We Are Selling with Lee Woodward

156 - Ray Ellis and the Future of Century 21

• Lee Woodward • Season 1 • Episode 156

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Ray Ellis joins us as the new CEO of Century 21, sharing his vision for enhancing market share and building community among agents. We discuss the importance of leadership, the changing landscape of Australian real estate, and the collaborative spirit necessary for success.

• Ray Ellis introduces himself and discusses his journey to becoming CEO 
• Focus on improving market share and supporting local franchises 
• Importance of community and collaboration in real estate 
• Challenges in the Australian rental market and agent support systems 
• Impact of technology and social media on real estate sales 
• Leadership role in fostering a positive team culture 
• Encouragement of authentic relationships in sales 
• Commitment to creating a happy and motivated workforce



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Proudly brought to you by Lee Woodward Training Systems.

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome back to the podcast we Are Selling this week. We're on tour. The kickstarts all over Australia are happening, the teams are back and I've already done Sydney just landed in Melbourne and today we are in Adelaide. And as I'm in Melbourne and Adelaide, big announcement for the industry Century 21 has a new CEO. Who is it? He joins me now, Mr Ray Ellis Ray. Welcome to the program.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, lee. That's a tremendous introduction. I'm very pumped but, as you said, we're in Adelaide, had a great session in Melbourne yesterday. The fact that Century 21 have got someone of your caliber to be on board virtually full-time now. You're a great man throughout the industry but the Century 21 officers are getting great benefit from your experience because you're giving them a plan, you're giving them a process to have greater market share. And, if I can make that my first message, because I'm humbled and feel very privileged to be the new CEO I've known Charles for many, many years. I know his vision, I know he wants to achieve and he's a man that cares about the principles of every one of his offices. And our mantra is very simple we want to increase the market share of every century 21 office throughout Australia. That's our game.

Speaker 1:

Well, charles, he's very well known and, as you know, I've just got back from New York Now listening to those out from last week's program. But over in the Big Apple people say, oh, who are you? I said, oh, lee Woodward. Who's that from? Lee Woodward Training, don't know you. The second person I said I'm the head of training for Century 21, australasia. Oh my God, and it was just amazing, ray, you're here. Century 21 is very excited to have a brand new CEO. Charles is moving on to the next part of his plans. We know he's got India and Dubai and many other things happening. What's exciting you about the role and what are you looking forward to getting done for the company and its members?

Speaker 2:

Centra 21 is the global brand, but real estate is local. We dominate the local markets by a good office, so we want to make sure that that global power actually reflects in the local office. We need to build the tools, we need to build the processes, and your sales process is one of those. So it's an exciting time for me to be joining Central 21, but myself, I'm irrelevant. What I need to make sure of is that our offices thrive and prosper, because the real estate market goes up and down. We're dominated by interest rates. We're dominated by political decisions. We're dominated by lack of supply.

Speaker 2:

In Victoria yesterday we spoke about there's been 20,000 rental properties disappear from the rental market in the last 18 months. No wonder our property managers are stressed. So, whether it's property management, sales leadership, training, we want to make sure that the tools we provide and they're going to be substantial they're going to be different. For example, the world of social media. It dominates the marketing concept these days. So are we strong in that? I would say we need to be better. So we're doing all these things now. I've been working with Charles for many months behind the scenes to make sure we're ready. So it's an exciting time for Century 21,. But it's more exciting for our officers of what we plan to deliver, not only just this year but for many years to come.

Speaker 1:

Now, Ray, being a CEO is a difficult gig unless you've done it for a while. And just for our listeners overseas that may not know who you are from here in Australia, You're with your last brand for over 20 years. I've never heard of that in my career that someone can stay in that gig so long. But you also had a marketing and advertising background. For those people that wonder about that, what does it take to be a CEO? Because unfortunately, a lot of people are self-appointed CEOs and they get the title. What is it that a CEO does as a gig the first couple.

Speaker 2:

So I own my own business, which is a big ad agency, for a number of years, as you know, and so when I started as a CEO, I don't think I was very good the first couple of years, because I didn't understand what the game is, and the main role of a CEO is to get the right people. Business is easy. It's the people that make it better and make it hard, and when you have the right people that are invested, you have the right people that want to choose a career that's going to be rewarding for them. Business is easy, but people make their own choices. But I'll let you in a secret here that I've shared with many people no one actually understands what a CEO does. No one actually understands what a CEO does. A CEO's role is to manage the trivialities, that they don't become big problems, to recognize that before they become problems. Recognize what you need to do, take action and make it happen.

Speaker 2:

Many CEOs, when they become a CEO, they think that's the end of the journey. Oh, I've made it, I've done this, I've been successful. Whatever they don't understand, it's the start of a journey. So you must lead the journey. Oh, I've made it, I've done this, I've been successful. Whatever they don't understand, it's the start of a journey. So you must lead the team. You must give hope to the officers that tomorrow is going to be better than today. So that's my mantra of what it is, and I've been fortunate. I've surrounded myself with good people for many years and I must say that everyone I've met so far in Century 21 are desperate for success. We've already had great success in many markets. They're desperate for the brand to be better. They're desperate to have their careers and their lives better. And if you invest in the people, business is easy.

Speaker 1:

Now, ray, the Australian real estate landscape has gone through so much change. A lot of solo operators attempted to go out and do the bedroom thing but miss being around people, and we're seeing this full circle or cycle now of I want to be part of something special, I want to be at the awards, I want to talk to someone when I'm in that dark space and there's no one there to turn to. But with the Australian real estate market going through such transition I know you've just spent the last year traveling. You had a year to really look at everything going on. What do you think's next in the Australian real estate industry? Very good, question.

Speaker 2:

To go back to what you said, it's a lonely business. Running a business. It doesn't matter whether it's a fish and chip shop, real estate agency or my employer. It's a lonely business and we think we know all the answers. We think we have all these success stories, but we need to surround ourselves with good people and, in the real estate environment, a good brand and social media. Now the internet has given people access to lots of trainers, lots of programs. There's not a day goes by where I don't get an email saying, hey, I've got this new app, I've got this or whatever. I have frigging no idea what they mean because it's so confusing.

Speaker 2:

So the real estate marketplace it may be easy to operate from your car, it may be easy to operate from home, but you're going to miss out on the dynamics of meeting good people that are going to help your lives and your career be better, and that's what a brand like Century 21 offers. We offer good people to associate with and then your lives, as I said, become better. So the products and the services and all that mean a lot of things, but that's just the process. All technology does is put you in front of more people. You then have to have the skills to transform that people meeting into business, and that's where our focus is. That's what Century 21 offer and that's the key focus is. That's what Century 21 offer and that's the key to a successful real estate agent in the future, not the TV shows.

Speaker 2:

I've met a couple of people on Selling Sunset. That's fantastic. They work hard. It isn't just rock up. You drive a BMW. You make $315,000 commission. So it's not a glamorous role if you don't do the work. But what I tell people coming into the industry is it is the only industry that if you do the hard yards, you will succeed. There is no doubt about that. But if you open a restaurant or a dress shop or a travel company, people have to walk into the door to see you and if they don't, you go broke. Because we operate in the community and that's the great thing about our industry Nobody knows the amount of work that the local agent does in the community, and not just sponsorship of football clubs or whatever. We employ people who live down the street. We go out into the streets and the schools. We are the local real estate agent and when you're a Century 21 agent, you are the local expert in your area, but you've got the power of the biggest brand in the world backing you up. It's an easy equation.

Speaker 1:

Couldn't agree more. I had a flashback then to my coachable moments as an agent coming through and I reckon I learned more about real estate words, techniques and skills in the kitchen of Rod Jones, first National, because it's a cold day, the smell of chips and gravies there as the salespeople eat their healthy lunch, and someone would say say to them you need to improve the price. And you go, oh, that's a cracker. And you'd be back on the phone for the next half an hour. But those wonderful agents above me, the seniors, would play it down the line. And then I played it down the line, and that's what the collaboration of learning is. So, ray, we're very excited You're taking the helm of Century 21 and not in a role you do not know. You've done this all your life. Actually, you even ran a football club, didn't you?

Speaker 2:

That's right. I've been fortunate. I've worked in Las Vegas, run a football club. I was in Iraq six days after September 11. So I've seen it all. But all that's done is give me of how you get the best out of people and how you inspire people to be better. And that's not an easy task but it's not hard, because if you get people to be better, you sell more, your life's better and your work is better. We're not advancing years, you and I Lee, but we've had experience or whatever, and I find people just be happy. We spend our lives at work and if you're not happy at work, you won't be happy in your life. And happiness breeds success. Success breeds financial reward and at Century 21, we just want to reward all our offices not just this year, for many years to come.

Speaker 1:

Well, Ray Ellis, congratulations on the gig. We look forward to seeing your launch into the marketplace and the offices profiting from that knowledge. And thanks for appearing on. We Are Selling. Thank you and goodbye.