Industry leaders unite to redefine real estate excellence

Avi Khan, Founder of The One Conference, said the event, in its fourth year, represented a pivotal moment for the real estate industry, bringing together leaders committed to raising standards through exemplary practice rather than reactive regulation.

“This groundbreaking event addressed the defining challenges facing real estate today: public scrutiny, eroding trust, and the urgent need for sustainable career practices,” said Mr Khan, a lawyer by trade who owns Ray White AKG with offices in Marsden, Daisy Hill, Brookwater and Greater Springfield plus Sell Buy Legal, a trusted conveyancing firm with more than 15 years of experience.

The One Conference champions a new paradigm where performance excellence and ethical conduct go hand in hand.

“Real estate is at a defining moment. Public scrutiny is higher than ever, and trust has to be earned every day. The One Conference exists to be clear about the path forward," Avi said.

“This isn't a conference that celebrates performance alone. It celebrates how performance is achieved, with integrity, transparency, and accountability. With growth and attention comes responsibility. As leaders, we don't lift standards through noise or outrage, we lift them through example.”

Avi said every speaker on stage was chosen not just because they are number one in their market, but because they represent the right way of doing business.

Keynote speaker, local Brisbane entrepreneur Jason Daniel, has transformed a high school nickname and a passion for motocross into LSKD, a global functional fitness apparel brand now expanding across Australia and internationally, with 12 new stores planned for 2026.

The Logan-based founder shared the inspiring two-decade journey from selling T-shirts at motocross tracks to building a brand obsessed with being “1% better every day”.

“I was around 18-year-old motocross riders in Logan when I was 13 years old and I was so inspired by them, they were focused and not into partying. They called me the Loose Kid, which is now LSKD,” he said.

Despite growing to $3 million in annual wholesale sales, Daniel found himself stuck for five years. A three-day self-development course proved life-changing, but the real transformation came in 2018 when Daniel discovered functional fitness.

“I grew up with the founder of FitStop and fell in love with the community around functional fitness. By September of that year, we had flipped the business on its head, made the change to LSKD, and went to work for a purpose," he said.

“Coming from the job site to the business, I needed to create a purpose that I even wanted, and that's why we aim to be 1% better every day.”

From her roots as a pharmacist to becoming one of Perth's most innovative luxury real estate agents, Vivien Yap, from Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont has built her reputation on a simple yet profound philosophy: luxury isn't just about property or brand - it's about how you make people feel.

“Luxury is about crafting the emotional connection with the client,” Vivien said.

“I immerse myself in their world.”

Vivien’s marketing strategy goes far beyond traditional open homes. She creates experiences that bring communities together: Chinese New Year celebrations with traditional foods and lion dances, and a Halloween event on a vacant block that attracted 600 people - resulting in selling the property to one attendee who hadn't been considering a purchase.

Josh Phegan, a globally renowned high-performance real estate coach, trainer, and speaker, is widely considered the premier trainer for top-performing agents in Australia.

Josh identified what he calls the three greatest areas of risk that agents need to address each week, emphasising that Monday is for your buyer hit list, Tuesday is dedicated to your seller hit list, Wednesday is for looking at current listings for review, and Friday is the time to look at your numbers.

“Life will present adversity to everyone. The question is: when things happen, how will you respond? Do you take it really well? How do you execute it? Your ability to execute consistently, especially under pressure, determines your long-term success,” he said.

“Structure and discipline create freedom, not restriction. Short early conversations lead to wild success. You get known for what gets done. The small decisions on a daily basis determine your mediocrity or your mastery.”

Sam Guo, Kollosche's number one agent on the Gold Coast, reflected on his remarkable two-decade career in real estate, sharing insights from his journey from newcomer to market leader.

After arriving from China 24 years ago with no connections and limited experience, Sam has built an exceptional career marked by resilience, innovation, and a client-first philosophy that has seen him achieve record-breaking sales, including an $18 million Sorrento property.

“When you stay in a small pond you believe you are a bigger fish. For me, I believe in what I can achieve. If you doubt yourself, you will stay where you are. Mindset is the key. Unblock the blockages,” he said.

Central to Sam’s philosophy is treating clients as individuals rather than transactions.

“Treat clients as people, not as a number. I have one client who has worked with us 11 times, buying and selling,” he said.

Sydney-based Bresic Whitney CEO Thomas McGlynn's people-first approach is driving the group's long-term vision to become Sydney's leading property business, delivering sustainable growth since its founding in 2003.

A third-generation real estate agent who started straight out of school, Thomas has built Bresic Whitney into a significant business managing 1,500 homes and generating $4 billion in sales annually.

"Unfortunately in our industry we clap and reward all our flashy things. We very rarely give awards out for integrity or discipline - but these are the things you need to be obsessed about," Thomas said.

"There is no silver bullet to success. Skills like discipline, integrity, showing up every single day - they are the things that will determine if you are successful this year."

He recommends setting three strong professional goals and three strong personal goals, emphasising the vision for yourself is paramount.

“Competition in real estate is at an all-time high. Are you adding value to your clients even when they're not thinking about selling?

"This differentiates the good real estate agents from the really good real estate agents,” Thomas said.

Founder of The Rubinstein Group, Gavin Rubinstein, has built his reputation on a simple yet powerful philosophy: extreme responsiveness and relentless dedication separate the exceptional from the ordinary in luxury real estate.

“When you're in this business, 9.30pm phone calls aren't interruptions - they're opportunities,” Gavin said.

“I remember working with my former boss, watching his phone ring constantly with sellers and buyers, and thinking 'I can't wait until that's me'. Whether someone is buying or selling, I respond immediately. That's non-negotiable.”

“Frequency builds trust,” he said.

“The more frequently you check in with someone, the more they will trust you. I built that trust with the objective of getting in the door, and I apply that same principle with the people I represent today.”

Ben White, co-founder and CEO of Ailo, outlined a bold vision for the future of property management, urging professionals to embrace AI technology.

“In the world we are used to, decisions come from inside and it's something we can manage. We manage our way through it, but I propose the future will be different,” he said.

“Change will happen much faster than anyone will believe, and it's unpredictable. Change can happen quickly from the outside, but you have to ride it like riding a wave.”

“AI will solve problems you didn't even know you had. Focus on the hidden things that you didn't even think were solvable. AI will solve problems for landlords too. The potential is limitless,” he said.

Aaron Woolard, agent at Place New Farm, has transformed what was nearly a career-ending first year into a thriving 15-year real estate legacy.

After closing just six transactions in his first year, Aaron seriously considered leaving the industry.

Today, his team handles 170 transactions annually.

“I was thinking about getting out of the industry after that first year,” Aaron said.

“But it was the atmosphere, culture, and people that transformed real estate from a 9-5pm structure into something meaningful.”

“There are competitors around us, but our point of difference is the relationships we build,” Aaron said.

“You need to understand what you stand for and the structure within your team. It's about giving the right advice and genuinely understanding what people want to achieve.”

Industry veterans Lana Faulkner, Gemma White, and Darren Bonehill shared insights on building exceptional teams and thriving in competitive markets.

“I think if I continue to do what I've done, the sales will take care of itself," Darren said.

“If you have an office location, and all the team can get behind attracting more listings, you can attract more business.”

Lana brings invaluable insights from her time with Sotheby's International Realty.

“Being able to step outside your business and pinpoint things I was doing wrong - I was able to get out of the sales momentum, and that helped me by taking a step back,” she shared.

Gemma brings a unique blend of high-performance mentality and team-building expertise.

“I like to do it all, I am a 'yes' woman,” she said.

“It's a matter of finding a balance of what you do - focus on family, relationships, business."

Leigh Melbourne, an award-winning agent and auctioneer with 25 years' experience, has built his reputation on astute, informed guidance.

Under the leadership of Matt Lahood, CEO of The Agency, Melbourne's trajectory continues upward.

“Leigh's on track to do $2 million, and $3 million is the next step,” Matt said.

“If you're not growing, you're dying in real estate.”

Leigh's unconventional recruitment strategy includes bringing team members in from industries like hospitality.

For prospective agents, Leigh offers a three-Saturday shadowing program.

“It's long hours, and it's not for everyone,” he said.

Alex Jordan, number one agent for McGrath nationally, has been the benchmark for excellence, and is the top residential agent in Queensland.

Having announced a historic partnership and ownership stake in McGrath’s five flagship Brisbane offices, Alex is transitioning from a solo powerhouse to a strategic leader shaping the future of Queensland property market.