Mark Covich Ray White Remuera Front of House
Leesa Paull Ray White Collective Group Operations Manager - Administration
Tell us a bit about your current role ?
Tell us a bit about your current role ?
I ' m one of five in the leadership team for our office . We all have individual responsibilities ( and skills !) but one common goal - to provide consistent world-class support to our people . I ' m ' Front of House ' so that makes my seat the primary anchor point for our salespeople , customers and community .
How did you get into ops / admin ?
I started as a salesperson when I was still practically a teenager , working with my dad . It took a little while to realise I could have a broader impact on a business ' success being ' behind the scenes ' - so to speak . I was given the opportunity to join Megan Jaffe and Ray White Remuera 11 years ago in that capacity - and I ' ve never looked back !
What do you love about it ?
Delivering the tangibles and the process to getting results . Being part of a small group of people who get on the field , together , to play their best game every day for clients . It ' s fast , often difficult , but satisfying .
What ' s the biggest lesson you ' ve learned in your career ?
It ' s the small things that people remember - your response speed , the smile on your face , calling them by name . Make every interaction an opportunity to teach something and learn something - people will never forget it .
What advice would you give people starting their career ?
Never think you ' re irreplaceable - but you can be indispensable , and that ' s done by caring enough about what you do that you still do it even in the moments you don ' t feel like it , and caring about the people you do it with , of where you want to be long term .
My role at the Collective is Operations Manager , I am responsible for development and implementation of internal admin processes , streamlining efficiencies , overseeing the Value team , events , marketing and operations and assisting the business partners and sales team to ensure clients receive the exceptional service they deserve .
How did you get into ops / admin ?
I studied typing and shorthand at school and loved it . I started my administration career in the legal field in New Zealand in commercial property . When I moved to Brisbane over 30 years ago I joined the Ray White Toowong office as sales support and absolutely loved the company .
I have been so fortunate that my 30 year career at Ray White has presented so many great opportunities for me , from working at the Coorparoo office and helping take that business to a top 10 business , to running operations for Queensland ' s number one agent for over four years at Paddington and then a decade at Ray White Queensland working with Elite agents and their teams and introducing the states administration training .
What do you love about it ?
Now working with Haesley Cush and Matt Lancashire at the number one business , Ray White Collective , is a dream come true . Our Value team is made up of the best administrators in the business , each specialising and bringing so much value to our group . We have just rolled out the Collective Hub , which is an amazing platform built for task automation and management , it has revolutionised how our agents request work and streamlined the process for our Value and Rookie teams .
What ' s the biggest lesson you ' ve learned in your career ? Don ' t take it personally . As an admin you have to know who you are and be confident in what you bring to the table . You will have days where people will unleash their emotion because they are having a challenging day or moment . Don ' t let their challenge define who you are and what you do .
What advice would you give people starting their career ?
When you love what you do , it doesn ' t feel like work . You don ' t wake up and say you have to go to work . You say , " I get to go to work ". I can truly say I love what I do and because I feel that way , it ' s something I look forward to . You can tell I ' m very passionate about what I do . Stay motivated and committed to growth in your role . Find a mentor to learn from .
22