What really separates top performers from everyone else?

In this solo episode of The Better Podcast, Jen Baird reflects on the lessons she’s learned from more than 20 years in real estate — and the consistent habits shared by some of the industry’s highest performers.

Recorded during awards season at Bayleys, Jen unpacks the five key foundations that repeatedly show up behind long-term success: mastering the basics, creating structure, building discipline, prioritising health and fitness, and developing a strong mindset.

From prospecting and building trust to managing energy, routines, and self-belief, this episode is a practical and honest look at what actually drives sustainable performance in a competitive industry.

Jen also explores why most people already know what they should be doing — but struggle to consistently apply it — and how small changes over time can completely shift the trajectory of a business and career.

This episode is both a reset and a challenge: what’s one thing you could change tomorrow to move yourself forward?

What does it really take to start again — and succeed?

In this episode of The Better Podcast, Jen Baird sits down with Heather Walton-Bycroft to unpack a career shaped by reinvention, resilience, and high performance under pressure.

From running a legal firm to stepping away from property development and rebuilding her life and career, Heather shares the realities behind starting again in real estate — and what separated survival from success.

Heather reflects on how she built momentum in the industry, including evolving her business across different markets over time, and why backing yourself in new environments is often part of long-term growth. She also shares how to truly leverage a network, the discipline behind reaching the top tier of the industry, and what it takes to build momentum when there’s no safety net.

This is a candid look at the less-visible side of success — and the mindset required to sustain it.

Kathryn Robertson, Bayleys Takapuna Residential Manager, joins The Better Podcast for a conversation about leadership, personal growth, and building a thriving real estate business.

Before entering real estate, Kathryn had a successful career in the New Zealand Police. In this episode she shares how the skills she developed in policing — resilience, communication, discipline, and problem-solving — have shaped her approach to real estate and leadership.

Kathryn also reflects the transition from sales into management, what great mentoring looks like within a branch, and how creating the right culture can help agents grow and succeed. The conversation also explores the opening of the new Bayleys Takapuna office and the opportunity it creates for collaboration, client experience, and attracting new talent.

Jen Baird is joined by Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, for a future-focused conversation on the changing dynamics of the real estate industry. Sarah shares her perspective from inside one of the country’s most influential property platforms, discussing how agent behaviour, consumer expectations, and property marketing have evolved over time.

We’re joined by Conor Patton, National Auction Manager, to explore the auction process from the auctioneer’s perspective.

Conor shares how strong collaboration between agents and auctioneers helps create the conditions for a successful auction day. He discusses the behaviours that set the best agents apart, common pitfalls to avoid, and what effective communication looks like throughout the campaign.

The conversation also looks at negotiation — the questions buyers ask, the challenges that arise on auction day, and the role the salesperson plays in helping navigate these moments with clarity and confidence.

This episode features a conversation with Josh Nixon and Tricia Lafferty to explore what happens on auction day and how agents prepare for the energy, pressure and opportunity in the room.

They discuss their approach to auction day preparation, how they manage nerves for vendors and buyers, and how they work closely with the auctioneer to guide the process. Josh and Tricia also share how they approach challenging scenarios, including one-bidder auctions and passed-in properties, and the practical steps they take to maintain momentum and achieve strong outcomes.

In this episode, we sit down with Lorraine Young and Carolyn Ryan to unpack the first stage of a successful auction campaign: the strategy behind choosing auction as the method of sale.

They discuss how to guide vendors through the decision-making process, when auction is the right approach, and how experienced agents position auctions with confidence. Lorraine and Carolyn also share how they navigate common vendor concerns and explain the language and examples that help build trust and clarity from the very beginning of the campaign.

In this episode, we sit down with Cristelle Blanchard, Social Media Manager and Marketing Coordinator for Bayleys Auckland, to discuss how agents can use social media more effectively - without overcomplicating it.

Cristelle shares why clarity, consistency and authenticity outperform volume and perfection, how storytelling and video build long-term trust, and how ads can be used strategically to scale what’s already working.

In this episode, we sit down with Denise and Courtney Jenner, a mother–daughter duo who have built a successful lifestyle real estate business.

They share their journey into real estate, the realities of working together as a family, what sets lifestyle property sales apart, and the values and ambition behind their success.

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Farhi to discuss what 2026 might hold for the New Zealand economy and what that means for the property market. Chris shares his perspective on economic trends, the outlook for house sales volumes and prices, and how changes to the official cash rate could shape the year ahead. We’ll also explore what could derail the recovery and how you can prepare for uncertainty.