When putting together the agenda for this year’s property management conference, Barry Plant Head of Property Management, Emma Gordon, knew it had to be really special and deliver a sense of inclusion, learning and inspiration. It was two years since there had been a face-to-face PM Conference and Victorian property managers had been through the wringer with protracted lockdowns, stressed and distressed renters and owners and a major reform to the tenancy act with over 120 changes to come to grips with. Property Managers, if they hadn’t already bailed on the industry, were worn thin and needed a boosting program that would help them look forward, not back.

“It was time to excite them about their chosen careers, set new goals and remind them of just how important they all are to our group,” Emma explains. “If we could renew their enthusiasm for their roles and the business, and help them with strategies to achieve success both personally and professionally, then that would be a win for them, a win for their office and a win for the group.”

PM Invest delivered in spades. Held at Hyatt Place on the 18th of August,170 property managers attended.

After an address by CEO Nigel O’Neil where he shared the new vision for the group, homegrown Barry Plant experts were interviewed to share their experiences on “Adapting to change, legislation and growth.” Katherine Persoglia, from Property before Prada, spoke about prioritising what you want to achieve, overcoming adversity and building success both personally and in business. She asked the question, “What’s more important to you, shoes and handbags or investing in property?...Or maybe a bit of both”

Katherine was followed by Tanja Lee, who works to empower people to grow themselves and their business careers - quickly. She introduced a Wheel of Life which was divided into eight key areas in life, including career, relationships, hobbies, spirituality etc and helped the property managers set goals in all areas to ensure they were getting what they wanted out of life.

A Great Ideas session was held where everyone attending shared their own ideas on the things they are doing in their business that is proving to be a game changer. The ideas were collated and were then distributed to the whole network.

Emma Gordon judged the day a huge success. “The PM’s loved it. They loved the idea that we were investing in them, that it was not all business but a really good balance of learning, networking and sharing.”