FEATURE INTERVIEWS

From legacy to leadership: Cameron Smartโ€™s blueprint for modernising a family business

When Cameron Smart took over Ray White Cannington from his parents, he focused on more than preserving their legacy. Having grown up around open homes and auctions, heโ€™s led the family business into a new era of digital marketing, modern systems and strong client-first values.

Cameron Smart, Principal and Licensee at Ray White Cannington, believes new principals taking over a family business, need to respect what built the brand, then modernise decisively.

Mr Smartโ€™s parents, Michael and Karen Smart, were among the early Ray White WA offices in 1994, after starting in the south-east corridor of Perth a decade earlier. 

He grew up at home opens and in-room auctions, then entered the business in 2008, earning his licence and becoming licensee around 2014 as his parents took time away to travel.

He has effectively led the office for the past decade and has now completed the handover.

Mr Smart said his father modelled a client-first approach from day one.

โ€œDad was a great role model in how to act appropriately, build rapport and give the best advice for the client, not whatโ€™s in it for us,โ€ Mr Smart said. 

โ€œIf you focus on the wrong things, the market will work it out quickly.โ€

That ethos created decades-long goodwill, people still recognise the name and the experience attached to it. 

When continuity meets change

Respecting heritage does not mean repeating it according to Mr Smart.

He recalls convincing the team to back digital when print still ruled.

โ€œIn 2008โ€“to-09 we were selling vendors on spending even $50 to advertise online,โ€ he said.ย 

โ€œFast forward, and the equation flipped completely.โ€

His approach to change was pragmatic by proving there was a better way, then inviting others to follow.

โ€œIโ€™d say, โ€˜Iโ€™m doing it this way because itโ€™s easier and saves time,โ€™ and eventually people saw the results and came on board,โ€ Mr Smart said.

Lead by example (and be willing to be wrong)

Culture follows behaviour. 

Mr Smart prefers to show, not tell.

โ€œYou do what you say youโ€™re going to do. People will listen, fall in line or at least respect that youโ€™re not just telling them what to do,โ€ he said. 

โ€œBut Iโ€™m not always right, some things donโ€™t work. Youโ€™ve got to listen to what doesnโ€™t work as much as what does.โ€

That humility creates space for others to contribute, critical when you are replacing a founder.

Modernising the machine

Real change often lives under the hood. 

Mr Smart has overseen multiple platform shifts in the property management division.

โ€œWeโ€™re always looking for things that improve client experience and make our teamโ€™s jobs easier,โ€ he said. 

โ€œMy clients are also my staff. If theyโ€™re stuck in the stone ages with clipboards, thatโ€™s not efficient.โ€

For Mr Smart, the test for any new system is simple: does it speed access, reduce friction and lift service? If yes, move.

Succession without the guesswork

The handover at Ray White Cannington was years in the making and, crucially, talked about early.

โ€œHave open dialogue,โ€ Mr Smart said. 

โ€œIf one side assumes something and the other hasnโ€™t thought about it, thatโ€™s where things go wrong.โ€

The Smarts used an earn-in model. 

Cameron took responsibility as licensee while accruing equity toward the buyout. 

That structure avoided pressure deadlines while letting Michael continue selling by choice, not necessity.

The balancing act

So do you preserve tradition or push forward? 

Mr Smart believes in both.

He says the goal is to guard the non-negotiables such as reputation, ethics and client-first advice while refreshing the parts that need modernisation, from marketing and technology to internal processes.

Progress, he says, comes from proving before preaching. 

โ€œLead with results, not rhetoric.โ€ And, above all, keep talking, align timeframes and expectations well before retirement day.

Advice for the next generation

For anyone stepping into a family leadership role, Mr Smart offers three clear lessons. 

The first is to set the rules of engagement early. 

โ€œTalk timeframes and responsibilities upfront, even if they change,โ€ he said.

The second is to make staff experience a priority.

โ€œIf you want better client outcomes, give your team better tools.โ€

And finally, adopt a test-and-learn mindset. 

โ€œSome ideas wonโ€™t land. Admit it quickly and move on.โ€

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Rowan Crosby

Rowan Crosby is a senior journalist at Elite Agent specialising in finance and real estate.