Fresh faced and eager, in 1975 young Brigitte Stills snagged a part-time position at a rental company while she attended university for a psychology degree.
Unbeknownst to her, women weren’t in the real estate industry in Australia – the company had taken a gamble employing a female. Perhaps foolish, the decision to take Brigitte on was a worthwhile success. In one month, working only on a part-time basis, Brigitte managed to lease 35 units.
‘I thought that was normal,’ Brigitte explains, reminiscing. ‘I love people, I love communicating.’
Quickly learning that psychology, hospitals, and trauma weren’t meant for her after participating in placements to complete her psychology degree, Brigitte continued her career into real estate, flourishing.
It did not come without turmoil, though. Many turned to her in those early years, saw that she was a in fact not a man, and proceeded to think “no, women can’t sell real estate”.
But Brigitte could.
After a time in property management, Brigitte pushed her way into sales – commercial property, houses, units – to the chagrin of a general manager that did not want to offer her the position.
‘He hadn’t really heard of women in the industry, and he more or less said that,’ says Brigitte. ‘I said to him, “do you want to have a look at what I’ve sold”. He wasn’t interested in that... In the end he gave me the job, when I said to him “can you just give me a try?”
The general manager agreed, giving her six weeks to make a sale. By the skin of her teeth, the day after the six weeks were up, Brigitte exchanged a company title property.
Now, 44 years later, having sold her own company three years ago, Brigitte has weaned out of the industry, and instead has founded Stills Properties Consulting, a boutique agency where she mentors real estate agents, teaching them how to increase profits, productivity, and efficiency.
‘I have a tendency, a leaning, to help the younger generation,’ says Brigitte. ‘I’m a firm believer you start at the bottom and work your way up, it’s amazing what you can achieve… Learn as much as you can, have your skills in communication, make sure you’re a good listener.’
Brigitte is a Global Business Connector for the Women Speakers Association, where she connects career women and helps them innovate and empower themselves.
With her wealth of knowledge, Brigitte has collaborated on two Amazon bestselling books – “Voices of the 21st Century: Women Transforming the World” and “Voices of the 21st Century: Women Empowered Through Passion and Purpose”.
Both a blessing and a curse, Brigitte says that she always had to be the best. It has served her well, and the real estate industry and all women are better for her time in it.
