Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined (formerly The Elevate Podcast)

Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined (formerly The Elevate Podcast)

Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined spotlights the outside-the-box minds rewriting how property is sold, leased and managed worldwide. Host Samantha McLean, editor of Elite Agent, shares frank, inspiring conversations with real estate practitioners as well as founders and entrepreneurs from outside the industry. Expect actionable playbooks on AI-powered prospecting, climate-change resilience, brand storytelling, next-gen leadership and talent retention. Each episode distils data and tactics you can apply immediately—whether you’re chasing your first million in GCI, steering a multi-office network or craving a better work-life balance. Subscribe to reimagine what’s possible and thrive in real estate’s new era.

Episodes

Do Real Estate Agents Deserve Their Bad Reputation? EDGE CASE Debate with Dion Besser & Luke Evans

October 9, 2025
Are real estate agents trusted advisors helping families achieve dreams — or commission-hungry operators who've earned their notorious reputation? When industry ethics rankings put agents below politicians, it’s time for an uncomfortable conversation. So what happens when you take that controversial question and force two respected industry veterans to argue opposite sides? Welcome to EDGE CASE — our new debate series where w...
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Ryan J. Coyne Reveals Psychology-First AI Strategy That Boosted Commission 144%

October 3, 2025
What if 90% of real estate agents are using AI completely wrong – while the top 10% quietly dominate their markets? Most agents think AI means throwing everything into ChatGPT and hoping for the best. But Ryan J. Coyne, Chief Experience Officer at SERHANT and the tech mastermind behind one of the world's most followed real estate brands, reveals why that approach is killing your conversion rates. In this deep conversation, Co...
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Will Virtual Inspections Replace Physical? | Edge Case Debate: Kylie Walker vs. Tara Bradbury

September 26, 2025
The AI revolution is hitting property management hard – will traditional inspections be the first casualty? Technology is transforming every corner of property management faster than ever before. From smart sensors that detect water leaks to AI-powered maintenance requests, the industry is racing toward a digital future. But nowhere is this transformation more contentious than property inspections. Welcome to EDGE CASE – wher...
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Sydney's Biggest Property Merger: The Inside Story

September 19, 2025
When BresicWhitney and The Woollahra Group merged in June last year, it created one of Sydney's most powerful property firms. But merging 100+ agents, two decades of data, and distinct company cultures wasn't as straight-forward as it sounds on paper. In this raw conversation, Thomas McGlynn (CEO, BresicWhitney) and Randall Kemp (Founder, The Woollahra Group) reveal what really happened behind the headlines – the challenges, the...
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How AI Doubled Real Estate Leads in 12 Months

September 11, 2025
Shawn Hayes transformed LJ Hooker Southwest WA from a single office to a 4-location, 73-person operation – and AI tools played a massive role in their growth. Here's exactly how they did it. Key Takeaways: SMS campaigns sharing neighbourhood sales data get 10x more responses than "want an appraisal?" messages AI doesn't replace the personal touch – it creates more time for meaningful connections One-on-one training be...
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Edge Case Debate: Should Million-Dollar Agents Get Special Treatment? Dom Thurbon vrs Fiona Blayney

September 5, 2025
We convinced two brilliant minds to argue opposite sides of one of the most controversial topics in real estate! What happens when you take a commonly held belief in the industry and get two brilliant minds to defend positions they might not even believe? Welcome to EDGE CASE – where we test assumptions and expose what people REALLY think. TODAY'S BIG QUESTION: "Do star agents deserve special treatment, even if it ruffles fea...
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Why Most Agents Fail at Nurturing Clients (And How to Beat Stronger Competitors) - with Adam Joske

August 15, 2025
Ever wondered why some agents consistently win listings while others struggle month after month? The answer isn't better presentation skills or flashy marketing – it's mastering what Adam Joske calls "the biggest hole in our business." Adam Joske isn't your typical real estate coach. This REIV Residential Salesperson of the Year (2015) built a database of 4,000 contacts with 90% accuracy, consistently beating stronger presenters...
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Follow Your Dreams Sounds Like Cliché - Here's Why It's Not | Antonia Mercorella

August 7, 2025
“Be a trailblazer - not a follower!” That's Antonia Mercorella's advice for standing out by 2032. As the CEO who modernised a 100-year-old institution, she knows something about thinking differently. Antonia Mercorella didn't follow the traditional path to becoming Australia's most influential real estate institute CEO. As Queensland's first female and youngest REIQ leader, she's spent 10 years proving that sustainable change st...
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How to Use AI to Become More Human (Not Less) – with Tara Christianson

July 31, 2025
Can AI Replace Real Estate Relationships? What if the secret to thriving with AI isn't learning to be more like a machine – but discovering how to be more authentically human? That's the counterintuitive insight from Tara Christianson, who's spent over a decade helping agents navigate the intersection of technology and genuine connection. After delivering over 45 presentations across five Australian states, Tara has discovered so...
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Time is Money: Kirstin Dunn's Approach to AI Implementation That Saves 17+ Hours Weekly

July 24, 2025
How do you bring AI into your agency — without losing the personal touch that made you successful in the first place? Kirstin Dunn started Semple Property Group from her dining room table back in 2013. Since then, she’s grown the business to over $54 million, all through strong relationships and exceptional service. Now, she’s taking things to the next level — integrating AI tools across every part of her operation. In this episo...
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What we got wrong about fees: Ben White on the future of service

July 16, 2025
What if everything you've been taught about property management is fundamentally wrong? In this game-changing episode of Thought Leaders, Ben White, co-founder and CEO of Ailo (processing transactions for 250,000+ users nationwide), reveals why the traditional "production line" approach to property management is undermining profits and driving away talent. As the co-founder and CEO of Ailo, Ben is now leading the charge toward w...
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Could ChatGPT Hijack Your Next Deal

May 22, 2025
What happens when your clients (or their parents) start fact-checking every recommendation you make with ChatGPT? This desperate comment from a Reddit post reveals what's happening when clients start trusting ChatGPT more than their agents. So, in this episode, Samantha McLean reveals the four strategies for protecting your deals from AI hijacking while turning this "threat" into your biggest competitive advantage. What You'll L...
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Motivating Agents: Rewards That Work with Dion Besser

May 12, 2025 • 33 mins
TL;DR: Today we’re releasing a new episode of our Thought Leaders podcast that unpacks the practical side of growing a values-led agency. Dion Besser explains how he stabilised a team that tripled overnight, balanced culture with accountability, and kept clients loyal through volatile markets. Listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify—and sign up to get it in your inbox each week. Dion Besser has spent more than two decad...
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From Pain Points to Profit: Curtis Thomson on Property Management Automation

May 4, 2025 • 40 mins
Curtis Thomson is something of a systems whisperer for industries bogged down by manual processes. Having cut his teeth in the construction world and then co-founding and scaling the field service management software Simpro across the globe, he witnessed firsthand how disjointed systems and repetitive tasks can drain businesses and the people within them. He saw friends in the trades working grueling hours only to face busin...
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How to build a high performance business with Andrew McCulloch

April 28, 2025 • 41 mins
Today we're proud to release the first episode of our brand new podcast "Thought Leaders". In this episode, Samantha McLean goes in depth with Andrew McCulloch, former CEO of Ray White NSW/ACT turned business owner of Ray White Shore Group. Andrew McCulloch is a master of real estate transformation. He's spent his career understanding what makes high-performing agencies tick—first as a top salesperson, then as a co...
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Introducing our new podcast: Thought Leaders – Real Estate Reimagined

April 26, 2025 • 1 min
What’s inside (2 min): Why Elevate is evolving into Thought Leaders Sneak peek of tomorrow’s debut guest How to watch the new video show on YouTube Links & Resources 🔗 Subscribe on YouTube ➜ 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn ➜ Connect Host: Samantha McLean – @samanthamclean on Linkedin, Instagram and X
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Elevate Rewind: The best advice from 466 episodes

April 4, 2025 • 43 mins
After 466 episodes of Elevate, we're launching into a new era with two exceptional compilations of the sharpest insights, best strategies, and timeless advice from some of Sam's favourite episodes.
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Ben Kingsberry: Balancing technology and human connection in real estate

March 28, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode of Elevate, Harcourts Kingsberry CEO Ben Kingsberry shares why real estate leaders need to rethink their approach to technology, the hidden cost of over-automation, and how creating a workplace people want to be in is transforming his business from the inside out.
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Lauren Robinson: building a property management business with purpose

March 14, 2025 • 31 mins
Lauren Robinson built a high-performing property management business at 29, and now she’s sharing why she wishes she had done it even sooner.
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Sally Patch: How to successfully launch a new agency

March 7, 2025 • 28 mins
Many aspiring real estate entrepreneurs rush into agency ownership without proper preparation, setting themselves up for preventable challenges. In this episode, Sally Patch shares tips for launching smoothly, avoiding common pitfalls, and building a thriving business from day one.
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