YPA has appointed Stephen Lea as franchise growth director, Queensland, tasking him with identifying growth opportunities and developing relationships with prospective franchise partners as the network looks to expand its presence in the state.
Lea brings a background in real estate franchise development, recruitment and business growth, having held senior roles with several high profile agencies.
He was also responsible for establishing eXp Realty’s Australian operations in 2019, helping grow the business across multiple states.
YPA franchise manager Kayla Ridolfi said the appointment reflected a considered approach to growth in the state.
“We already have a presence in Queensland, but we believe there is a much bigger opportunity for YPA there,” Kayla said.
“We’re not looking to grow simply for the sake of adding offices. We want to find the right operators, in the right markets, who genuinely fit the network and can build successful businesses over the long term.”
Kayla said Lea’s experience in franchise development and Queensland real estate made him well suited to lead that next phase.
“Stephen understands growth, but more importantly he understands that successful growth comes down to people and relationships,” she said.
“He has worked across a number of different real estate models throughout his career and brings a great deal of experience to what we’re trying to achieve in Queensland.”
Lea said the state’s market rewards a relationship-driven approach.
“Queensland is a very relationship-driven real estate market, and that’s something I’ve experienced throughout my career,” Stephen said.
“My focus initially is going to be on getting out there, listening to business owners and understanding what they want their businesses to look like in the future.”
Rather than chasing a specific number of new offices, Stephen said the priority would be finding the right partners.
“For me, success won’t be measured by how quickly we can put YPA signs across Queensland,” he said.
“It will be whether we’re building strong businesses with good operators who are happy they made the decision to join us.”
The appointment forms part of YPA’s broader strategy to strengthen its Queensland presence while continuing to grow its established Victorian network.