Hi, and welcome back to Leading and Growing Your Real Estate Business! 👋 I’m your host, Coach James Short, and I’m thrilled to have you joining us for another incredible episode packed with leadership insights and practical strategies. Today, we’re welcoming back someone very special—David Gray, CEO and founder of Lifestyle Group. 🙌 David is a standout leader who’s taken his real estate journey from managing a single office to overseeing 23 offices and more than 200 team members across Australia’s beautiful Mid North Coast. 🌊🏡 His story is one of vision, resilience, and a commitment to building not just a business—but a powerful culture that empowers his team and drives sustainable growth. In this episode, David opens up about his leadership evolution, the shift from a franchise model to creating a unique, independent brand, and how he’s fostered a company culture that thrives on transparency, coaching, and shared ownership. ✨ Here are 5 key takeaways you don’t want to miss: 1️⃣ Build layered leadership to scale – From head of sales to culture leads, David shows how empowering others prevents burnout and supports long-term growth. 2️⃣ Independent branding unlocks authenticity – Breaking away from the franchise model allowed Lifestyle Group to form its own identity and deepen staff and client connections. 3️⃣ Transparency is power – David shares how being genuine (not perfect!) as a leader earns trust and inspires your team. 4️⃣ Invest in coaching and development – Coaching isn’t optional; it’s essential. David’s apprenticeship-style approach shows how mentorship builds loyalty and high performance. 5️⃣ Work-life balance is personal – There’s no one-size-fits-all. David encourages agents and leaders to find their rhythm and stay aligned with their purpose. ⚖️💡 Whether you’re running a regional office, leading a team, or planning your next big move, this conversation is a goldmine of real-world wisdom and business strategy. So hit play, take notes, and let’s dive into how to lead and grow—with purpose. 🎧📈