This week, White House turns Seven.
Birthdays have a way of making you reflect and this one has had me thinking about what we set out to create in the first place.
From the beginning, we were intentional. We wanted to be outstanding at Real Estate: We set out to deliver exceptional service, considered advice and remarkable results. We also believed that how we achieved this mattered.
Our values were there from the beginning and remain at the heart of White House today:
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Putting clients’ goals and needs first
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Being good humans
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Building healthy relationships
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Honesty and transparency
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Respect and genuine care
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Gratitude
Seven years on, they’re as true today as they were on day one.
I watched Fremantle Docker Sam Switkowski speak to his teammates this week as he graciously announced his retirement. As he spoke, he said it wasn’t the wins and losses that were front of his mind, what he was most proud of was what the club had become during his time there: a place where people are accepted and celebrated for who they are. A place where care and belonging matter, where individuals put the team first and where people genuinely love coming to work.
That resonated with me.
Because culture isn’t separate from performance. It enables it.
When our people feel supported, respected and challenged, they do better work. They share knowledge, ask better questions and draw on the collective experience of the team. They have the confidence to give honest advice, even when it isn’t necessarily the easiest advice to give.
And for our clients, that matters.
It means more people thinking about their property and their campaign. More conversations with buyers. More information shared. More considered advice. More support when decisions become difficult. And, when it comes time to negotiate, a team that is invested in exploring every opportunity to achieve the strongest possible outcome.
Seven years on, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved: more than 1,200 sales, over $1.5 billion in property sold/purchased and several hundred properties leased and managed.
They’re numbers we’re proud of, but I’m equally proud of the incredible culture behind them, the team of people who deliver them and the way it enables us to care more, contribute more and ultimately do better work for our clients.
Perhaps that’s what legacy really is. Not only what you achieve, but what you build, how you make people feel (both clients and team members) and whether you leave the place better than you found it.
To every client, team member, friend and supporter who has been part of our first seven years, thank you.
Happy 7th birthday, White House.
