It was only last year when Gavin Rubinstein announced he was forming his own brand under the Ray White banner.
Over the next three weeks, we’ll take a detailed look into how The Rubinstein Group operates, what makes them tick, and where to from here. Today, we focus on Managing Director, Jarryd Rubinstein.
Read part one: Gavin Rubinstein – The fire inside
Jarryd Rubinstein might best be described as the calm breeze fanning TRG’s fire.
As the elder of the two Rubinstein brothers, he is a former corporate executive who spent more than a decade working in the international commodity trading industry. Before that, he was selected and served in the Israeli special forces.
He’s methodical and highly disciplined, with a clear view of the path ahead in his role as TRG managing director.
His focus is cash flow, growth and recruitment, with an emphasis on culture.
He is currently building the property management arm alongside TRG original, Jerome Srot, and knows the demanding hours and commitment required by TRG are not for everyone.
But he’s not ashamed of the group’s ambition.
Importantly, he’s well versed in managing highly ambitious individuals, and offers a quiet yin to Gavin’s yang.
“We are looking to position this as the Goldman Sachs of real estate,” he states.
“So, it’s the best of the best. It’s cut-throat, it’s people who want to achieve success and give their pound of flesh.
“That’s the culture we’ve set up, and I’m happy to embrace the one per cent. I get that it might not be for the others. I respect that, but that’s what we’re doing.”
Jarryd was the first person Gavin called when the relationship with Ray White Double Bay ended.
At the time, Jarryd happened to be in Sydney, but was pondering going back overseas.
“Gavin told me he needed my help. At the time I was still employed but helped him set up the business in terms of franchise agreements, negotiations, and discussions with multiple parties,” Jarryd explains.
“I’ve been in the background ever since.”
Jarryd notes he came in with a very objective point of view, but Gavin’s loyalty was with Ray White. .
“He cherishes the brand’s name and has a lot of respect for the guys at a senior management level.
“They came to the table, they delivered, and it’s been a good partnership.”
This loyalty, along with work ethic, are two character traits Jarryd notes are ingrained in his younger brother.
“I mean his work ethic is second to none,” Jarryd says.
“Where I come from, it’s always about the individual, but Gavin genuinely wants his team to succeed and be the best they can be. I think that’s his attraction for bringing over the star agents.”
Jarryd goes on to note that work ethic stems from their upbringing, and it’s a trait the pair share.
“Our parents didn’t have much money, but they sent us to a private school in the Eastern Suburbs.
“We came from a background where our parents watched every dollar, but we were in an environment of affluent people who seemed to have everything,” he says.
“We realised there was no safety net, there was no trust fund, so we had to achieve it on our own.”
While the drive to achieve took Jarryd into finance overseas and Gavin into real estate, Jarryd reflects it worked for both of them and is now bringing them together.
“Gavin always had a magnetism. Even when he was a little kid, people wanted to be around him,” he explains.
Right now, Jarryd’s role is to allow Gavin to do what he does best, while Jarryd takes care of the rest of the business. He’s very clear on the direction TRG needs to go.
“In five years, we’ll be four times the size in terms of everything – people, space, GCI and property management,” he says.
“But keeping that nimbleness, keeping that structure in place, that tightness and just being dominant.”
He’s focused on maintaining the culture and keeping the family feel by being highly selective about who joins the team.
“We know exactly what we’re looking for,” Jarryd says.
“It’s hard to find the right people, particularly what we’re after, but they’re out there, and they’ll tend to gravitate towards us as a result of what we’re doing.”
In our next article from this feature series, we profile TRG marketing manager Remi Quinlivan.
Remi quite possibly has one of the most fascinating roles in real estate. Officially TRG’s marketing manager, her job includes overseeing all of the brand’s marketing while “making Gavin’s life as easy as possible”.
