Courageous Conversations: How Kylie Maxwell embraced unexpected leadership, bounced back from burnout, and built a sought-after business

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When successful agency owners Kylie Maxwell and her husband Jason sold their business in Queanbeyan, New South Wales last year, many in the industry were surprised.

After all, here was a couple at the top of their game, with a highly successful LJ Hooker office, an enviable market share and a renowned reputation in the industry.

But as Kylie explains, it was an opportunity too good to pass up and one they weren’t sure would present itself again in a couple of years’ time.

It also provided the opportunity to explore other areas of the industry that Kylie was passionate about.

In this episode of Courageous Conversations with Leanne Pilkington, Kylie offers an insight into the thinking behind the sale, how it was a proposal that came out of the blue, and why they were fortunate to have a business that was sale-ready, despite no intentions to sell.

She explains the role good processes and procedures play when it comes to property management, why every agency owner should audit their business annually, and why the systems they had in place allowed them to seize the unexpected opportunity.

Kylie also reflects on a 30-year career in the industry, including a brush with burnout that many will relate to.

She discusses the challenge of being a leader and a people pleaser, and the changes she made to her leadership style in order to better manage her time, her energy, and the work/life balance.

In a podcast that’s part business best-practice, part property management masterclass, and part lessons in leadership, Kylie offers a wealth of tips, some stellar advice based on experience and a truly personal insight into why she is rightly regarded as one of the best real estate practitioners in the industry.

“If you have a business and it is in your five-year plan to sell your rent roll, don’t wait until you’re tired of it and you’ve run it into the ground. Do it while you’re still actively working in it, and you’re vibrant and it’s got a good reputation and you’ve got a good asset to sell,” Kylie Maxwell

Kylie and Leanne also discuss:

How Kylie and Jason created a sale-ready business where they could seize on unexpected opportunity.
Why every agency director should know exactly what’s going on in their property management department, and audit their business each year.
How Kylie and Jason came to the decision to sell, and why it was the perfect opportunity to give back to an industry where they have enjoyed success.
Why Kylie was an accidental leader, who decided to stop winging it and start owning it, and what she did to improve her leadership skills.
How Kylie got to a point of burnout by taking on too much at work, being all things to all people, and what she did to step back and create a better work/life balance.
Why Kylie’s changed leadership perspective actually empowered her team and allowed her business to operate more effectively.
How Kylie improved her leadership skills and why she believes every leader should always be learning.
What Kylie believes needs to change in the property management sector, and why the industry needs to reimagine the way PMs are brought into a business.
What Kylie’s up to now and how it caters to her commitment to give back to real estate.

And much, much more…