MAIN IMAGE: Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX Southern Africa
Editor
RE/MAX of Southern Africa was founded in 1994 and is regarded as the pioneer of the RE/MAX international expansion as it was the first country franchise to be sold outside of North America. Locally, RE/MAX has over 3 000 agents operating from over 160 offices in 6 countries in Southern Africa.
Adrian Goslett joined the company in 2005 as a franchise development consultant, supporting various regions and offices. In 2010, after successfully leading 160 offices and over 1500 agents in six countries through the worst years real estate has ever seen in South Africa in 30 years, Goslett was appointed as CEO of RE/MAX Southern Africa.
Adrian shares his insights and advice with the Property Professional.
What attracted you to the industry?
I was attracted to the industry because of the people in RE/MAX – their passion, determination, and drive to succeed.
What do you believe is necessary to succeed in real estate?
To be successful in real estate, you need to be able to showcase that you’re good at what you do, that you’re someone that can be trusted, and to show that you genuinely care about the customer’s needs.
Which skills do you think successful agents need to cultivate?
It begins with attitude, which unfortunately can’t be taught. Give me someone with a great attitude and I’ll show you someone that can be taught anything. From there, they need to have the ability to negotiate with a potential seller to convince them why they should entrust you with their biggest investment. I would say communication skills are also key, and these need to be backed with a compelling value proposition.
What has been your proudest moment?
In business, my proudest achievement has been helping the brand weather the 2008 financial crisis. We were able to come out the other side of that and have since grown the business by 2.5 times in agent count and sales volumes since then.
What is your advice for new entrants?
My advice to those who are new to the industry is to learn from those around you. There is only so much a textbook or course will give you. Learn from the best in your office.
If not real estate, what would you be doing?
I was in Tech before, but I’d probably be doing something that would involve helping people grow themselves or their businesses. The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is seeing someone come into the brand, grasp the opportunity, and provide a better life for themselves and their loved ones. These are the stories that matter.
