Welcome to Episode 45 of our podcast, Courageous Conversations, hosted by Leanne Pilkington.
In this episode, our guest is Sadhana Smiles, Director at Harcourts Move and CEO of Harcourts Group VIC. She talks about how she entered real estate, moving from Melbourne to Sydney after a divorce, how this impacted on her mental health and her family, the reason she returned to Melbourne and her charity work in Fiji and the event ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’.
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00:15 – What it’s like managing and overseeing overseas real estate markets as a CEO
01:30 – Sadhana’s start in the real estate industry as a receptionist
03:20 – “Sometimes you have to get to your lowest to become your most brilliant.” Sadhana’s divorce and moving to Sydney from Melbourne.
04:40 – Reflecting on what she felt was ‘moving forward’ but moving too quickly and not thinking things through.
05:00 – Breakdown, choices and seeking help.
06:00 – Opinion versus listening – why having someone to listen to her was more helping that receiving advice on what to do.
06:30 – How Sadhana saw her return home after seeing opening for CEO in Harcourts VIC
08:00 – Operating with Harcourts because of its leadership; Mike Green and the empathy he displays.
08:40 – Sadhana’s charity work in rural Fiji to improve women’s access to health services and the story behind it.
11:15 – Walk a Mile in Their Shoes and its launch in Australia
13:20 – Sadhana’s call to make Walk a Mile an industry-wide event instead of Harcourts-exclusive. ”
15:30 – What’s next for Sadhana and reflecting on the year that was.