Transcript:
Samantha McLean:ย Hi everyone. Samantha McLean from Elite Agent Magazine here at AREC 2017, and we are talking to our Transform 2017 Winner Mighty Mackay, Leanne Druery. How are you going?
Leanne Druery:ย Fabulous. It’s been an amazing couple of days here at the Gold Coast.
Samantha: How did it feel when you saw your cover flash up on the screen?
Leanne: I really hoped that it was me, but when I actually saw it, I was like, “Oh, this is so exciting!”
Samantha: It was. It was an exciting moment for us as well. Tell us why you decided to apply for Transform.
Leanne: I had just seen a Tom Panos Sunday Nightย Rant, and he talked about the 5-second decision. It just so happened that immediately after that rant, I opened up the Elite Agent Magazine email and it talked about Transform. After losing my husband two months previously to cancer, I decided I had nothing more to lose and everything to gain. I just needed to find a new purpose.
Samantha: How did it feel laying your life on the line in that initial video?
Leanne: Very vulnerable, because I was telling complete strangers about a pretty dark moment in my life. It was pretty raw. It was pretty vulnerable, but I just felt I needed to do it.
Samantha: We put you through a lot of coaching and training in 12 weeks. Tell us what were some of your favourite moments and some of the really key lessons that you learned.
Leanne: Claudia kicked off with our ‘why’. For me, after having my partner for 22 years, it was about me reestablishing what puts fire in my belly. That was really monumental for me to go back and visit that. The likes of Tanja, Tom, Jet and his epic moment before our challenge day; so many great opportunities and lessons.
Samantha: You are a mother on your own to two beautiful teenagers. To listen to some of the guys, you think you can have it all but you can’t have it all at once, right?
Leanne: No. Absolutely.
Samantha: How did you juggle Transform, rebuilding your career, two teenagers, and just having a life?
Leanne: It was pretty challenging coming back into the career I love with no listings, nothing on the board. I think it was just about breaking it down step by step. Really, when you’re trying to juggle that many things, there are sacrifices.
For me, it was a little bit of sleep. I joined the 5am club. 80% of it is what’s happening up here, and it is mastering your mind and making sure you’ve always got empowering thoughts. You don’t always get it right the first time.
Samantha: You had radio stations, you had the papers, you had everybody clicking on your behalf. Now, I’m thinking you’re a bit of a community marketing expert. Do you have any advice for people about the power of the community?
Leanne: The journey of turning to the community really gave a lot to me, so I really wanted to show the resilience of the Mackay community, especially after Cyclone Debbie. There were some people really affected by that. I wanted to show that Mighty Mackay is resilient, that we all back each other when the times are tough. Just to see that support, it really did touch me.
Samantha: What are your goals now?
Leanne: Continue to be the ‘elite agent’ of Mackayย – that’s really important to meย – and to provide that level of service. Also really keen to shine a light on the fact that [with] adversity, we all have a story but it doesn’t have to define us. I think next, for me, I’d like to get involved in maybe doing some motivational speaking and shining a light that we can triumph over adversity if we make those good choices.
Samantha: Yeah. Absolutely. I think you will. I think you’re a shining example and a fantastic, well-deserving winner. I wish you all the best.