chapter of my CEO journey was the most valuable leadership training I ever could’ve received.
What loss taught me about business
It helped me learn to trust my gut, define our vision (to deliver the most authentic real estate experience) and build a team culture from the ground up.
To be humans first and real estate agents second, and set a new standard for our industry with our realness.
Navigating great loss helped me become an empathetic leader and transcend business-as-usual.
I learned how important it is to lead with authenticity, to create a true team environment without zero-sum games, and to build an industry-defining business.
Grief was my biggest gift.
I turned the team from a group of individuals working in silos to a true team, functioning like a sports team with each role playing a critical part in our overall performance.
The sales team aren’t ‘better’ than the admin staff. The property management team doesn’t compete with sales.
By setting these standards, not everyone wanted to come on the ride, and that’s okay.
I embedded the ‘better before bigger’ philosophy into everything we do, and avoid growth for growth’s sake.
Loss taught me that our greatest asset is our perspective. Operate with the philosophy of ‘life is happening for you, not to you.’
You will find that you will step into the unknowns with more confidence and conviction, and have no regrets.
If I had listened to the ‘experts’ and sold the crumbs left of the business when I took over, I wouldn’t be a CEO of a thriving agency today.
More importantly, I wouldn’t know what kind of leader I truly am.
You can hear more about my journey resurrecting the business, in conversation with Leanne Pilkington.
