Formula 1 sensation Daniel Ricciardo, Paralympic athlete Jess Gallagher and other big names descended onto the Gold Coast, as thousands of property professionals attended a once-in-three-year event.
More than 3000 real estate agents and other professionals attended the Ray White Connect conference on the Gold Coast this week to be inspired and motivated.
Formula 1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo headlined the conference, wowing the crowd in a rare sit-down interview with sports presenter Mel McLaughlin.
Mr Ricciardo, who was rocking his longer curly hair and a beard, spoke about high performance, pressure, and life after F1.
“This year has been a bit of self exploration,” he said. “I lived this crazy high-speed life for so long and this year I’ve sat into a little bit of stillness.”
“I’ve been trying to figure out who I am other than this race car driver.”
Staying in the fast lane, Dr Jess Gallagher shared her story on becoming Australia's most versatile Paralympic athlete.
Formula 1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo spoke about high performance, pressure, and life after F1. Picture: Supplied
She holds the distinction of being the only Australian - Olympic or Paralympic - to win medals at both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.
At 17, Dr Gallagher had lost over 90% of her eyesight to an incurable, rare degenerative eye disease, and was told her vision would only deteriorate further.
"I have a seemingly invisible disability, impacting my central vision - a 5-metre bubble around me," she said. "I still have peripheral vision; it's an invisible disability."
But what followed was a journey of adaptation and discovery that led her to Paralympic sport, with achievements spanning alpine skiing, athletics, track cycling, and rowing.
Ray White managing director Dan White said the group had never been stronger. Picture: Supplied
Most recently, at the 2024 Paris Paralympics - her sixth Paralympic Games - she claimed silver in track cycling after making the difficult strategic decision to prioritise cycling over rowing, despite qualifying for both sports.
Dr Gallagher said the key to her success was her approach to fear management.
"I harness fear, acknowledge its existence and move on anyway. You need to open your mind to fear," she said.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, it is acting in spite of it."
Dr Richard Harris shared the story about his role in the 2018 Thai cave rescue. Picture: Supplied
The event was also joined by ultramarathon athlete Nedd Brockmann, MCoBeauty founder Shelley Sullivan, and Dr Richard Harris from the 2018 Thai cave rescue, who shared their stories and insights about overcoming adversity.
Many of the biggest names in real estate also converged on the event, sharing their lessons in life and business.
Among them was Perth luxury real estate agent Vivien Yap, who shared how she provided the best luxury experience to her clients.
“It’s not just about selling the home, it’s about selling an emotional experience and creating a lifestyle,” she said.
Luxury real estate agent Vivien Yap paints artwork for some of her clients. Picture: Supplied
“When you’re elevating client experiences, many agents send a bottle of wine at settlement, but when you work in luxury real estate, this isn't enough. I gift Hermes platters flown in from Sydney, Chanel No5 perfume or Tiffany glassware.
“I also have my own artwork which I paint for my clients. It’s not about gifting but creating emotional value and ongoing relevance. My goal is to make sure I am not just a transactional agent, I’m a trusted curator of lifestyle.”
And it wouldn’t be a real estate conference without auctions, with a auction masterclass attracting new and experienced auctioneers looking to sharpen their skills.
More than 3000 people attended the Ray White Connect conference. Picture: Supplied
The masterclass was run by Ray White auction experts Alex Pattaro, Kevin Chokshi, Jason Atkinson, Pat Lapalapa, Sam Steele and Jeremy Tyrrell, where they simulated several situations throughout the auction process.
“Auctions have been in Ray White’s DNA since the company began in 1902, and some of the group’s leading auction experts hosted a session about how to list, set, and sell via auction,” Mr Pattaro said.
Ray White managing director Dan White said the group had never been stronger.
“We, of course, are proud of the progress we have collectively made since our last Connect, but we must continue to look over the horizon and to keep chasing our potential - that is a tradition we will always uphold,” Mr White said.
Dr Jess Gallagher shared her story on becoming Australia's most versatile Paralympic athlete. Picture: Supplied
“While we are currently at our highest level of market share in our history, we still feel like we are so far from our potential.”
The Ray White Connect conference runs August 10-12.
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