EP 11: Luke Burton on Sacrifice, Discipline & Starting Over

In this episode of One Goat and the Property Guys, the team sits down with Luke Burton for a raw, honest conversation about what it really takes to build a high-performance career in real estate while trying to stay grounded as a husband, father, and leader. Luke opens up about sacrifice, starting over in a completely new market, the discipline behind rebuilding a business from scratch, and the emotional weight that comes with chasing excellence. From database mastery and pipeline management to mental health, resilience, and purpose, this episode is packed with practical insights and deeply human moments. It’s a powerful listen for anyone who wants to understand the difference between talent and true long-term drive.

Episode Breakdown

[00:00–06:00] Opening banter and introducing Luke Burton
The episode kicks off with the usual GOAT energy before the hosts welcome Luke Burton to the show. Early on, the tone shifts into a conversation about sacrifice and why success is rarely discussed honestly without acknowledging the personal cost behind it.

[06:00–13:00] Planned sacrifice, family, and the emotional cost of ambition
Luke shares one of the episode’s most moving reflections: success is not just about sacrifice, but about planning your sacrifice. He speaks candidly about the toll his career growth placed on family life, including missing important moments with his young children. This section reveals the emotional reality behind professional ambition and why family remains central to his “why.”

[13:00–20:00] Work ethic, upbringing, and being built for the game
The conversation turns to Luke’s background, including his family’s long history in real estate. He reflects on watching his father work relentlessly and how that shaped his own standards. The hosts unpack the difference between skill and motor, with Luke reinforcing that while skill can be taught, work ethic and discipline are what separate high performers.

[20:00–28:00] Leaving Brisbane and starting over from zero
Luke discusses the bold decision to leave an established career in Brisbane and move his family to the Sunshine Coast region, specifically Tewantin, where he knew virtually no one. He explains the pressure, anxiety, and life changes surrounding that move, and why starting fresh became both a personal and professional reset.

[28:00–36:00] Rebuilding a business through discipline and relentless consistency
This section dives into the mechanics of Luke’s success. He explains how he committed to doing the basics properly: clean data, consistent prospecting, structured follow-up, and database discipline. There’s strong value here for agents and business owners alike, especially around the idea that most people already know what to do—they just don’t do it consistently.

[36:00–43:00] Database strategy, pipeline management, and long-game thinking
Luke breaks down how he manages his database and pipeline with precision, including quarterly contact cycles, email engagement, contact cleaning, and categorising future sellers by readiness and intent. It’s one of the most practical segments in the episode and gives listeners a real look at how a modern, high-performing agent builds market share over time.

[43:00–48:00] Mental health, routines, and managing pressure
The discussion becomes more personal again as Luke shares how he manages overthinking, pressure, and emotional fatigue. He speaks openly about the importance of support, routine, movement, healthy habits, and having trusted people around him. It’s a standout moment that reinforces vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness.

[48:00–51:00] Advice for agents, rapid-fire questions, and Luke’s final ‘why’
The episode closes with practical advice for agents at any stage of their career: have a process, stay coachable, a

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Success in life isn't what you know, it's it's how much you're prepared to rip in and have a go. I mean, knowing things is obviously important. But you can't judge size of someone's motor. And in life, that's everything.

SPEAKER_04 0:10

I went to school with had a tattoo on his arm. I remember it clear as day now, which is good, better, best, never let it rest to your good is better and your better is best. And and I think you just have to keep trying to get better.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

When you lose that confidence, it's about finding what makes you tick again. It's about putting things into perspective and going back to the process.

SPEAKER_04 0:26

If your business isn't going forward, it's going backwards because everyone around you is going forward. So if you're not, you're going backwards.

SPEAKER_03 0:32

Talent's important, but discipline is more important because your fallback position in life, if you've got the ability, has to always be disciplined. Or else you end up just not quite getting to your potential, right?

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Yeah, I've had heaps of good advice, man. But at the end of the day, dream big, possibilities are endless, and just believe in yourself.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Do or do not, there is no try, which means if you're gonna do something in life, just do it, back yourself. Otherwise, don't do it at all. There's no trying if you're not 100% in.

SPEAKER_04 1:06

All right, Aaron William Myrtle, Lucifer Brooks, James Bartholomew. Yeah, we are back with another episode of the Goat Podcast.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

You ready for it? That's it. Mate, seriously, the amount of absolute nonsense.

SPEAKER_04 1:23

Mate, it's it's exciting to have uh Luke Boo B, big bad burdo. And he's here with us. Now we've changed podcast letters. Our last one, Brooksy, got inundated with fanfare, so we've had to take it to the suburbs.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

All of the people out the front waiting for your signature.

SPEAKER_04 1:45

Exactly. So, mate, here we are. We're in uh 7 Shy Street Koopero, one of the beautiful properties we have on the market at the moment. Uh, lovely to be here, but welcome, Luke.

SPEAKER_03 1:56

Yeah, thanks, guys. Appreciate it. And mate, we know that you're one of the busiest human beings on the planet to sort of sacrifice at least probably two-thirds of your day to drive down from Wano. Just wanted to see you, you beautiful gentleman. Oh, that's a little bit sweet. Look at you, guys.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

A blush.

SPEAKER_03 2:15

But much appreciated, mate. We know how busy you are, and you know, I guess you know, you sacrificed a bit of time today to be able to, you know, be on I guess the podcast and share your great knowledge with lots of people that'll be listening and what have you. And it's interesting that we talk about the word sacrifice. Um, because you know, you you lot you listen to a lot of real estate podcasts and you you uh listen to a lot of podcasts, and very rarely does anybody talk about sacrifice. I guess that's the first thing I wanted to talk to you about. Yeah, because your Luke sacrifice Burton. You've made it your middle name.

SPEAKER_05 2:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:54

Talk to me about the sacrifices that you've made. It's not the order of any questions. But well, we wouldn't keep these things real, right?

SPEAKER_05 3:02

Yeah, uh sacrifice I think is a oh you hear it in a lot of interviews or podcasts. I think um I think I think you have to plan your sacrifice, which might sound a little bit funny or silly, but if you don't know what you're going to sacrifice going through that going through the process, I suppose, trying to be a good agent, um when the shit hits the fan or it gets tough, it'll hit you like a ton of bricks. Yeah. Versus um, like I did with with Rach, my wife, we had a conversation about what it was going to take or or what was likely to pop up that was going to be a bit of an issue, and then what we had to sacrifice, and it is we, it's not just me because she runs the the household and probably busier than I am, to be honest. Um, but uh we we planned that. So I think the sacrifice is I think it's not just the word sacrifice, it's planned a sacrifice, in my opinion. Might sound a bit corny. I don't know. I don't fucking know.

SPEAKER_04 4:03

But I think you choose, you sacrifice, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 4:06

I think unless you choose it, or if you don't do that when it does happen, it it is a hell of a lot harder to deal with because you don't know the you don't know what's coming, I suppose. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

I don't think we've ever had a discussion um when you and I sit down and have our chats um that hasn't revolved around your family. I know how much you love your family and you do this for them, right? Totally. Um, and that can be a real challenge in itself because you know, when you've got little kids and I know Rach is so understanding, but you know, how do you explain to little ones that the reason daddy's away so much is because he's working hard for us.

SPEAKER_05 4:44

Well that that was the that was the sacrifice. So Nate, my youngest, is four and a half, nearly five, probably. He was uh what's that for? He was two, two, maybe two and a half when we started this process. So I the sacrifice was not seeing the kids after school or dinner or bedtime for three or four nights a week. Um, and whilst the other two, um Ad and Harvey understood it a little bit because they're a little bit older, Nady definitely didn't. And you know, there's some pretty shit times. Um like I missed him talking for the first time, which I struggle a little bit um talking, talking about, start the podcast nice and emotional. But I got home one day and he was he met me at the doorstep um and you know said hi and I I picked him up and he um he said daddy works for me.

SPEAKER_03 5:35

Yeah. Um we spoke about that. I think we both nearly cried at the time.

SPEAKER_05 5:39

So where the where the issue or where the the planned sacrifice comes into it was um was that, but I didn't know that he could string a sentence together. I knew that he could say mum and dad and bum or we or whatever. Um but I didn't know that he could string words together. That's how much we I say we, like all of us were committed in my journey or are committed in my journey, yeah. But that's how much we went hard, and and that that particular moment brought me unstuck in a big way, and um and we dialed it back a little bit from from there from an hours point of view. But yeah, that was that is that was the planned sacrifice, and it still hit me like a fucking ton of bricks when it when when it happened. So um, but that's this process is what it's all about, you know, making family ultimately, kids, wife, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:31

Yeah, and and and you know, I I think sometimes the perception of the general public can be because someone's a real estate agent, they're a robot, or they're stereotyped as being that type of individual. But at the end of the day, you're a good quality human being, a good man, a good husband, a good dad, a good friend. Um, and and and I think you know, opportunities like this where people get to see it real and raw is critical for me.

SPEAKER_05 6:54

Cheers, thanks for the compliments.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

No worries, take it.

SPEAKER_04 6:57

Where's it all where's it all come from, Luke? You know, you started in the industry 20 years ago or maybe a bit shy. Maybe I don't know. A long time ago, I having known you for as long as I have, I know uh your dad, Jack. Um he um he's a he's a great he's a great man though, but he was in real estate as as well as that.

SPEAKER_05 7:21

He was a stock and station agent, as was his dad beforehand.

SPEAKER_04 7:24

So you're third generation.

SPEAKER_05 7:26

Yeah, I think I could be fourth generation, maybe. I've still got dad's dad's real estate sign that's at work at the Wano office. Um a nice bit of asbestos that's painted up and sign written. Yeah, sealed, of course.

SPEAKER_04 7:38

Sealed, of course, absolutely place health and safety people listening.

SPEAKER_05 7:42

Yeah, so I I guess it's probably in the blood, I suppose.

SPEAKER_04 7:45

But like Was your dad a hard worker?

SPEAKER_05 7:47

Yeah, he'd he'd come home, and it was the days before mobiles were there, so and he sold farms um in country New South Wales, and he'd come home at whatever time and we'd say hi to dad, give him his stubby, and then he'd go into his office and call all the farmers on their landlines because they didn't come in till dark. Yeah, and then he'd come out and have dinner at eight o'clock at night and go to bed and do it all again the next day. So I guess growing up had a pretty fair idea what was required work ethic-wise, which I think underpins everything that we're probably going to talk about today. Yeah, um, uh had a pretty good idea what was required. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

It's good to have all of the skill and and mate, you have that in abundance. But you see, so many people in life in any profession, you know, high levels of skill, but just don't have the motor to go with it. And I think, you know, this is a business where you do need to have high levels of skill, but you need to have even higher levels of will, right? Like the will to want to work, the will to want to perform to exceed expectations. Like the moat is so critical, right?

SPEAKER_05 8:51

I think the motors, I think that underpins a few of the the things that we'll we'll talk about, but um I think the skill side of it you can learn, yeah, is what what you guys do with the amount of training that we do do. But but yeah, the work ethic is by far one of the the main the main calls. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:10

I remember so vividly my rugby coach in under 13 telling me that Sam, I can teach skill, but I can't teach courage. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:21

You've got that in abundance, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:23

Oh no, he wasn't talking about me.

SPEAKER_05 9:27

Not being the triple threat manager.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

Yeah, so but from a from a discipline side, mate, you've got that um in absolute spades. You spent 20 years building a career in Brisbane, um, you owned your own agency independently, then you were in a franchise group, then you made a quite courageous decision in my eyes to move from Brisbane where you'd been working in real estate, well resourced, well known, and you moved to Tawanton, which probably has only just come on the real estate map. Um, and you know, you you chose to set your family up uh in in Tawanton. So take take me back to that thought process because perceivably you're a man at the peak of your powers, and then you've had to go from a man at the peak of your powers, well respected within Brisbane, known in his community for selling real estate, to an area where you did you know anyone?

SPEAKER_05 10:29

No, no one, no family, no friends, no relatives. I didn't know my fucking neighbour's name when we moved there, like we knew no one. Did you know it now? Just okay, yeah, just see it through the bathroom window.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

What's the what was the the the dude in the movie? Wilson.

SPEAKER_04 10:49

Wilson, gooey Wilson, yeah, yeah. Tim the toolman Taylor, it was a TV show, but anyway, we'll go.

SPEAKER_05 10:55

Sorry, mate, what was the question?

SPEAKER_04 10:56

Um no, so what so why make the decision to go from the peak of your powers to rebuilding the water?

SPEAKER_05 11:03

I think you know, peak of the powers is a generous uh reference. Thanks. Um I uh depending on how deep we want to go, like I we shifted, I went from Burton and Ryan, we sold our rent roll um uh and went back to to Bell to run an agency, and then we had to shift because it was probably quite a stressful time with what we had to what we had to do, um, and we had a third kid in in all of that that process. So went over a year or or two time frame, and I'd made a promise to Rach that I was going to take a good chunk of time off for the third kid uh at the same time that this franchise did a 200k fit out for an office that I had the first write of refusal on for two years and had to run. It was the only company-owned office in Queensland, and along with that comes a fair bit of pressure with you know check-in calls from the CEO, which you know, whilst you know they were okay calls, is still a fair bit of pressure in that in itself, along with taking no time off for my third, third kid. Um I think that created a fair bit of stress, um, came out in probably a fair bit of anxiety as well, um, which then turned to a bit of agitation, and I probably didn't didn't handle it very well. So we moved probably more from a I don't want to say balance because it's not like we've got any better balance now, we're just doing it at the coast. But um I think I think I'd I underestimated what was required to do that at my particular time in life. Um and within 60 days' time we'd bought a house under the hammer, sold a house under the hammer, and resigned. It was a relative we'd always holiday to Noosa, so it's not like it was rare. And you know, Tawanton, we chose Tawanton purely based on numbers for turnover. Yeah. Um, like it wasn't a guess, it was a well I guess an educated guess, I suppose. Just a numbers thing. Um turns out it's worked pretty, pretty good, I suppose. But the thought process was a you know, we it was just time for a change.

SPEAKER_03 13:07

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. So it takes, you know, and your career was going well.

SPEAKER_05 13:12

I mean, yeah, we we didn't we we weren't setting the the world on fire with deals like the great Ryan Bang Bang Holzel and I um, you know, did between three and four hundred K a year. We had a rent roll of 330 odd. Yeah, um, we sold that, moved out, uh, I shifted to another agency um uh and kept the friendship with him, which is super important to me, um, alive, which is good, doesn't often happen. But um uh I've completely forgot the fucking question.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

Yeah, well you probably already answered it. Yeah. Um in terms of what keeps you going, like one of the things that I admire about you, I know Sam's the same, is um you know, you're you're faced with a lot of things that most people aren't faced with. And we obviously won't go into the detail of those things, but you have some challenges like all of us, you know, personally. Um, and the admiration that we have for you, just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, just get back to work again, um, that's a real credit to you. It's difficult. How do you how do you do it? How do you do it? Well, let's be real, how do you do it?

SPEAKER_05 14:23

I I yet to I'm yet to figure it out, I suppose. I I think the one thing that I've learned with you guys, or the the change in in in regions or from a CBD from a city to a regional area, um is the certain amount of things that you've got to do that we all should do in real estate, the I guess the prospecting activities, the layering, um that's what runs my business. And if I don't do that, I don't build my pipeline, or I'm not doing it for now, it's you know, 60, 90, 120 days the long, the long term. But I just know that regardless of how I feel or what's happening or whatever's going on, if I don't do those calls, I'm gonna feel it. So that's a huge shift mentality-wise, because we all can have bad days, bad weeks, maybe a bad month, I'm not really sure. But um, if you stop doing those things that have got you there, then it's gonna bite you in the ass.

SPEAKER_03 15:20

But that's where your real courage comes from, right? Hey, you know, to not feel your your best, have other stuff going on like happens in life, but to turn up, work hard, be focused, be committed, and do the things that you don't necessarily want to do, but you do it because you know it's right.

SPEAKER_05 15:38

Yeah. Um I think it's just doing those, like, you know, I've said to myself, I've kicked in the guts a few times this year, but like the calls that I made last week, like my 180, 90 calls that I make every week to my database. I know it takes me five or six hours to do, and I've just got to get my shit together for five or six hours if I'm not feeling it. Yep. And I do it. And if I don't, if I'm not, uh if I'm not doing it, I'll often go down to the river and take my laptop and you know, sit in my car or sit on a park bench and and hit it out looking at the beach or at the river or whatever it is. And yeah, I think I don't know, maybe a mind shift changed, but I know that's what got me there from you know three years ago when we started this process. Yeah. So there's no way in fucking hell that we're stopping doing that.

SPEAKER_04 16:19

Yeah, and I I think you know, good credit to you because I think most people go searching for motivation before taking action, but action precedes motivation nine times out of ten. So you actually starting to make your calls and get yourself together for five, six hours is um is is credit to you because most people are sitting there waiting for this magic dust of inspiration and motivation to actually make one phone call where you know the the best operators, in my opinion, make the phone calls, and then that actually spurs more activity and more phone calls because they understand the importance of it. But um rebuilding a business from zero. So, yeah, what what process did you undertake?

SPEAKER_05 17:04

Um starting again was something that I didn't think was gonna be that hard, to be honest, which is such a stupid fucking comment to make because it was pretty brutal. Um but I knew if I started again or starting again, I was gonna do it all right. And I guess what I mean by that is everything that everyone tells us principals, directors, coaches, podcasts, you know, Aric, or you know, all of the the real estate gurus tell us basically all the same thing that no one ever really fucking does. That's why they have these things over and over again that people pay a heap of money for. So uh I knew it was going to be focused around data, um, you know, the the layering side of it with your farm areas, um, but very, very focused around clean data and consistency. Um uh which has worked quite well. Like I I think, not I think I've got 74% of Tawantan's data clean and verified. In my database, I've got 60% of their their emails, which is the main focus this year to build the the email um side of things. I've got a monthly email that goes out to the suburb that has a 99.8% land rate and open rate, and it is it it just puts a smile on my face every time I see those stats. Um and that's what I've built it off.

SPEAKER_03 18:25

Yeah, I mean you you you came to us already really proficient at what you do. Um, and and obviously a lot of people go, How'd you do it, Birdo? And your response obviously is just follow what Sam said to do and the level up program.

SPEAKER_05 18:40

I I had a I had a an idea. Set the tone, mate. Come on.

SPEAKER_03 18:45

You give a guy a rap and that's it.

SPEAKER_05 18:47

I had a um I had a very good idea of what I wanted to do. Sam had a uh process, I suppose, systems processes uh that's referred to as set the tone in there in HPC. Um I knew what I wanted to do, you fine-tuned it, I then doubled it, and that has been I haven't stopped that since day one. That's yeah, I still do it today.

SPEAKER_03 19:11

Well, that's great that you know kicking goals, but you still go back to the basics every day, right?

SPEAKER_05 19:16

Yeah, it's it's yeah, that's and I guess that's you know, when we talk about interviews or podcasts or training sessions or coaching, when I started again, like obviously data and this little system that we that we do, but it is all the same shit that everyone has always told us what to do, but no one does it, including me when I was in Brizi, you know, I was somewhat of a generic agent, I didn't set the world on fire. We we did okay, but you know, we weren't breaking records. Um but uh I knew when I started again it was going to be data oriented with a set system that we were just relentless on, and we you know that's put us where we are today. So it's it's not easy. Uh it hasn't been easy. Uh but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:01

But that's good, right? Yeah, but it's not easy. No, it's not, and and and it it is it was no everyone would be doing it, yeah, and there'd be absolutely no money in it. Yeah, and that's why there's an 80-20 rule in real estate, right? Yeah, 30% of people earn 20% of the money and 20% earn 80% of the money, and that just comes down to how hard you're willing to work for it.

SPEAKER_05 20:18

Yeah, and I I think it's a flicking the switch, you know, when starting in a fresh area where you know no one, literally no one, um, into a business that that that didn't have a great deal of residential runs on the board, big good commercial operation, a little bit of resie, but you know, we started from scratch. Yep. Um and and the the set the tone and you know, a fair bit of grunt is built.

SPEAKER_04 20:43

Oh, I think the thing I love about it the most is that you had all the knowledge. So you you knew how to be a real estate agent, you'd done all the training before, you knew exactly what you had to do, but you still took uh a process and a structure and you made it your own without trying to second guess it or go, oh, I've got a better way. Because I see lots of new people join our industry and they go, No, I don't have to make a phone call, you know, I don't have to do this or I don't have to do that. This is how I'm gonna get business, it's gonna be social media and Instagram and all of this sort of stuff. And they don't have the knowledge that you had. And so an experienced agent after 20 years comes in and goes, Well, I'm gonna make 150 calls a day. Because I I know in that in that first year, you would often with your associate Zeke at the time, would be back there on a Friday till eight o'clock at night because you hadn't hit 500 calls for the week. Um, so d talk to me about those real early days because my system you know will set the tone is 150 calls, right? That's that's what It says 150 door knocks, 150 letterbox drops. You went to 500. 300. 300. You doubled it.

SPEAKER_03 22:07

Sounds good, though. Double.

SPEAKER_04 22:08

Yeah, 300.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

And you obviously just set that to your limitations, and someone like Birdo was better. So we just doubled it.

SPEAKER_04 22:14

Yeah, I don't disagree. I don't disagree. I I often say though that Birdo skipped one part of it, which was door knocking. Um, and I I I've now adopted the Birdo rule, which is well, if you're knocking a door knock, it's 300. Yeah. So that's the law of Burden. He's now got his own section in the in the set the tone. But you know, mate, what how did you you know what what what changed in you to go, well, this is just what I've got to do? Because you had all the knowledge. You already knew how to be a real estate agent.

SPEAKER_05 22:50

Um I think I was the the train of thought was just to do it right, do everything that everyone has told all of us real estate agents, and you know, podcasts and technology and social makes it so much more available than say coaching from your directors or um you know training sessions, you know, what what whatever ones is a lot of them these days. But um I just wanted to put in play what all of these experts have told us for years and years.

SPEAKER_03 23:19

I think the key, the key for mine, my observations are you just you're coachable.

SPEAKER_05 23:24

Yeah. Yeah, I think a little bit of understanding, like I'm I'm I don't like yeah, yeah, I I am because I'm I'm far from the expert in my opinion. Um, and there's a lot a lot of better agents out there than than I am. I think I just wanted to see if it worked, like I've given ultimately uh a career to this industry besides four years pretending to be a mechanic. Um but I wanted to see whether I could get the goal's two mil plus to see to get to the top, I don't know what that is, two percent of the countries, probably. Um I wanted to see how quick I could do it um by doing what everyone says to do, and it hasn't been a cakewalk, but we're on our way.

SPEAKER_04 24:04

Touching on your mechanics though, right? Like it's the mechanics of real estate because I take it when you're a mechanic, and I don't know any, I couldn't, I'd be lucky to change my car tire, right? So did that be so I I don't I I definitely don't protest to be a mechanic, but I imagine that when you are fixing a car, there's a there's like one way to do it. There's probably not a lot of different ways, and so you've just applied a process, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 24:35

And I think that process, you know, we're talking about setting the tone, um the the set the tone, I should say, um is ultimately exactly what that is, which is layering, of course. But I think it's a little bit more in-depth um than that, and I know on that questions that you've got is the the fundamentals, which I'll roll into. Yeah. Um because whilst you can make your phone calls, your brochures, your letters, your door knocks, uh I think that's that's that's all it you know, you can have a system and a procedure for all of that, but I think there's there's four key fundamentals that are that are underpinned by two other things as well. And they're all going to be very cliche, which we all know. But I think with a little bit more explanation, it probably helps. And I think I explain probably would have made no difference to me when I was in Brisbane, but explained a bit better how they all line uh in with each other is probably beneficial to people. But everyone talks about consistency, it's an absolute no-brainer. You need to be consistent, right? But you need the discipline to be consistent, because if you don't have the discipline, you can't be consistent. If uh you then need resilience to bounce back, but if you're not consistent, you don't need uh resilience because you won't have a need for it. If you're not disciplined enough, you won't be consistent to need resilience. Yep. And then the la and then the fourth is that plan to sacrifice. Yeah. Because if you do need all of those, the discipline to roll and to be consistent, then to bounce back with the resilience, while you're doing all of that, you'll and that sacrifice comes into play. If you've planned for it, it will be easier. What's that is underpinned by his work ethic and a little bit of help with the mental health that might not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me. Yep. As you know, um, I struggle a little bit from time to time.

SPEAKER_03 26:31

Um the good thing is, if I just if I just butt in here, apologies for that. I I think talking isn't a weakness, right?

SPEAKER_05 26:39

No, I think it's a superpower.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

Oh, it's an absolute superpower. I think it's one of yours, mate, is yeah, you know, to be vulnerable enough to be able to sit down and go, hey, listen, I'm not right at the moment. Let's have a chat. Um, you know, I don't you don't go any more manly than being able to share your emotions with someone who can help you try and fix it, right? Yeah, totally. I think it's a big part of what's me, Sam, whoever.

SPEAKER_05 27:04

Yeah. I think it's a big part in in that process, and I think it I think it depends on the stage of life that you're at. Like I've got three kids under 10. Um, my superpower is probably more my wife than anything else because I I she's she's the she's the fucking superstar. A long shot. Um but you know, if you're at living at home with your mum, I'd kill everyone I know to be back in that position. I'd and doing what I do now. Oh, right, yeah. Like not without a wife and kids for the reference page, whichever camera we're looking at. Might cut that out, I reckon.

SPEAKER_04 27:42

Um but like if but still that person if you had no responsibilities and knew what you do were doing now, knew that it worked, yeah. How how big of an operator you could be if you only had this to worry about.

SPEAKER_05 27:55

But but you know what, we we we all get told that. Yeah, you know, we we get told that it works. Yeah, you can lead a horse of water, but you can't make it drink, uh, you can't make it drink. I was to a point one of those. Yeah, we had a business, we had a rent roll, 20 odd people under employment, which was you know, which was great, highs and lows like any other business. But you know, we had fun and learn a shitload. But um, you know, someone that's got three little kids, yeah, uh starting in a new town from zero and from scratch versus someone that maybe has a boyfriend or a girlfriend, yeah. Talk about sacrifice, there's not a sacrifice there.

SPEAKER_03 28:26

Yeah, it it comes, but that also comes with levels of maturity, right? Like Gradle's saying, you can't put an old head on young shoulders. And sometimes, as a young person, and and this necessarily isn't about age, some people are just immature or older, um, you know, that they they don't learn some of these things until later on in life. When it's not until you get to your position now where you look back and you go, if I didn't have a partner and I didn't have children, imagine how what I could do. It you know, it's it's easy to say, but the fact is that you probably have other distractions. But of course, in in saying that, what makes you today is all of that, right? Because that builds discipline, yeah, consistency, resilience. Yeah, they're all the core fundamentals that you have as a man that has put you in the position that you are today.

SPEAKER_05 29:14

Yeah, and all the lessons from the time in Brizzy with with Burton and Ryan or or whoever, like they're the lessons that you learn, and then obviously you guys go through with culture and managing different personalities and that sort of jazz, which is a world of fun.

SPEAKER_01 29:28

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 29:28

And so now, mate, it's it's flipped from um trying to get new um, you know, trying to meet people in a new town. You now have what was 74% of to want it on a on a database. So now you're the what I would call the database and and pipeline master. Um because it's it's always sat within set the tone, but then no one's actually taken it, set the tone to the level you've taken it. Yeah, and so we you and I and and Aaron Um around your mental health have have have definitely had to work on what this pipeline and database management system looks like. So for those, you know, and not to talk in riddles with people, but what's a what's a what is your pipeline management like? What's your database management like? What are the the sort of key things if you if if there's a real estate operator at home who might have an okay database or an okay pipeline, what are the things that you would focus on? Um and what are the things you focus on now?

SPEAKER_05 30:29

Uh just the just consistency ultimately in what we do. So we call it quarterly. Um we send a message out that's got a quarterly update on it. Um, and then I call the next day that says, you know, hey Sam, checking in to make sure you've got the update we sent yesterday. Um and if Victoria answers the phone for argument's sake, because it's under Sam and Victoria Devlin, while we're making that phone call, I I change that lead name to Victoria from Sam. And at the same time, I change the email as well. So when it gets sent to Victoria, it says Victoria and Sam. We do that for every single every every contact that needs changing when we call, we change it. So it's cleaned basically quarterly. And it is, because there's data in and there's data out. We we don't have any, I suppose we have a small percentage of dirty data that everyone does, but um it starts with that phone call. Every single person I connect with gets a thank you note. Thank you for your time on the phone. You know, if we can help in the future, if anything pops up unexpectedly, feel free to reach out. Uh, they get two DL brochures in the mailbox every month. Um, they get a monthly Taunton update on email. Uh the interaction with that email um lasts for about two weeks. It's not just a 24-hour thing, so we track that very heavily on who's playing around with it or forwarding it or opening it or what articles or you know, whatever it is. Um we do an octawanton. I don't do an octawanton, but my team do an octawanton twice a year now. Um and that's my database. And then the pipeline side of it, we run a we're very, very detailed with the pipeline. Um to the point where we run a different program for the pipeline exclusively. There's currently 256 people on that pipeline. Um that is split between ultimately two different categories. Let's say three, there's two main ones that are zero to three month sellers and three to twelve month sellers. However, in those two categories, there's a confirmed and a not confirmed. Someone might say that um uh they're downsizing depending on the health of Sam's mother or you know, whatever it is, and they they go to the not confirmed, but we interact with them like they're selling. Um and then I have a 0 to 30 day pipe, and then I have a hesitation pipe. Um so the zero to 30 days is a no-brainer. We we we interact with those guys intimately, basically, um, in every possible way that you can think of. Um and then the hesitation is if someone has I've hesitated on the phone, the it's a bit of a no-brainer with the name of the pipeline. And uh, if someone, if I ask if they've got any plans down the track, we never ask if they're selling now, we ask later in the year, or you know, if it's September, we ask if they've got any plans for early next year, depending depending on what time of year we're calling. Never look for something immediate. I'd rather, it's all the long game, I'd rather a pipeline lead than I would with an instant seller. Um, going to be able to deal with that relationship a lot better uh and probably go in uncontested when the time comes. Um, but the hesitation is if someone says, no, I'm not selling, uh no, I'm not selling. There's there could be something there. Okay. So we put them in the in the hesitation category because then I know it doesn't muddy my waters with what is actually on my pipeline. Um and I track that daily.

SPEAKER_03 33:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 33:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:59

I mean, there's been lots of real gold in that for real estate people. I mean, I just want to come from the perspective of you know, there's somebody sitting and watching this podcast that's looking to select an agent. Um if anyone lives in wanton or thereabouts, there's real value for them in having a conversation with you, right? Not only because you've got all the skills under the sun, but you actually genuinely care about the outcome for your client and deliver value, right?

SPEAKER_05 34:29

Yeah, we try.

SPEAKER_03 34:30

So, you know, what what's your statement around that?

SPEAKER_05 34:34

Um I I it's probably a little bit cliche, but you know, we don't want the guys to be a number on the wall. We want to make a difference. You know, it's whilst it's uh a people game versus a property game, in my opinion, you know, we I like being part of the deal. I like you know, that process of buying and selling is a is a huge um a huge uh step in anyone's life, no matter what age they are, and you know, knocking that out of the park. Um and being a part of that process is is pretty cool. So, you know, we like that, and I think we're good at what we do.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

So I I don't, you know, we I of course I think I'm the option of so yeah, it's yeah, you go a long, you go a long way to try and find somebody better in that market to actually genuinely look after the best interest of their client, work hard and do the right thing.

SPEAKER_05 35:22

I think we know where the suburbs are going as well. Like Tawanton's changed drastically, yeah. Was the the little the little brother of Nooser, and and that has changed um hugely over the last two years, and we've been a big part of that. We hold the records for the highest house and the highest land sale as well. Yep. Um, and we know where that's going. Uh, we know our stats, we know the growth, we know everything intimately. We put an enormous amount of time into that suburb.

SPEAKER_04 35:47

Yeah, one of the things I I I love about Luke and our Noosa business as well is that I think, you know, you and I spoke about it when we were going up to Noosa that this will be an interesting exercise for us because the Brisbane real estate market is really quite professional. So people treat it like a full-time job. And you know, you're not a typical Sunshine Coast real estate agent who potentially wakes up, you know, goes to the goes for the surf, um, you know, and and relaxes into their day. Like you treat this seriously like a business, which I think for the for the rest of the marketplace, like I'd be, if I was a agent in Noosa Tawanton in that area, listening to Luke, I'd be going far out. I'd have to sharpen up pretty quickly.

SPEAKER_05 36:33

I think there's a lot of part-time agents um in in Noosa. And that's that's obviously what they want to do, which you know, that's that's that's great, that's their thing. But you know, there is uh a couple of guys that that treat it like a career and like a business, and you know, guys that we compete against as well. And it's you know, it's good to have some healthy competition. There's some absolute clowns up there, um, but there's some good guys that that are doing doing some good things as well. So yeah, there's noose is so different to Brisbane, so different. Okay, it's it's I would say 70% of the real estate agents up there are pretty casual operators.

SPEAKER_03 37:08

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 37:10

Yeah, except for ours. Um, but um Birdo, um one of the other sides, this obviously all takes a toll, right? Heavy burden, you know, to give Brooksy a credit, he's the mental skills coach is the mental of the is the mental management of uh Luke Burton. Yeah, he's he he is um he is the emotional communicator within our business. So what emphasis do you place on your habits and routines around not only speaking to Aaron, but you know, how do you get yourself ready for the day and what processes has A B taken in all of that to get your headspace right? Because you are one of the more massive overthinkers I've ever met.

SPEAKER_03 37:58

Um I reckon he's just an overcarer, right?

SPEAKER_04 38:01

Yeah, well I mean, no.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

An overfeeler. Funny story, though, because we were having a gentleman at one day we're talking about. I said a bit, I said, What does your morning look like? And he goes, Well, I set my alarm for this time, and then I hit snooze, and I said, Okay, then what do you do? And he goes, I've snooze for a bit, and then I get up and I'm like, Okay, so basically you start every day with a fail. I've impressed snooze fucking since that's but there's little things like that, isn't it? Like, don't set yourself up for failure, yeah. And and you know, there's very few people that I can actually say that to, mate. Like, unionistically, I can say that to you because we're just honest with each other about it. But um, you know, I mean I I love how you you take your your health and well-being seriously, like you, you know, you you get in your ice bars, you tell me you're still you're still consistent with that. Um, you know, do getting your walks in, getting your podcasts in, you know, all of those things are the hard challenge for being a real estate professional, a husband, uh, uh a dad, all of those things. You've got to also find time for you.

SPEAKER_05 39:09

Yeah, I struggle.

SPEAKER_03 39:10

And and but that that's like my time for me is like at 4 30 in the morning. Yeah, because it's the only time that I got for myself, so I'd get up and do that. But and you're the same, right? Just try and get ugly early.

SPEAKER_05 39:22

I think trying to tie it all in together um is a is a challenge in itself, but it can you know, from an overthinking point of view, it can it can be if you're trying to do it all right, if you're trying to to nail it on the real estate side of things, um, and you're trying to be active and stay healthy, and like I walk three and a half K's most mornings, uh, do an ice bath after the war walk and then dinners and uh breakfasts and kids' lunches and and that sort of shit. Um, and then eating healthy. Yep. I haven't drank for three years, um uh or just shy three years. Um all of that adds a all of that adds a certain amount of pressure as well, trying to do it all. So, you know, preparing yourself for the day and maybe trying to get in a right mindset when you're trying to do it all and it's not necessarily feeling like it's working, yeah. Um it can add a certain amount of pressure. Um you know, to answer your question with regards to A B, um A B's on call. He's my I've got a psychologist to look after this. Brooksy's my real estate psychologist to look after basically fucking everything, um, to talk me off the cliff. But um uh I don't think I could do what I do without you. Oh, mate, well with both of you, but if we're talking about the the the mental side of it, you're a feather in my cap um along with my wife. Um so uh yeah, you're it's a big asset. I don't think you know how big, but I do appreciate it. And Sam just tells me to work harder and fucking get over it, and uh and you do the opposite. The chalk and cheese name. But you know, that's and that's what makes you clowns really good at what you do, you know.

SPEAKER_04 41:14

Like um I tell everyone, come to me for real estate if you want to cry next door. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 41:19

And you know, and you throw Nathan there as well, you know. You guys all um bring something different into HBC. Um, and I think you each have your roles, um, and I think they're quite well defined. So you do that quite well. Because Nathan's not here, can you define his massive prick?

SPEAKER_04 41:41

I thought he was here. Is he in somewhere?

SPEAKER_03 41:48

You've got chat GTA.

SPEAKER_04 41:54

So if you're a young agent in the industry or you're just getting started, you want to build a long-term career, what advice would you give them about database work, building relationships?

SPEAKER_05 42:08

But I don't think it's a young the take the young out of your question because it's not a young thing. Like I started this process when I was 41 up here, so far from a spring chicken. Um, but you've got to have a process, you have to have a plan versus like I said before, you know, we met at whatever surf club it was for a beer. I told you what I wanted to do, and you said I got the perfect thing for you. Um, you had a plan for what I already had in my head, um, and then we just doubled it um and did it. But that that um that process is is just that layering type prospecting work that that I still do three years in, I don't think I'll ever stop it. Like I don't drop the brochures anymore, but we still do the bulk of of that that process. But I think the the management of those things, that discipline into consistency, into resilience, and then into planning that sacrifice, it's not as simple as you know what would you do from a systems and a procedure point of view, because if you do all of all of those things well with the prospecting and the layering, you're gonna need to understand all of those. And if you don't, that's when you'll come unstuck. And I think I was pretty fucking planned, and I still come unstuck. Like uh, so you know, and it and it and it changes as as the years go when you can't, when you need a an assistant or a sales associate or a PA or whatever it is, and you can't do those certain things, or you want to get try to get some sort of balance back in your life and get to know your kids and your missus again. Um I think it starts with the plan, but the the management of that process um you know is a team effort, not my personal team with my sales associate and a PA, but you guys as directors, you know, like when you came to me last year to talk about the set the tone, um, like I I'm assuming you were asking me because no one else fucking did it, um, or not to my level anyway. No one's done it to you. Level now.

SPEAKER_04 44:00

Um, so it's not just a I think people pick and choose, right? Yeah, and and you talk about pick and choose your sacrifice, like people pick and choose parts of it where you the only thing that you didn't do on that whole thing was the door knocks, but you doubled the other side of it. So yeah, we can we can bear that cross on on that side. I think Brooksy's first point earlier was around you're very coachable, and I think that's an important step because I I don't know whether you remember, but I think very early on you're like, mate, I don't know how I'm gonna do this. Like my missus is gonna hate me. And and I said, Well, mate, you need to sit down with Rach and get by it.

SPEAKER_05 44:43

I think you asked if you also wanted to sit down with my wife as well. And I'm like, I don't think that'll go down too fucking well.

SPEAKER_04 44:56

Um but yeah, I remember that. And sometimes if you don't have the support of your support network, but this would be the world's worst industry.

SPEAKER_05 45:05

Oh but I but I think it it it chat it it all it it's like a live document because the you know as your database grows, like we we've got a a good a pretty good database, I suppose. It's really very, very clean and we put a lot of time into it to keep it that way. But as you build and grow and do the deals, like we want to do 50 odd deals this year, regardless of the start that we've had, which has been pretty fucking slim, but um you know that that goal effectively hasn't changed. But like the the process and the systems behind it all is a bit of a a live document, a bit of a growing plan, I suppose. And that conversation with Rach, you know, we we we revisit it every six or twelve months, or you know, when I have some sort of fucking vague out or a spaz out and and I you know don't feel myself, then you know the the conversation I have with Rach is you need to talk to Brooksy, you need to talk to your psychologist, we need to talk more. And I'm like, okay. Um but it's a it's a I think it's not just the layering or the set the tone. I think it all has to come into play. And I think if someone's gonna give it a red hot crack like that person, young or old, that's coming into it, and they're going to do it and just not stop doing it, it changes as it goes, is what I'm trying to say. Agreed.

SPEAKER_04 46:28

Well, the goat. Yeah, like the goat of definitely of set the tone of databasing of pipeline, machine.

SPEAKER_03 46:42

There's yeah, there's no one energy, disciplines, focus. Yeah, you know, if you mate, you're a black belt in real estate.

SPEAKER_04 46:51

Yeah, if he started drinking beers again, he'd be a hell of a bloke.

SPEAKER_03 46:57

I don't think that's a good idea. He's too busy. Any more kids on the horizon?

SPEAKER_05 47:07

Trying to give a couple away if you want to meet.

SPEAKER_04 47:10

We got the rapid flight goat round.

SPEAKER_05 47:12

All right, I go.

SPEAKER_04 47:14

Um Jack or James? Jack. Jack. Oh, okay. No, I was just wondering. Um, that's an inside joke, everybody. Um Piccolo Latte.

SPEAKER_05 47:29

Long black.

SPEAKER_04 47:30

Long black. Yeah, right. And um if you were a real estate method of sale, what method of sale would you be?

SPEAKER_03 47:40

A tender.

SPEAKER_05 47:46

I'd probably be an auction.

SPEAKER_04 47:48

Yeah, I'd say you'd be an auction. Yeah, I'd say you'd be an auction. Uh, and when you look at the best agents in the industry, what's what's the most goatworthy advice that you think sums up?

SPEAKER_05 48:03

I think success leaves clues. And I think all the top guys that have done it, like you listen to the podcast and they interview the top 1% or 0.5% of the industry. I think their story is probably better off, you know, going back in time and looking at them 10, 20, 25 years to what they did then to get it right. Like I I look at you know, the the Patty's or the Benny Carroll's or the the um Carmen and Brad's don't name names, mate.

SPEAKER_03 48:35

It's yeah, it's good cover from me.

SPEAKER_05 48:37

Naming uh the top five odd in our business, like I look at them and they're all sort of seven plus years in their in their core areas. Yeah. And I'm I'm just pretty fucking keen to see where we're gonna be when we're in that. We're three years in and you know, at a mil and a bit. And I think um I I think that success leaves clues to to answer the question.

SPEAKER_04 49:01

I think that's pretty good goat-worthy advice.

SPEAKER_03 49:03

Great goat-worthy advice. Can I finish it off on something else? So I think your kids are gonna watch this. So what do you want to say to them?

SPEAKER_05 49:20

Uh at the end of the day, they're they're my why. And I I my why has changed over um over over time, but doing what I've what I'm doing now in real estate to get to that top one percent of the game, which will will hopefully get there in the next couple of years, um ultimately the why is to show them that if you I guess ultimately dedicate everything, your everything in doing whatever you're doing, whether it's soccer or professionally or you know, what whatever the process is that if you give it your own, you will get to the top. Um and I think the the other the other yeah, let's just leave it at that because I don't want to cry.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

That's what really matters though, right?

SPEAKER_05 50:10

Yeah. And I want to be that show them that you know we've I've been through this. I want to be able to have an educated conversation with them saying that hey, we've I've done this, we've done this, yeah, we've sacrificed everything. And that's why we've got what we've got. And I think that's a pretty cool thing to be able to say.

SPEAKER_04 50:30

You're already in the top 1%, brother. Oh, I don't know about that.

SPEAKER_03 50:33

Put that aside, he's in the top 0.001% of humans. Thanks, boys. Cool. Cheers, Birdo!

SPEAKER_05 50:41

Thanks, guys.

SPEAKER_04 50:42

Uh, thanks so much for joining us for another episode of One Goat and the Property, guys. Remember, make sure you vote for if they were a goat or a spud during the last episode. Don't forget to like and subscribe to YouTube and at Apple Podcasts so that we can keep creating great goat worthy memories.