The sold-out Women in Real Estate Business Breakfast was held last week for the first time in Sydney and was attended by like-minded professionals throughout the industry.
The breakfast is the brainchild of Sherrie Storor, who started the event in 2017 in Brisbane and expanded it to include Sydney and Melbourne this year.
Ms Storor, who has worked in real estate since 2002, said that this year’s event was a huge success due to the calibre of the speakers and also partly due to the demographics of the crowd.
“What made the event so successful was the calibre of female speakers. The guest feedback was that they were thrilled by the amount of practical, useful ‘tips’ provided that they could put into practice,” Ms Storor said.
“I was overwhelmed by the numbers at the event and the fact it wasn’t just a female-only audience. In fact, a third were males supporting women in the industry, which was really heart-warming and inspiring to see.”
Ms Storor said that events like this were important to help promote women in the industry and give them a chance to talk openly.
“They’re important because they give women a voice. Women don’t often get the opportunity to share their skill sets and achievements. This event was about providing that platform.
“It also gives women inspiration and a chance to find an industry role model. It’s a platform to hear success stories and challenges within the industry, which can help others who are experiencing the same issues.”
Ms Storor added that some key takeaways from the event were that men in the industry are willing to step up to support women and that women want to be acknowledged.
“I didn’t expect as many men and it was such a proud moment to see men stepping up and participating and supporting,” Ms Storor said.
“Women want to be acknowledged for our skill set and we want to collaborate competitively in the industry.”
Melbourne and Brisbane will both host the event in April, and thanks to REA Advantage sponsorship, an undetermined fourth city will be added to the tour next year.
Ms Storor has also set up Real Estate with Heart on Facebook, which is a platform for industry professionals to share ideas, stories and advice.