Last Friday, we came together for Ascend 2026: our annual growth conference designed to sharpen thinking, strengthen leadership, and elevate the standard we set for ourselves and our clients.
Following the success of our inaugural event last year, Ascend has become more than a day for professional development. It represents our commitment to growth as a forward-thinking, next gen agency. It's a deliberate pause to reflect, recalibrate and recommit, both individually and collectively.
Proudly sponsored by Domain, this year’s event brought together leaders across property, performance, compliance and brand to set the tone for 2026.
Here’s a look at the key themes that shaped the day.
Domain Team: Market Intelligence and Strategic Foresight
Domain brought senior leaders to the event, including Sales and Transformation Director Rachel Savio, alongside speakers Toby Markos and Dr Joel Bowman, who unpacked Australia's evolving property landscape and decoded shifting buyer behaviour in Sydney's competitive Inner City market.
Toby delivered a comprehensive year-in-review across sales and property management, highlighting measurable progress while setting context for what’s ahead.
"I think it's important for the team to take time to reflect on what they've achieved. Sales and property management are fast-paced, high-intensity roles. Taking the time to reflect on what has been achieved is an important part of resetting," he noted.
Dr Bowman then translated macroeconomic shifts, including interest rate movements and policy settings, into practical insights for agents on the ground, from pricing and listing strategies to managing vendor expectations.
"Our data shows that Australians consistently choose agents who demonstrate a strong understanding of their local market," Joel explained. His objective was clear: "I want agents to feel more confident explaining why the market is behaving the way it is, so they can lead pricing and strategy discussions rather than react to client sentiment."
The session reinforced a simple principle: authority is built on evidence, and data underpins confident decision-making in 2026.
Niik Stewart: Mindset in Sales and Life
Global mindset and performance coach Niik Stewart centred his session on personal operating standards.
"This isn't hype or theory. It's about how mindset and daily standards translate into listings, conversations, confidence and consistency," he explained.
“Confidence is trained, not hoped for. How agents speak to themselves before calls. How they handle rejection. How they show up when momentum dips. It all counts" he outlined. When standards rise, behaviour improves, and results follow naturally.
The agents who win consistently aren't necessarily more talented; they're more disciplined in how they think, prepare, and respond. In a conversation-driven business, the internal dialogue shapes the external result. Raise the standard, and behaviour follows.
Brooke Hanson: Leading with Resilience
Olympic gold medallist Brooke Hanson brought extraordinary energy, reframing pressure as opportunity. Drawing from elite sport, Brooke delivered a high-energy, interactive session on mindset, momentum and sustainable performance.
Her central thesis: ownership. Taking deliberate control of mindset, energy and effort, particularly when circumstances feel challenging. "Reflection drives growth, and that's where real team development success happens," she told us.
In an industry defined by rejection and resilience, her tools were practical and immediately applicable. "Growth starts with a daily decision to back yourself, stay committed and appreciate how far you've come. Back yourself and don't quit when it gets uncomfortable. Do it."
Joshua Thomas: The Four Stages of Professional Growth
Joshua Thomas, Department Head of Property Management at UPSTATE, mapped the four stages of professional growth and challenged the team to assess their own development honestly.
One standout insight: “We’ve been taught multitasking makes us more productive. But the science shows we’re 40% more effective when we mono-task, focusing on one thing at a time.”
Joshua encouraged systematic self-assessment. "Many roles have clear tasks, but we don't always reflect on the skills needed to perform them at a higher level." Understanding which stage of learning you're in for each required skill is where real growth happens. Progress is intentional, not automatic.
James Hurley: AML Reforms and Legislative Update
James Hurley delivered a critical briefing on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) reforms and regulatory shifts reshaping compliance requirements across the real estate industry.
His session provided essential clarity on what agencies must implement to remain compliant and mitigate risk, emphasising the importance of extended due diligence in client verification and transaction monitoring.
For an agency committed to operational excellence, understanding these compliance frameworks isn't optional, it's foundational to protecting both clients and the business in the 2026 regulatory environment.
Lyndal Harris: The Adrian William Brand
Lyndal Harris, Founder of September Design Studio and the creative force behind the Adrian William brand since 2000, gave us an inside look at brand design thinking.
Her key message: brand is all-pervasive. "Brand is not limited to the marketing team. We are all brand ambassadors and advocates, particularly if we live and breathe the brand values and are aligned with what it stands for," she emphasised.
"From the way we talk on the phone, our wardrobe, the scent when you walk in the office, the handshake, the business card, the social media posts, the follow-up e-brochure and email signature. Consistency is key. Consistency in brand builds trust. Trusted brands thrive."
Lyndal reminded us that success is shared, the agency brand and the agent's personal brand amplify one another. It's the strategic advantage of aligned success.
Beyond the Sessions
Ascend 2026 created space for us to step out of day-to-day operational pressure and recalibrate how we think, speak and show up. Breakout sessions allowed the team to translate insight into action, applying data to pricing conversations, embedding mindset tools into vendor meetings, and refining personal brand standards.
For a young, ambitious agency committed to leading rather than following, growth does not happen by default. It happens by design.
We thank Domain for partnering with us in shaping that design.
And as we move through 2026, Ascend serves as both a benchmark and a springboard, reinforcing the standards that define next gen real estate.
This is Ascend.