Tamara Hall: how she became number 1 in Australia using manifestation

From starting in real estate at just 18 years old to building one of the most recognised brands in Brisbane Bayside property, Tamara Hall’s career has been shaped by grit, mindset and an unwavering focus on trust. 

In episode 26 of Raising the Bar, George Sourris from Empire Legal sits down with Tamara Hall, founder of Tamara Hall Properties, to unpack the mindset, resilience and client-first philosophy that helped her go from broke and rebuilding her career to becoming one of Brisbane’s most trusted property advisors.

Known for her community-driven approach in the Bayside and honest take on the realities of business ownership, Tamara shares the practical habits, emotional intelligence and manifestation techniques that have shaped both her personal life and professional success.

We cover:

- Manifesting and mindset: how Tamara uses visualisation, gratitude, discipline and mindset work as practical tools for success, why thoughts and feelings shape performance and the daily habits she believes can completely change the trajectory of your life and career.

- Building trust and reputation: the client experience principles behind nearly 400 verified reviews, why trust matters more than commission and how strong relationships, authenticity and genuinely caring for people creates long-term success in real estate.

- Going independent and building a legacy: why Tamara walked away from the franchise model after 17 years, the realities of launching her own brand, balancing burnout and leadership and what raising the bar really means in business, property and life.

If you work in real estate, business, sales or leadership, this episode is a proof that long-term success is built through mindset, resilience, trust and consistently showing up with good intentions.

Contact Tamara: https://www.tamarahallproperties.com/contact-us
Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empirelegal/
More podcast episodes: https://empirelegal.com.au/podcast/
Check out our blogs: https://empirelegal.com.au/blog/
Website: https://empirelegal.com.au/

Transcript

Tamara: You can't lay in bed eating ice cream saying you're going to be a multimillionaire. Literally, there's no point in you calling if you're hoping they don't answer the phone. Your mind is your biggest asset or your biggest detriment, and it can be both in one day.

George: All right, we are back for another episode of the Raising the Bar podcast, where we storytell excellence in Queensland property. I've got an excellent guest here today. I like to call her an OG - she's been with Empire since day one. Tamara Hall from Tamara Hall Properties.

Tamara: Hello.

George: Thank you for coming on the show.

Tamara: Thanks for having me.

George: Thanks for making your way into the city. I know you're normally out on the Bayside.

Tamara: I went down a one-way street.

George: There's a few of them around here. Spring Hill's an interesting place. I've got a little bit to read here, and then it's your turn to give us some golden nuggets. Ready to roll?

Tamara: Yes.

George: All right. She started at 18, she learnt from her mum, walked away from the safety of a franchise, and built one of the most trusted names in Brisbane Bayside real estate - from scratch. She doesn't focus on commission, she focuses on her reputation. One of the OG manifesters from before mindfulness was cool, which I think is her superpower. And the results speak for themselves. Today on Raising the Bar - Tamara Hall.

Tamara: Thank you.

George: Fun fact - you started your career at 18, working alongside your mum, who was also an agent, until she retired about eight years ago.

[PODCAST INTRO]

George: Welcome to the Raising the Bar podcast, where we storytell excellence in Queensland Property. I'm your host, George Sourris from Empire Legal.

George: Mother-daughter combo. Very cool. Brisbane Bayside, 17 years and counting. You've also got nearly 400 verified reviews on Rate My Agent, across 27 different locations. That's a lot of reviews.

Tamara: Thank you.

George: We started working together pretty much when Empire Legal first opened. I know you worked with Abi, my business partner, prior. I remember coming into - correct me if I'm wrong - it was a McGrath office at Gumdale. We were in the meeting room, and Abi said, "Oh, this is my friend, Tamara." Was that when you were hustling?

Tamara: Mate, we're still hustling. But yeah, we were hustling hard. We were door-knocking any and everybody, trying to build a rep.

George: But you didn't need to hustle for us. We had you in the bag.

Tamara: Well, that's thanks to Abi - and the relationship you guys had had for years before we even met.

George: And continue to have today.

Tamara: Yeah, you guys are amazing.

George: We feel the same way. That's why you're sitting in this chair. Only excellent people are allowed in this chair.

Tamara: That's so kind.

George: The whole point here is to storytell excellence in Queensland property. A lot of our listeners are real estate agents, or just everyday people from Brisbane, Gold Coast and wider Queensland who are looking to buy or sell. So, last part, and then it's your turn. Tamara Hall - one of the most sought-after property advisors in Brisbane Bayside suburbs, celebrated for her customer service, superior negotiation skills, and ability to deliver top-tier results across all market conditions. Which you've been through, right? You've been through booms, you've been through busts, and you're still here, still at the top of the game.

Tamara: Yes, thank you.

George: You've been awarded both nationally and internationally, including induction into the International RE/MAX Hall of Fame, and recently made a bold move to step away from the franchise model and launch Tamara Hall Properties, backed by Urban X, on your own terms. 17 years in and no signs of slowing down. How's that for an opener?

Tamara: You've done this before. It's cool to look back, isn't it? When you think, wow, nearly two decades in real estate, all different franchises - and now I'm steering my own ship. It's actually wild.

George: It was cool to see your journey too. You were already a "somebody" when we met - on the way up. And now you're just at the top of the game. Really cool to see your journey over the last eight years.

Tamara: You know, it did take Mum retiring for me to really do anything I'd say extraordinary. Which is cool to think about, because I had all the knowledge, working beside her for so long, but I didn't have the guts, I suppose, to go out and do it on my own.

George: You didn't believe it?

Tamara: No.

George: Okay, and that's a perfect first talking point - because we're going to talk about manifesting. But just on that note - I never knew your mum. I'd never even heard of her, which is crazy to me as someone that practices in the Bayside.

Tamara: Crazy to look back, because once you found out who she was, oh yeah, she had a profile.

George: But the Tamara I met was not affiliated. It was just Tamara. Your mum wasn't in the picture at all. So I had a really different perspective.

Tamara: Yeah, I love that. Well, when Mum retired, I actually sold my house and moved to Sydney. I had a bit of a gap year. I knew that day was coming, and I didn't want to be seen to be failing here. I just did not think I could do it on my own. I was like, "There's no way I'm stepping into those shoes. Who's going to listen to me?"

George: Big boots to fill.

Tamara: Yeah.

George: It's wild to look back, isn't it? I'm sure you don't feel that way now. You're cooking with gas. You're definitely your own lady.

Tamara: For me, I feel like I need to crash and burn to come back up. That's just my personality.

George: Did you crash and burn, though? Did you leave the industry? You weren't doing real estate in Sydney?

Tamara: No, I wasn't working at all. Because in my mind, I thought, "Well, if I go and get a job, I've failed. I've really failed, because I've taken my foot off the accelerator completely." So I just had a gap year. And I came back to real estate on my own for the first time ever, with very little money. It was a very tough time. Mentally, you're not being paid, you're being rejected. I just remember thinking, "Just keep going. Just keep going. Just keep going." With no evidence that I was going to succeed. I had no Plan B.

George: I think I heard you tell this story a few years ago on another podcast. You were basically bust. Broke. Properly broke.

Tamara: I was.

George: It's funny how people can change their lives and upskill and build something. There was a period in your early career where you were close to the edge.

Tamara: People forget that. It all seems very easy on the surface, but yeah.

George: Mate, I was charging Lime scooters - you know the Limes? - doing Uber Eats and Uber Passenger when we started Empire, which I guess not many people would know. Because I had a mortgage. And when you start a law firm, you don't make money for a while. Bee and I were only talking about this the other day - it's so inspirational. It's a journey, isn't it?

George: On that note, the first point I want to unpack with you is the power of manifestation. I believe all our guests have a superpower. I think that's yours. We were talking just off air, how George Sourris eight years ago would've said, "Oh, this is just woo-woo bull-you-know-what. I don't believe in it." George Sourris today, eight and a bit years on, fully believes it. Which, for me to say out loud, is unbelievable.

Tamara: Well, you've seen the evidence of it.

George: I have. So let's kick this off - what is it? How have you seen success with it? Then I've got a couple of points to guide you along the way.

Tamara: Well, one of the best lessons my mum ever taught me - it wasn't anything to do with real estate, it was mindset and how powerful our mind is. That's the one thing that's just cradled me through my journey, when I didn't have anyone else. Your mind is your biggest asset or your biggest detriment, and it can be both in one day. You could be up here, and then down there. So train your mind more than anything, because it is your armour. Back in the day, Mum would get me to do vision boards. I'd make them thinking, "Oh, this is a cool dream board. This is what I want, and I want this car..." But what I didn't know is it was the blueprint for the life I'm living now. If you look back 10 years - I've got goosebumps. It's crazy. And I've been doing them religiously every single year. Apart from - and I'll get into this - I couldn't do it this year. On the 31st, because I'd do it on New Year's Eve, I just couldn't do it.

George: I remember on your socials, watching and going, "Oh yeah, Tam's on another vision board." And I'd be like, "Oh, man, that's all a load of you-know-what." And then two years ago, I was on my honeymoon with Anna, my wife, and we wrote down some goals. Didn't do an actual vision board, just wrote some goals down. We'd check in on them every month. Mate, it's insane.

Tamara: When you do your new one the year later, you go, "Holy moly." Most of it has come to light - because you've given it attention.

George: Exactly.

Tamara: You have the vision of something on paper. A vision board just makes it easier, because you're seeing it every day. If it's in a place that you see it every day - visualisation, that's all it really is. Last year I found this book called Three Magic Words, and it actually explained the science behind manifesting, which I'd never known before. I knew that it was this magic, but it's not magic. It's actually the biological makeup of humans.

George: So there's a science to it. Whereas it feels a bit woo-woo. It's not tangible. But you're saying this book breaks it down into a science?

Tamara: I didn't even know it was in there, but I was listening to it and I was like, "What?" I couldn't believe it. I just wanted to tell everyone. We are manifesting every second of every day, whether we know we are or not, just by our thoughts and our feelings. There's evidence even if you think about anxiety. If you feel anxiety, that's a physical interpretation of your thoughts about something that hasn't happened yet. You're feeling something about the future. Or if you feel excitement about an event in the future, your body is changing about something that hasn't happened yet. What I do is manipulate that to work in my favour. Your mind cannot differentiate an actual event happening from an imagined thought. So if you're watching a really scary movie and your heart rate's up and you're sweating, that's your mind and your body changing because it thinks something's happening. So - if you have say 100,000 thoughts a day, most of them on autopilot, then the thoughts backed by emotion - positive or negative - get sent to your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind just considers that reality and starts changing how you think, what you see, how you speak, what opportunities you notice. You're programming your life with your subconscious thoughts, that come from your conscious thoughts.

George: So answer me this - this is something I believe, and I think people think I'm a bit loopy, but I believe it. There's a saying my dad always says: "Think sick, be sick." I very rarely get sick. I think that's because I love what I do. I don't want to get sick. I know there are people who are employed who are like, "Oh, I'm sick. Great, I can call in sick and have a week at home." I don't want to do that. I'm on a mission, we're doing stuff, I don't have time to get sick. So in my mind, all these people around me are getting the flu, and I'm like, "Nah, mate, think sick, be sick. I'm not sick. I'm all good." And even if I get a bit of a sniffle or something, I just tell myself, "No, you're not going to get sick, mate. You're going to keep going." And the vast majority of the time, I somehow magically don't get sick. To say out loud, sounds a bit crazy. But I don't get sick. I think that's because I'm telling myself I'm just not going to get sick.

Tamara: It's like the sugar pill. Your mind is your biggest asset or your biggest detriment. And if your mindset isn't strong and you're not resilient, that's when people don't succeed.

George: All right, let's drill down on that. Maybe some practical tips for the listener that's like, "Oh look, I've heard of manifestation. I've thought about it, but I don't know where to start. Or I don't know if it's real." What can these people do to start moving the needle?

Tamara: It's like - okay, my mum tried to explain it, and she explained it really well. We're all energy. So with manifesting - when your subconscious mind is changing your body, how you speak, what you see, what opportunities you'll see, your mindset's shifted because of what you thought.

George: Is it fair to say it's almost like a filter? You come in with a positive filter versus a negative filter into a situation. You're feeling positive, you're feeling good - am I on the right path?

Tamara: It also changes how you vibrate. You're vibrating constantly either up here, or down here - because we're energy.

George: That's your energy. High vibration, good vibes, feel good.

Tamara: And you attract - like attracts like. It's like tuning into a radio station. If you want to listen to opera, you go that way. If you want to listen to rock, you go that way. You're not going to get rock on the jazz station. So it's manipulating your vibration. If you're jealous, if you're sad, if you're depressed, you're vibrating at a much lower rate, so you're attracting what is like that. Changing your vibration is merely writing in a gratitude journal. I'm so grateful for my feet for transport every day. The smallest thing. Or my eyes, because I can see. Literally that's all I would start with. Some nights I'd go from my eyebrows down to my feet, and I'd be grateful for even my organs. It seems crazy, but it would set me up for the next day.

George: And you do this daily?

Tamara: Yes.

George: This is something you've been doing for a long time?

Tamara: I just know that it works. Sometimes I'm like, "Eh," I've had a shit day, I don't want to do that, I just want to doom-scroll or zone out. But I know that it will change my vibration. That's doing work for you in the background, so you're going to get random calls, someone's going to walk through the door, someone's going to list their house with you, or the right buyer's going to walk through the open home. Your life just gets better. You're the author of your life. It's like an architect for biology.

George: A blueprint. A cheat sheet. Okay, so if we were to boil this down into a couple of practical tips - the gratitude. Do you do your gratitude in the morning, or at night? Both? What do you do?

Tamara: I've got gratitude books all through my house. I'll have like 10. Maya's like, "Just use one." I'm like, "No, I need them everywhere."

George: So is it just a pad where you can write some stuff down about what you're grateful for?

Tamara: Yep.

George: You might have one in your bedroom, one in the living room. And do you physically write it, or use your phone?

[AD BREAK]

George: Hey guys, just interrupting the show for a quick second. We're trying to get some more reviews, so whatever platform you're listening on, if you can please give us a review, that'd help us find more people. Okay, back to the show.

Tamara: Physically write it.

George: Physically write it. Okay.

Tamara: Another thing is being grateful for something that hasn't happened yet. It feels like you're lying, but you're already feeling something that hasn't happened yet, whether you're conscious of it or not. So I'd be like, "I am so grateful..." I imagined getting number one in Australia for RE/MAX so many times. I would cry in my car listening to Celine Dion. I'd attach a song to it, so I'd get really emotional. My emotion was super high. Then it goes to your subconscious, and you're vibrating differently. And then I walked out from RE/MAX and started my own company without even getting the trophy, because I'd already seen it.

George: Wow.

Tamara: So - writing in your gratitude journal, making a vision board, having a photo on your screen, saying things out loud, being conscious of your thoughts. There's a really good book called E Squared, which proves it - because it gives you tests during the day. It'll say, "Okay, today your test is to go and find a yellow car with a strawberry on it," hypothetically. Because you're tapping into that, now you're consciously looking for it. It already exists. It's really hard to explain, but E Squared is a great book because it's physically doing the work, and then it shows you it works.

George: It breaks it down into actionable steps. Okay, so E Squared.

Tamara: The Secret, if you don't know about this stuff, is 101. It's Rhonda Byrne's book. Or you can find her video on it somewhere.

George: Yeah, I've read the book. I've seen there's a video version that's come up in the last few years.

Tamara: If there's a trophy that you really want to get - if you want to get to a goal and there's a trophy that solidifies it, hold it, imagine walking across the stage and being given that trophy. We're so programmed to talk about the negative stuff - what we don't want, what we don't like, what we hate, what's disappointing - opposed to what we do like. If we just flipped it, all you need to do is tip the scale 51% positive, and your life will change.

George: So have a positive filter on your life, not a negative mindset.

Tamara: You have to train yourself and consciously do the work, or you will just fall into the rut.

George: I can share from personal experience - there's been times in business where things aren't going right, and it's like a negative snowball. All these bad things happen. Then you start to believe the bad thoughts. Then more bad stuff happens. You have to stop yourself and go, "No, no, no. Look at all this good stuff. Look at all the upside." And then the positive snowball starts to come. I fully believe it. I've lived through this. We've had challenges in business, we've had success in business. The difference is monumental. When you let the negativity, the cloud, take over - bad stuff happens.

Tamara: The low vibration.

George: The vibration goes low.

Tamara: Matt Steinwede talks about this stuff so much. Matt Steinwede used to be a heroin addict on the street. He's one of the best agents in -

George: Yeah, he's near Newcastle or something, isn't he? I heard him speak at AREC. Unbelievable. He was door-knocking. He was a no-hoper. Now this guy's a killer.

Tamara: He literally lives by this stuff.

George: I personally look up to Matt. I think he's an incredible inspiration. He lives by it.

Tamara: Well, there you go. A lot of people would also look up to you in that same manner. So if you're not following Tam, you should.

George: I need to do more videos on this stuff, because it is fascinating. It's just sometimes harder to articulate, because it's not black and white.

Tamara: It's not black and white. Maybe there are elements of black and white, but for someone on the outside - and especially me, who's a very black-and-white person - I always saw it as not tangible, woo-woo-y. But the whole point of this is to give people a few tips to get started on the journey. You've given a few great resources, the gratitude concept, and just energy and vibration. To round this out, what else do people need to know?

George: If someone came to me, someone new started working with me, these would be the rules.

Tamara: I've got a gratitude journal to give to someone new today. It's in my bag here. I've even got a nice little pen.

George: To get started, it's great to have the right questions to ask.

Tamara: Five things that you were grateful for for the day. Non-negotiable, before you go to sleep. Screen off, then that. And just feel it, and be so grateful. If someone was really kind to you, if someone said you look pretty, if someone said, "great work" - thank you so much. Write it down, be really grateful for it. Even if you write one thing that you believe is going to happen tomorrow, or really want. You're going to get an appraisal, or whatever it may be. Then let's just do that for a week, and your life will change. Last year I wrote down on one of my gratitude journals that I was going to get this call about a high-end - it was so wild. One of my team members - I told her I was doing it, and then literally my phone rang. I looked at her and I was like, "Get ******." I know it worked, but it was wild, because it was so detailed.

George: I can share a personal goal manifestation. We were on our honeymoon - on Kythira, the Greek island my family's from - having our honeymoon, and Anna and I wrote these goals down. We said, we will be settling a new property and we will be welcoming our baby into the world. We wrote it down. And I'm like, oh man, this is all pretty - I don't know - are we going to be able to get the property? Are we going to...? And sure enough, we've moved house. We've got a baby. You think, man, it's crazy. Because they were goals we really wanted. We really wanted to start a family and move out of a one-bedroom unit into a house. And it's real life now.

Tamara: Yeah.

George: Now we've got new goals for the year. I'm excited for that year to pass and go, "How many of these things came to life?"

Tamara: You can teach your children this right from the word go.

George: And we should. Ingrain it in them. We were talking just off camera about the fact that this isn't really taught anywhere. It's up to us to encourage people to go on a journey. It's changed your life. I believe it now. I'd say I'm still a beginner. I need to get a gratitude journal. But I've gone from a hater to a promoter. I'm like, "Man, this is cool."

Tamara: You can have this one, Georgie.

George: Is this for your new person?

Tamara: No, she can have the white one.

George: Thank you. Suits my outfit. But yeah, you have to do the work.

Tamara: You can't lay in bed eating ice cream saying you're going to be a multimillionaire, or you're going to be the number one. Maybe you could, if you really believed it.

George: You've got to put the rubber on the road too. All right, I reckon we could probably spend the next couple of hours chatting about manifestation, because I'm a little bit obsessed with it at the moment, and obviously you've lived it.

Tamara: I just want to change "manifestation" to "thoughts and feelings". That's all it is. It's your thoughts and your feelings. Which manifest, compound into your future reality. Your life right now is a blueprint of your previous thoughts and feelings.

George: Thoughts and feelings. As me, as a very black-and-white individual - is it fair to add the word energy into there?

Tamara: Thoughts and feelings change your energy vibration, which determines what you're going to attract in your life. If your vibration is low, you're going to attract similar low-vibration things and people and experiences. High - that's where you're in elite status. You're winning.

George: So for example, rubber on the road - that's Tamara walking into a listing presentation, or a building and pest inspection, or whatever it is - you're vibrating high, you're feeling good, your energy's good. Good stuff seems to happen, doesn't it? It's not Tamara walking in dishevelled and hating the world. That's when maybe not-so-great stuff happens.

Tamara: One more tip. One time, I put a calendar appointment in my diary for two weeks' time saying I'd listed this property I really wanted. Then I sent myself an email from them.

George: Full making this real.

Tamara: It just said, "Thank you so much. Tamara, we'd love to list with you." And I listed it. I can't remember the ins and outs, but it was on that date or around that date.

George: Wow. It came to life.

Tamara: Yeah.

George: I think for the outsiders looking in, it's really relevant, especially with you as a guest. I just challenge the listener - what's the worst that'll happen if you give it a go? That's how I started. I was like, all right, I'll give it a go, we'll see what happens. What's the worst that'll happen? Some good stuff will probably start happening, and your life will probably get better. If it doesn't - well, it will, because it's real.

Tamara: And you're doing it anyway.

George: Yeah. So I reckon we leave that point there, Tam. Read those books, guys. That's probably a really good start, isn't it?

Tamara: Very good.

George: All right, point two is your achievements. I don't remember everything off by heart, so I'm going to have a little look.

Tamara: George! I'm sorry.

George: Well, I did say before, you have 400 verified reviews across 27 locations. That's not luck. So let's switch gears now to client experience. How have you built that client loyalty? How have 400 people chosen to give Tamara a glowing review? I think I know the answer, but I want to hear it from the horse's mouth.

Tamara: When I started out on my own, I just knew I had to be better somehow. I was going up against really experienced agents, writing big numbers, and I didn't have any listings. No one knew me, because I went from Wakeley, where Mum was, to Wynnum. So it was just putting 100% in, 110% in. I'd go above and beyond, and I always had good intentions. My goal wasn't to be the richest. I imagined my mum in the crowd at the RE/MAX awards, and her being so proud of me. That was my goal, and it was a really authentic driver, I suppose, subconsciously.

George: And service the clients, right?

Tamara: And service the client, yeah. Nothing was ever too hard. I worked every public holiday, I'd work Sundays, I'd be there late at night. I wanted high prices, because I'm also very proud. I was like, "Yeah, well, I sold it for that." Why else do people hire us, really?

George: Well, that's the job, right? To get your seller the best possible price. And what I love - and it rings true to the whole raising the bar theme - is the whole no-kickback thing. You've been living and breathing that since we started working together, which was day one. You don't care about a solicitor or a building and pest person or a broker saying, "I'll give you all this money for business." Tamara Hall has never cared about that.

Tamara: No.

George: This is great. You're the epitome of what I'd love to see more of in the industry, which is results and service - not getting $100 or $200 under the table. Just seeing the bigger picture in the whole thing.

Tamara: It's trust. The long game.

George: My favourite word - and the theme that comes through with this podcast, where the winners that win - is trust. They have to trust you. And you have to trust the person you're referring. If that client catches wind that, "Oh, George actually pays Tamara under the table," it's just gross.

Tamara: It is gross.

George: They'd be like, "Man, you're referring him because he pays you?" That's actually disgusting for a solicitor. They should not be doing that. And the ones that do should be ashamed of themselves. That's my opinion. That's why I'm here trying to raise some awareness. From day one, your ethics and morals have been there. You're like, "No, I don't play in that sphere. I refer people that I think will do a good job. I get nothing from them, except for good service done."

Tamara: Yeah. I think everyone wins in that scenario. When you've got really good people in your corner - it's such a stressful thing to go through, selling a house, moving, buying a house. It's even harder now. It's an absolute rollercoaster. Having a really good building and pest inspector, a really good solicitor, a really good broker, a good accountant, a good agent - someone who just has your back. Your best marketing is going to be your clients, if you do the right thing.

George: Word of mouth. And is it fair to say you trust the people you're referring?

Tamara: I personally use everyone I refer, yes.

George: That comes down to believing it - which feeds back into the whole mindfulness and manifestation thing. You said before, at the start of the second part of the segment, about your mum being in the crowd and you visualising that. The first thing I did was connect those dots and go, "Wow, it's built into you, isn't it? The way you operate." Going, "I want to be amazing, I want to get good results, I want to win the awards, and I can see my mum in the crowd." I don't think people do that. And maybe if more people did, they'd be wired up - have the vibrations and stuff to get that result.

Tamara: Definitely.

George: Cool. So you live and breathe it.

Tamara: My whole goal is to walk away and have people be like, "Thank you so much." If someone was disappointed, I'd feel weird taking their money.

George: A genuine five-star review.

Tamara: Yes.

George: You don't want to take someone on you can't deliver the best possible experience ever. Which is the same ethos that we have. That's why I think we work together. It's called a value alignment.

Tamara: Yes.

George: On that note, let's talk about community. The Bayside community where you sell predominantly - Wynnum, Manly, Lota, that pocket. I saw something on socials about a movie theatre. I saw that you do State of Origin events, or you've done some stuff there. Let's just talk about the community and what you do, because that's unique. I've never seen somebody do anything like that.

Tamara: Last year was our first year. We'd just opened Tamara Hall Properties' doors in April. So -

George: Okay, so it's bang on a year ago.

Tamara: Yep. I was just so proud, having my office there.

George: Beautiful fit-out, by the way. I see it when I drive past.

Tamara: That's something I really struggled with previously. I wasn't proud. It wasn't Tamara.

George: Whatever you've visualised, you've created, right?

Tamara: Exactly. I wanted it to be an opportunity for me to get to know the community. Previously it was just figures. I was just working in real estate, and yes, there were great results, but there wasn't this community connection. I'd come to work and then I'd go home. So this was a really great opportunity. I felt like I had a piece of real estate right on the strip, and I just made the most of it. We had many events - Origin events at the cinema, and -

George: So just for the listeners out there - you hire the cinema. This is a local cinema in the Bayside, right? What do you do? You say, "If you want to come along and watch the footy, there's a seat for you. You can watch it on the big screen."

Tamara: Yeah, with pizza and one beer.

George: Beautiful.

Tamara: We've had Christmas events and Halloween. We decorate our office window for every event we can.

George: Beautiful. Just getting involved with the community - that's a big piece, isn't it? And when you live and breathe a space like the Bayside, it is a very community feel out there in that Wynnum-Manly area. So people know you, and it's great that you can give back to the community. Switching gears a little bit - last point for this second section - I want to talk about burnout. I feel like every professional service deals with this, from lawyers to agents. You've been through it. You've been in the industry a long time. How do you get through a burnout cycle? Have you had one? I'd take a stab that that many years in business in real estate, this stuff happens. So what tips do you have for the agents out there? Maybe they're hustling, they're grinding, and maybe they're feeling a bit negative. How do you get through it and come out on the other side, and end up being a killer?

Tamara: I think there's this misconception that the more successful you are, the easier it gets. I think it's completely the opposite. The pressure is higher, there's more eyes on you, and things are multiplied. Definitely working on your mindset - but another thing is taking time. I always used to feel so proud, because I'm like, "Oh my God, I haven't been on a holiday in this long," or, "I never take a day off." But I had my biggest year in real estate when I went to Europe for two weeks and Bali four times. Opposed to being the queen that never had any time off, and you just literally burn out.

George: That gets old, doesn't it? Wearing that on your sleeve, going, "I'm in the office at 7:00 and I'm still there at 7:00, and I never take a day off." We're human beings, we need to recharge.

Tamara: It takes - I mean, you've got to really put in. For the first couple of years you really have to put in. But give yourself time here and there. Consistently having time off once you're established. I don't know. What do you think?

George: I've been a solicitor now for nearly a decade. What I've learned is that if I'm no good, if George isn't good, I can't show up for my team. I can't show up for the clients. I can't show up for my sister Maddy to do the social media and the blogs and the podcast. I'm good to nobody, all busted up. I smashed myself into the ground for the first six years or so.

Tamara: That's too long.

George: My personal advice to the listener out there who may be on a similar journey is: slow down a little bit. You don't have to stop. Don't get lazy, but it's actually okay if you're not feeling well to rest or to have some time off.

Tamara: Work smarter, not harder. If you can get your head around what we've just spoken about, you could make three phone calls and have the same success that you would in three months if you didn't.

George: Literally. You managed to have a Europe trip and go to Bali four times, did you say? And have your best year ever. How good's that? You obviously had these staged little trips where you have a reset. And I saw you took your team a few of the times.

Tamara: That's because I couldn't go away on my own. I felt so guilty. But you're in high vibrations when you switch off. It does have a massive impact. I just took three days off in Bali and came back, and it was like - bang, bang, bang. You feel good. Things just happen, because you're vibrating high again.

George: See, it all comes back. This is the theme.

Tamara: Yeah.

George: Very, very cool. So I guess the practical tip to get through a period like that is: have some rest and reset your mind.

Tamara: Look, you're not going to be going through anything in real estate that you actually can't handle, if you do the work. You're not going to go through what a principal has to handle every day if you're just starting out in real estate. But just like anything in life, your mindset is your armour. If you work on it every day so you're not this flimsy paper plane, you'll be able to get through things. Also, having a good support network - someone you can talk to, call for advice, someone you respect and is doing what you want to do.

George: Mentorship is a huge theme that comes up a lot on this podcast. A lot of the really successful guests have had really good mentors. And continue to.

Tamara: Definitely. I'm actually - I've just got a new mentor, which I'm really excited about.

George: That's good.

Tamara: I've never really had an official mentor before. I've always read about it and listened to lots of YouTube videos, and I actually asked someone if she would be my mentor.

George: Really?

Tamara: And she said yes.

George: Wow, that's amazing.

Tamara: Really, really cool. It was a bit awkward to ask. I was like, "Oh, she's so busy and important," and she was so humbled. She was like, "I would love to." So I'm really excited for my own journey.

George: That's so good. Even just a couple of little nuggets along the way that you can implement - and they've probably lived through all of this, right?

Tamara: Yeah.

George: Like, when you have juniors, you're a mentor for them. When they go through the, "Oh, I'm getting yelled at," or, "I've knocked all the doors and no one's interested," you give them the tips on how to get through it.

Tamara: With prospecting, don't do it if you're in a shit mood. Putting yourself in an uncomfortable position doesn't get easier.

George: That's a nugget, Tamara. That's really cool. From the outside, people are like, "Oh my god, she sells all these homes, she's beautiful and she's amazing." But you still feel it, don't you?

Tamara: 100%. Even calling - I wouldn't just call someone out and be like, "Hey, do you want to sell?" I never did that. I always had a reason, to go in with high confidence. Literally, there's no point in you calling if you're hoping they don't answer the phone.

George: Or hoping they don't.

Tamara: It's just a waste of everyone's time.

George: It's a waste of everyone's time. Get yourself up there, then do it. I'll share one more thing around this point, because I think it's really relevant to what you just said. We had this list - we called them the whales. A whale is an agent that sells over 50 properties a year. So we wrote this list - this is years ago. We called it the whale list. And I had zero sales or marketing experience.

Tamara: Was it to target the agents who were doing more than 50 deals?

George: Exactly. I'd go to realestate.com - we'd just opened our Burleigh office at the Gold Coast - I'd filter by most sales, anyone that sold above 52 properties a year was a whale. My job was to call all the whales.

Tamara: And did you get many?

George: Mate, it sucked. It was a colossal crash and burn for a couple of reasons. Connecting the dots backwards, I'd say the vast majority of it was mindset. Because I'm like, "Oh, who am I? They're not going to want to talk to me. I'm just some nobody loser." And then I'd find every excuse under the sun to not make the calls. I had a time block. Then I'd be like, "I'll just email them instead." And they wouldn't reply. Looking back now, if I was to do that now, I'd do it very differently - because I'd want to. Back then I didn't want to. I didn't believe in myself.

Tamara: Confidence comes from doing hard things and getting through them. Which is where you are now.

George: I didn't want to do the hard thing. I was like, "I just want them to send me work." Whereas you have to get on the phone and hustle. Now we've got a bit of social backing behind us, where it's easier to be like, "Oh yeah, Tamara said to give you a call."

Tamara: Before, I would make up every excuse under the sun to not pick up that phone.

George: Success was never built in the good times. It's built in the trenches, I think.

Tamara: When I was prospecting, I would always have a reason. I turned up at their door thinking, "You are lucky that I'm here." That was my energy. I was like, "Because I'm going to sell your house for - I don't know - I'd have a buyer," like a buyer's agent or someone who was going to buy it for this much. So I felt so excited to be there, rather than -

George: I believe that 100% - because I believe from the bottom of my heart that if people end up with a bad conveyancer, they have a terrible experience. I know I rant on about this, but it's a huge passion point of mine - the everyday Aussie ends up with a bad conveyancer, deposits are at risk, it's scary, they don't sleep. I know that if I'm contacting Tamara - "Hey Tamara, it's George from Empire. I want to work with you and your clients, because I know we'll deliver an amazing experience." Believe it. And not me - my team. Because I don't actually write the deals anymore. My team does. I know if they don't end up with us, there's a good chance they're going to get stitched up. It's their loss. And I believe it.

Tamara: Yes. Because you truly believe it now. When you're starting, you don't have that backing - so creating it, finding a buyer or whatever it may be who will buy that property, you're going to walk in with a lot more confidence than without that buyer.

George: Last point, and then we're done. We're going to talk a little bit about going independent, and what's next. You made the decision to leave RE/MAX and launch Tamara Hall Properties. You described it as being about freedom - the freedom to innovate and to focus entirely on your clients. A brave call after 17 years. So what pushed you over the line? What actually made you go, "Yep, I'm going to create Tamara Hall Properties"?

Tamara: I've created this brand, and it's a prestige brand, I would say. But I don't pigeonhole myself in the prestige market. I just wanted this beautiful space that my clients could come to and my team could work from, and we could film videos in, and I could have events like we've had. I just felt like I'd hit a ceiling. I walked out without getting my trophy, but I was number one in Australia at RE/MAX. I just felt like I'd hit a ceiling, and I wanted more. I knew I could do more. Don't get me wrong - I've definitely thought, "What have I done?" throughout the journey. But I wouldn't change it for the world, and it's just been the best experience.

George: And what's next?

Tamara: Well, I'm really building a legacy here. So just bigger and better. Bigger and better, my friend. But not necessarily bigger - just better. Simplifying things, fine-tuning things, ensuring that the right people are with us.

George: You just said something I also 100% believe in - better, not necessarily bigger. The growth monster is real. I've experienced it in business before. We maybe went a bit too quick, too fast. The wheels didn't fall off, because Abi and I worked like insane people to keep them from falling off, because we have promises to keep to people like you who trust us with your clients. So we had to just keep running with pace, to keep the wheels from falling off. But bigger's not always better. Better should be the driver. If everyone that touches Tamara Hall's world feels good and is a promoter, in perpetuity, Tamara Hall Properties will be amazing. It's not about, "I do the most, I've got an office in every city, whatever it might be." It's not that. We actually shut down an office. Which to say on air - I'm proud to say it now. We tried it, and it didn't work. We decided to pull the pin and focus on being better where the people that needed us were. Now we're thinking about rebooting it, because we've had time to rebuild and get a plan. So we do it properly this time.

Tamara: Yeah, I agree. I definitely took a step back. Owning an office is a lot more than being an individual agent. Taking a step back was something I had to do, to understand the mechanics and perfect the mechanics, and build a foundation that was going to be able to hold what I wanted for the brand.

George: It would be fair to say that an exceptional real estate agent usually doesn't transition on day one to being an amazing owner, because they're different skills - and not, not you specifically. But I think this is the trap that a lot of professionals fall into, be it agent, solicitor, accountant, doesn't matter. You think, "Oh yeah, I'm really great at what I do. I'm going to go open a shop." Business ownership skills are totally different skills that you have to learn.

Tamara: Yeah. It's actually crazy. It's definitely been my biggest test.

George: We all love tests.

Tamara: Well, it's how you come out better on the other side. 100%. I am a completely different person now to what I was April, May, June, July. Last year was rough. I feel like every corner of my life is like a test. When you experience something like that, you don't have your armour anymore to hide behind. So it's like a rebuild. I think it was the most testing year of my life, but the most transformative year of my life.

George: Well, after 16-odd years of being safe behind a franchise, to then go, "I'm actually going to take all my armour off and start again."

Tamara: Well, I didn't willingly do it. I didn't willingly take my armour off.

George: But you know what? No one does. I think when you take that plunge, it comes off whether you like it or not. It's like, "Oh, I'm not backed by the franchise anymore. It's me now. Whatever comes at me, I have to work it out."

Tamara: Yes.

George: And not only that - you're building a house.

Tamara: Oh, I did everything last year.

George: You're doing all of it at the same time. Isn't it funny? I had Alex Tincknell on a few episodes ago. He's just had his third baby. They've bought and sold a house. The business is going through major change - all at the one time. It's funny how that works, isn't it? It's there to put you to the test.

Tamara: Yeah. 100%.

George: Sink or swim, baby.

Tamara: Sink or swim. As I said, success comes from the trenches, not from the stages.

George: It does. Two very quick parts and we're finished, Tam. The next one is - what does raising the bar mean to you? I've only recently started asking this question, ironically enough. What does it mean to you? Keeping in mind, this industry, we're trying to clean it up. There's opportunity for everyone to do better. You've been in the game a long time. You've touched a lot of people's lives to help them get in or out of a home. What does it mean to you?

Tamara: I just think overall, if you go into anything with good intentions, you will always succeed in whatever you're doing. Raising the bar is doing what you say you're going to do, and doing it better. You can never give too much. It always comes back. It's the law of attraction. Raising the bar is just being a good human. There's just - there's so much shit.

George: There is. I like to say: when good people come together, good stuff happens. And that can be as simple as you putting our name in the hat with your clients. Going, "Look, these guys are good and I trust them. My promise to you is they'll do a good job." Don't have to overcomplicate it, right?

Tamara: Yeah.

George: Beautiful. All right, the last part - the golden nugget. I'm sure you know about the golden nugget. You've already given lots of advice today. But if you were just to boil it down to one final piece of advice to leave the listener with - whoever's out there listening, from the world of Tamara Hall - and it doesn't have to be real estate specific. It can be life, it can be anything. What do you want to put out there that's your golden nugget for the audience?

Tamara: Hmm.

George: You can take your time. It's a heavy one.

Tamara: I would say that the only real piece of real estate that you own is your mind. And it's the one thing that I think is so neglected. So train it daily.

George: I love that. I love that, guys. Give that some thought. If you got all the way to this point and you're still listening, and you still think it's woo-woo-y, maybe just do a little bit more research, or do some of the tips that Tam suggested - and see if it changes your life.

Tamara: Happy days.

George: On that note, we'll put in the show notes where people can find you. You are Tamara Hall from Tamara Hall Properties. You're on the main drag on the Bayside there, on Bay Terrace.

Tamara: Yep.

George: And your core area is Wynnum, Manly, Lota - that Bayside pocket - right? That's where you live and breathe.

Tamara: Yes.

George: If anybody out there wants to chat to you, your number and email are very easy to find, and they should give you a call.

Tamara: Thanks, guys. Thanks for watching and listening.

George: Thank you for your support over the years. And honestly, thank you for trusting us with your clients. When we were nobody, you went out to bat for us. I'm glad that nearly a decade later we're sitting doing this. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, and from Abi's, for all of your support.

Tamara: Thank you, George.

George: Thanks.

Tamara: Thanks, guys.