The Upshot

Cara Atchison & Brad Caldwell-Eyles: Niche expertise, client care and long-term thinking in business

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In this episode, we are joined by power couple Brad Caldwell-Eyles and Cara Atchison, who are prominent figures in the real estate projects market of Double Bay in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Brad, the managing director of First City, shares his background in car sales and his transition into real estate. Cara, a director of the business and a former business analyst, also discusses her approach to running their business and team as well as her experience on the TV show, Survivor. This episode explores their achievements in the real estate development project space and their plans for the future. 


Throughout the conversation, three clear focuses emerge:


  • Placing a strong emphasis on innovation and technology, and creating real value for clients. They strive to stay ahead of the latest advancements in IT and tap into the unique essence and identity of each project while maintaining a level of service no competitor can duplicate. 


    • Understanding the psychology of their people and clients is another area of importance for Cara in particular. They believe that finding the right people for the job has always been a challenge, and they are passionate about delving into the psychology of their team and clients to truly understand them. 


      • When it comes to their clients, the company attributes their success to two key components: exceptional knowledge and the trust their clients have in their expertise. They emphasise the importance of building confidence with their clients by going beyond contractual obligations and truly understanding their needs.


        • Key moments in this episode: 


        00:10:30 - "We know what we're talking about and they trust us."

        00:11:06 - "Yeah, I think it's a really important point that you both raise, you know, not telling the client exactly what they want to hear and actually giving them the right advice does build a lot of trust."

        00:15:03 - "If you don't truly believe that the value your clients get is greater than the fees that you charge, you'll always fear being in business."

        00:17:41 - "We guard the gross realisation of our projects very jealously."

        00:22:28 - "We're really passionate about delving into the psychology of our people."

        00:24:40 - "Some days clients are reacting in ways that doesn't make sense."

        00:28:31 - "Apparently, I'm the most honest player in Australian Survivor history, which is funny because it juxtaposes against George."

        00:38:21 - "Quality never fails."

        00:39:12 - "So what they're doing is they're selling their house, cashing out, getting the $12 million, whatever it is they're getting out of their house, and then they're coming knocking on our door."

        00:45:38 - "I always think work and personal life is almost the same thing."

        0:47:26 - "But it also means that we get fantastic quality clients, fantastic quality developments and fantastic collaborations."

        00:55:21 - "I have no interest in trying to get people I don't know to do things they don't want to do."

        00:56:18 - "If my phone rings and I can't take it and Kara picks it up and answers it, my clients would all rather speak to her than me anyway."


        Find Brad and Cara: https://www.1stcity.com.au/

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        The UpshotBy Homely