Beyond the Signboard with Amy Bennett
Welcome to Beyond the Signboard; where you get the opportunity to learn all there is to know about your real estate journey from professionals who are passionate about property.
Beyond the Signboard with Amy Bennett
Charting Success: Brad Filiponi's Journey from Photographer to Real Estate Innovator
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Navigating the high seas of entrepreneurship and family life, Brad Filiponi, boxbrownie.com's co-founder, joins me on a voyage where we chart the course from snapping photos to revolutionizing real estate. In this heart-to-heart, Brad opens the treasure map to striking work-life harmony, revealing how he juggles the waves of a demanding career with the anchor of family, and even shares a slice of paradise with tales of rejuvenating getaways. It's an expedition of personal anecdotes and professional wisdom ripe for anyone steering their own ship through the bustling waters of business innovation and familial tides.
When we cast our net into Brad's professional deep dive, we haul in a catch of insights from his transformation from photographer to real estate mogul. Listen as he reminisces about his marketing journey, the importance of customer connection, and the digital evolution that's reshaped property sales. Brad's tale is a lesson in maintaining that personal touch in a world where pixels often overshadow people, and it's a reminder that the compass of innovation points towards redefining industry standards.
Setting sail towards the horizon of success requires belief and tenacity, and Brad's story is a lighthouse guiding the way. He charts his path from doubters' skepticism to securing influential clients, weaving through life lessons that encompass the value of honesty, the strength found in community, and the broadened perspectives gained from global experiences. So hoist your sails, and prepare for a narrative voyage weaving together ambition, technology, and the quest for personal growth with Brad Filippone as our seasoned navigator.
Real Estate Journey and Career Insights
Speaker 1Welcome to Beyond the Signboard , where you get the opportunity to learn all there is to know about your real estate journey from professionals who are passionate about property . I'm Amy Bennett , your host , and I look forward to providing you with education , inspiration and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of real estate . Well , here we are , Mr Brad Filippone , Exciting to have you here .
Speaker 2Thanks for having us , Amy .
Speaker 1I am so excited . We have a very long history together and we will be able to delve and share into that Really excited to have you here , sunshine Coast living legend , the man , the myth . Co-founder of boxbrowniecom .
Speaker 2Thank you very much . I was just checking out the buttons , obviously matching the hair , the pink and the purple , yeah that's right .
Speaker 1It's all on brand . Absolutely so great to have you on the podcast . So good to have you back on the coast as well . You're a man that is travelling a lot with your incredible career and business .
Speaker 2Yes , over the . You could sort of almost really call it . I always say eight years because that's how old my oldest son is and it was really started all when he was literally still in the womb and being born . But yeah , probably eight years of international travel , further and more times than anyone else in the scene , I'd say .
Speaker 1Yeah , what was it ? Over 200 nights away , something like that .
Speaker 2Oh look , you know , on average , yeah , each year I was away more than I was home , and I would hate to actually add up all the travel hours in transit and flights that I did . It would be fun to do one day , but at the moment we're just too busy doing something else .
Speaker 1What were you doing in your travel time ? What do you use in that time ? Transit on planes ? Do you sort of maximise that time or have a break ?
Speaker 2It's hard , it's a bit of both , it depends . Unlike most people , we just won't do one conference . We might do three , four , five , six in a row .
Speaker 1Yeah , do three four , five , six in a row .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely so , like literally it's a conference bender , yes , and you know you're fighting with your international time zone differences and you know , not just sort of flying from state to state , which you know a lot of other , you know people would do as well in the scene . So , yeah , it's been a wild ride . I think I'm glad you know this year we've really turned off the travel . We're still doing conferences . I'm doing a lot less and working in the business a lot more . I just don't want to be away from my kids as much as I don't have to , if that makes sense .
Speaker 1I've done a lot of that . Yeah , it's amazing , isn't it , to have that time ? You mentioned you've just had a family holiday as well .
Speaker 2We just went to Bali , which was really good . Eight days over there just off . Technology obviously still worked every day . It was my 40th birthday .
Speaker 1So we just sort of snuck over .
Speaker 2Thank you very much , thank you .
Speaker 1You made it , yeah , I made it , yeah . Grateful for that , oh sneaking up .
Speaker 2For me it was good , you know , a couple of quiet bintangs and literally a couple of massages every day . That's really what we go over for and just to relax and live in you know , balinese time , I guess , if you want to call it that .
Speaker 1Yeah , such a happy country and so grateful . You know , despite having you know not much you know . It just shows you what's important in life doesn't it ?
Speaker 2I think they're just beautiful inside and out .
Speaker 1You know what ?
Speaker 2I mean , and everyone's got a smile on their face . Yeah , absolutely . You know it's organised chaos , but , as you said , everyone's happy , so it's a great place for the kids . You know what I mean . And you know we're just kicking soccer balls on the beach each night . It's just , you know the things that you should be doing here on the coast , but you forget about it , and it's been a really good reset for me . So , yeah , once a week I'll put it in my diary where we're going down the beach and kicking the balls so just things like that .
Speaker 2It's almost like just living the simpler life sometimes can be amazing .
Speaker 1Absolutely . We were just talking about that Like it's really going back to basics , isn't it ? And I think you know that . You know we were both really fortunate to have an amazing you know upbringing here on the coast . So before we kind of get deep into the world of Box Brownie .
Speaker 2Let's learn a little bit about your career journey . It's its own chapter , that's for sure . Yeah , yeah , yeah , I suppose . Obviously I finished high school , finished grade 12 . I went to a private school here on the Sunshine Coast , Emanuel Lutheran College . Never really an academic , Proud to say , my OP was 24 out of 25 .
Speaker 1Hey , just beat me . I was 21 . So we were there together .
Speaker 2So I think you know I remember going to a really prestige , you know school in Melbourne and I remember the principal back then saying you get out what you put in . And it's really stuck in my mind ever since then . So , yeah , school wasn't a big thing for me , but I did a TAFE course after school , worked with a very famous photographer here on the coast called Greg Gardner .
Speaker 1Yeah , Greg's amazing .
Speaker 2Love Greg , love my time with him . I'd love to maybe be his assistant again one day . You never know .
Speaker 1So funny because it seems that he's born quite a few real estate agents under his wing . Yes , yeah , amazing so he's .
Speaker 2I was probably's , maybe he's his first off shooter , if you want to call it that . We did a lot of weddings . He taught me taught me the importance of real estate photos and back then obviously there was no rea domain things like that . So it was , uh , the sunshine coast property week , yes , in the daily , yes , and obviously back then it all wasn't color gloss yeah , okay , so it was black and white wow , all throughout and only the edges were colour gloss .
Speaker 2Okay , so that's how long I've been doing it , and back then I was actually shooting on film camera .
Speaker 1I thought you'd say that yeah gosh Processing the photos .
Speaker 2Big W was my photo lab . We'd get them processed . I'd separate them . Good bad , no good , keep that one . And whatever they got , they got . Yeah , wow , and then I hand-delivered them back to the office literally most of the time overnight . Yes , but it was a very niche thing back then . You know , agents were just taking photos on their little film cameras and doing it themselves , and the quality was a lot different . So I've been in the game a long time . Not many people can say that .
Speaker 1I like that . I game a long time . Not many people can say that I like that . I had Grant Smith on the podcast not long ago . He was actually a I can't remember what it was . He worked for Rabbit Photo here on the coast . Oh really , yeah , and I was just saying about I used to get my films done at Kmart in Mooroochydore .
Speaker 2Funny we were just talking about that Fun fact I think I told Grant . I was on a cruise recently and he was on it ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I heard I think you feature on his podcast as well . Yeah , Grant , how ?
Speaker 2are you mate ? So yeah , look , I did my REIQ course back when David Carrera was training . Okay yes , grant did it the same time I did .
Speaker 1There you go , yeah , yeah , yeah , that's epic , that's so cool .
Speaker 2I still remember him from back then . Yeah , amazing , amazing .
Speaker 1Look , he's an incredible Asian , incredible person and I think to have that tenure in the industry is insane .
Speaker 2So I attest to you as well . Yeah , it's kind of like both of us , which is pretty cool
Career Journey
Speaker 2.
Speaker 1So what would you capture ? I'm just fascinated by what you said about the black and white image , so you would have had to been really oh , so yeah , it was film .
Speaker 2It wasn't black and white .
Speaker 1It was still colour , but when it was printed it was black and white .
Speaker 2So you had to so yeah , so a lot of the things I actually yeah , so the property week itself was black and white . Yes , most of the photos I was taking were for the colour gloss . Okay , so it was film camera colour film process and it would get probably scanned , yes , and placed in .
Speaker 1It's terrible , isn't it ?
Speaker 2And somehow submitted to the Daily .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2And it was always for the colour gloss . You know , sometimes I had plenty of features on the front page and back pages , all that sort of thing .
Speaker 1Yeah , amazing , probably still got them lying around , but it really matters . Oh , it's good when you go back . The rest is history . Yeah , you go through those archives . So then you moved into real estate .
Speaker 2I did , I did . I worked for back then it was PRD Nationwide Kiwana Waters . Yes , back when Sid Walker had the Maroochdore office working under Mark Uncle .
Speaker 1Yeah , wow , so I did my full REIQ licence .
Speaker 2you know official agent , but back then Grant was probably the youngest person selling real estate .
Speaker 1Correct , but it wasn't a thing like it is now yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2It actually wasn't , so I was a bit scared to dive in .
Speaker 1Yeah , chat through that . So you felt there was an age barrier .
Speaker 2I believe so .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely , especially back then .
Speaker 2This was a long time ago and I was customer service for at least two years , so I really learned the nuts and bolts of the industry . Obviously how important marketing was yeah , absolutely , because all we were selling was Bedina beachfront , deep water canal front , and that was really it . So it was always about the marketing .
Speaker 1Well , and you know we talk about what that cost as well . You know , have those full page articles in print , your huge campaigns , weren't they ?
Speaker 2Oh , if you've got a half page , quarter page , full page like thousands back then , which is probably , I don't know . I'd feel it would feel more expensive back than it would now .
Speaker 1Absolutely , and I think there'd be no sort of payment plan options or anything like that like there is nowadays . So you know , having the confidence around , I think that's probably a really key component , isn't it ? Having the confidence to be able to demonstrate excuse me , to a client why marketing is important .
Speaker 2You know when you're selling your biggest asset . Let's face it . You know money doesn't grow on trees and you know you've got to be really careful with the money you earn , because it's hard to earn , easy to spend right , Absolutely , that's right . You know marketing , it is such a fiddle thing . You know you can get so much benefit from it . But then of course you can just blow money out the window at the same time .
Speaker 1Yeah , and I think probably like talking about your time in real estate , it would have been really hard to measure , you know , the results of those marketing campaigns , so different to now where we've got reports , analytics , live .
Speaker 2I mean now I can see how many people have added an open home to their plan . On realestatecom , you can do split tests on Facebook ads . You know you can . You've got the analytics .
Speaker 1It's really all there , and even when it is all there , it's too hard to gauge sometimes .
Speaker 2Correct Absolutely , yeah , it's really all there . And even when it is all there , it's still hard to gauge sometimes too right , correct absolutely yeah , obviously everyone needs marketing . Good marketing sells , and of course it's all about keeping pricing fair for homeowners , really because it's an expensive task to sell a house .
Speaker 1It's a big undertaking . So that time that you had as an agent , what would you say were your key measures of success ? What was your standout features ?
Speaker 2So I never sold . But yeah , I think customer service , because obviously that's what I did . We're still really high on customer service with the business we're in . Yeah , absolutely . Hence why I'm not training . We might dive into that a bit later on , but I'm literally recording personalised videos right here , right now . I've just finished before this podcast and you know , I'm the founder of the business and I'm the guy writing personalised video messages and recording them saying g'day trying to put that human touch on a digital marketing platform , I guess you'd say we are real people behind the scenes .
Speaker 2you know , if we could talk to everyone , I wish we could , but you know , you just got to do your best .
Speaker 1You've always remained really humble and obviously we'll chat through . But you know the growth of your business is through the roof and I said to you just off air before we started that even though you've got over 200,000 customers , which the mind just boggles , you know , for an amazing Sunshine Coast-based company .
Speaker 2And don't worry , I will give you the accolades you deserve , because I know you are super humble .
Speaker 1But honestly , you know , to still have that personal connection . You know , I know you come and do training with our team and even your time today , I really appreciate it .
Speaker 2I'm just grateful to be in the position I'm in Amy . I loved my job being a real estate agent . Obviously I wanted to start a family , yes , and you know I felt like I was in the rat race . So I'm glad I've sort of unlocked that , doing what I love and almost paving the way like no one had done before . So that's what I like the most , I think .
Speaker 1Yeah , so from real estate straight into photography .
Speaker 2Yeah . So yes , yes and no . I'm just trying to work it back now . See , once you get over 40 , brad , that's it . Oh , it's hard . So pretty much yeah . I worked in real estate , worked for Mark . It was a great experience . It's really helped . Another stepping stone in what I'm doing today .
Speaker 1Yeah absolutely .
Speaker 2My dad had many businesses probably the funnest one I did I worked for . He had an import yard . So I'm into all my fast cars , especially the Japanese stuff . So he had a wrecking yard where back then we'd import motors for like cars , like your cars and trucks , and four wheel drives and all that . And he had a full performance side which we opened up and- .
Speaker 1Was that here on the coast ? It was here on the coast , Cumber Park . Yeah , epic , yeah awesome .
Speaker 2So I used to unpack containers 40 foot from Japan , you know with . You know forklifts so I'd cut cars in half . You know all that sort of stuff . I'm not a mechanically minded dude but I just can appreciate it all yeah awesome . Just love going fast .
Speaker 1Yeah , a shared passion that we have . We do like our cars .
Speaker 2And really from there I was working for Dad , so I had a guaranteed job and I was really trying to build my photography section up .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2So there was a good few years there and we built a really good sort of . I branched off and did a really good high-performance Subaru business .
Speaker 1Okay , where we ?
Speaker 2were getting parts where no one else could get you know straight from Japan .
Speaker 1How did you source those ?
Speaker 2Dad had his contacts .
Speaker 1Yeah , awesome , so relationships 100% . Yeah , amazing , so once again .
Speaker 2Yeah , relationships , customer service just .
Speaker 1I suppose Doing what you say you're going to do , 100% .
Speaker 2Yeah , you know that sort of dad and that's probably something he's taught me as well . Yeah , amazing . So really it was between that and obviously that sort of dad ended up selling the business , selling the business , and then at that sort of same time I'd built up enough where I could just go out on my own and just be a photographer .
Speaker 1Huge step which I was .
Speaker 2Yeah , it was because you're sort of wondering oh , I've got jobs this week , but what's happening next week ? You know , you just have that worry .
Speaker 1Absolutely . That's exactly right and you were married at that stage .
Speaker 2No , no , single , you know , probably , you know just sort of running amok here on the Sunshine .
Speaker 1Coast Partying at Fridays . And the rest don't you get 240 ?
Speaker 2240B , yeah , and you know and all the rest . But you know I bought a house in Nambour so obviously you know was trying to do the responsible thing . But yeah , it's just that unknown . You just don't know what's around the corner .
Speaker 1It's so courageous Like I love people's tenacity in doing that , and it does come down to a lot of self-belief , but bloody hard work , I would imagine as well .
Speaker 2And you know the population wasn't as big as what it is now . So like yeah , there was less competition in what I was doing , but it's just that you know you're a young adult and there's just so many unknowns when you've never run your own business or anything like that . I never had staff my whole career . Yeah , that was real estate photography specifically , or did you kind of do a little bit of everything I just did real estate photography .
Speaker 1And would you suggest that that was something that was that obviously continued on ? But do you think that having that niche oh look , it always helps .
Speaker 2Yeah , of course , back then , every man and his dog's sister is a real estate photographer .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's quite a big , thing , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2Charging you know big money for it now . Back then I was , just as I said , just a humble bloke . He really enjoyed my job . I love real estate . I love the Sunshine Coast . Look at today it's a beautiful day it's cracking , isn't it ? Yeah , and just checking out real estate .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's amazing . It was really really cool . Something that gets under your skin with it , isn't it ?
Speaker 2Oh , I've been in . I just love it . I like it , I love the architecture , I love you . Know different , just everything about homes . It's cool in different spots and every home has something unique to offer has something unique to offer .
Speaker 1I think that's , you know , probably the magic that you see in photography and I've certainly , you know , seen you in action but also just your ability . You are an attention to detail person , I know , even when we were setting up today Can't help myself . Hey , it's a good quality to have . I think that you know how you do . One thing is how you do everything , and I know you're fastidious . You know , anytime we've done a shoot , you know always looking at where is the light coming from , making sure all the lights are on .
Speaker 2And just you know things like obviously now it's pretty standard , but just like cushions and are the chairs , all you know pushed in the right way ? Are the taps facing the right way ? It's just . I can probably blame my mother for that .
Speaker 1Look , I'm not dissimilar myself . Although I haven't mastered putting my clothes away , much to my husband's disgust , that's the one thing I'm still guilty of that . Yeah , we've got to have one thing . So you were able to I guess you know work with agents on the coast to take that you know worry off their hands . As far as the photography , you were delivering the results on time . They were getting properties sold .
Speaker 2Definitely , and I think back when I was film days , it was all about education .
Speaker 1Why do I need photography ? Why do I need a pro ?
Speaker 2photographer when I can just do it myself ?
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2Now it's kind of going back that way again I feel yeah , absolutely . I just ran down the window at an agent today when I was grabbing a quick boost juice with a family and I'm like we'll just chat to him and he's about to try a new app which is great Snap , snap Snap which we'll probably talk about later . But I'm just sort of sick of playing back and forth with photographers when I can shoot results of my phone that look as good Well technology has evolved just exponentially .
Speaker 1I mean , you probably don't know , my first role when I was 14 in pharmacy was actually managing our photographics counter . So this was in Beawar here on the coast . We didn't do the processing but we would pop it in a bag , it would go off to Brisbane , it would come back the next day and then you know , that evolved to . So I was ordering film and then that evolved to selling digital cameras and I think then was like 16 and it wouldn't have been Meg . I don't know , maybe it was the memory card , so it was like 10 photos and then that was done and then they got bigger and I think it was like a dollar per meg or so . I don't even know how that the ratio goes with what we're shooting now .
Speaker 2It's just yeah , it's yeah , megapixels keep getting bigger and , yeah , so does the quality from digital cameras . But you know , I think Sony released a good statement , probably roughly two years ago , saying in three years the DSLR will be killed off because of smartphones . The cameras are getting good , and I remember the first day I saw the iPhone 11 with a wide-angle lens . That's when I'm like man , we need to look back into this app and just have another option for people , because , as we spoke earlier , selling a home is a very expensive ordeal . Sure , so you just need cost-effective ways to sell your biggest asset . I would say Absolutely .
Speaker 1All right , let's go back to the journey of Box Brownie , because it is so . It's such a lovely story , it's something I am so proud of , you and Mel , for what you've achieved . Honestly , it's incredible and I know you are super humble but I am going to get you to get a bit deep . But you know , let's chat about . You know you said to me off air about registering the domain and yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2So obviously it's been a bit of a dream . We are in Caloundra at the moment . Just so the viewers know the name boxbrowniecom it was completely my . It was the name I wanted .
Speaker 2Yeah , Tell us about why Well the reason is there's a few or there's one reason why I remember lugging all my big camera gear up , which is always on a backpack , because it was easier to have all my cameras in that and my
Entrepreneurial Journey and Overcoming Doubt
Speaker 2tripod . And I remember the actual . It was a property management listing , I remember , but it was vacant and I was with the agent and we walked up let's call it five or six flight of stairs because it was somewhere in Kings Beach .
Speaker 1I think it was Kings Beach . I knew you'd say that I know those stairs , so there were stairs there .
Speaker 2I can't remember the actual physical spot . I could probably find it if we went for a drive . And I remember when we got up there and I'm flicking on my lights , preparing the house as you spoke about , and I remember the agent saying like still to this day oh gosh , we're certainly not shooting on the old Brownie cameras , are we ?
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2So that was it .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's amazing , isn't it ? It didn't click then , but later on it clicked . Yeah , absolutely the domain wasn't available .
Speaker 2I remember I had to actually pay three and a half grand for it .
Speaker 1That's huge Brad , A lot of money 10 plus years ago . Oh let's , I'd almost call it close to 13 . Yeah , Incredible . I didn't have the money , or I ?
Speaker 2or I did it .
Speaker 1I was always really good with my tax , so I'd always make sure I put my you know my tax and GC in a separate folder . I never spent it .
Speaker 2Yeah , well done that's . That's .
Speaker 1That's big and my accountant always said you know , brad , no one really does that .
Speaker 2But I'm like hey , I'm a photographer . You know if I've got to pay this money back . I'm all by the books , right ?
Speaker 1Yeah absolutely .
Speaker 2Do one thing , do it right , Correct . So I did all that , but I could always spend that money on . I'd call it , let's call it business expenses . So if I need a laptop or a camera , lens , I'd use that money and I was always fine my whole amazing , so did you have to buy it off someone else ?
Speaker 2So I had to buy it off a domain reseller . Okay , so it was all legit . It didn't look dodgy to me . I didn't even know what I was doing , yeah , but I bought it . Yeah , amazing , yeah . So , and there was another website I bought . We have let it lapse since Someone has swooped it up but , look , we're too busy to worry about that sort of stuff .
Speaker 1You've got enough going on . So then Mel joined .
Speaker 2Mel , yeah , so I built a working prototype Awesome . The reason how that happened is I told someone about the idea and they didn't think it was going to work that well and I was like , cool , I'm going to follow my heart . I won't say who that was .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's all good . Don't you need that in life , though ?
Speaker 2No , it was more , just like I think just follow your heart , amy . Don't listen to the noise .
Speaker 1Totally . But I tell you what . I remember having a comment when I moved into my role and I thought at the time it really stung . But I tell you what it was the fuel that gave me the worry You've got to rip the band-aid off .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely Nothing . Good is easy right . I couldn't agree more you know all thereabouts , as they say , but I started , I just acted is the best way to put it Amazing and .
Speaker 2I'll tell you how I did that . It's all relative to being on site and being a photographer . So once again , it was actually a property management listing . Got chatting to the guy , had this idea in my head . People told me it wasn't going to work . I was like , well , I need it myself . Yes , so that's why I want to try this . You know , I love my job but I need to change . So I shot the property . I got chatting to the tenant . We were talking about moving things before . I'm very courteous , hey , you know the photos will reflect me . Do you mind if I just move this ?
Speaker 1and this . You feel awkward doing it . Yeah , of course no one bloody wants to do it . Toothbrushes is the worst for me . Oh , dirty undies .
Speaker 2Dirty undies when they didn't have hand sanitizer invented then .
Speaker 1Yeah , I could have gone a bit deeper too .
Speaker 2Yeah , so could I you get where I'm going and look , you know , I did all that and I got chatted to the guy . He's a web designer , so I just acted and I said , let's go . So this website was really good . This particular website actually picked up Stockland a few years later .
Speaker 1Amazing .
Speaker 2Which is pretty cool . That's huge . And it linked to Dropbox . It wasn't automated , it worked . It was a business , so it didn't break any records , especially back then , but it worked and it was the start of the journey .
Speaker 1Incredible Served its purpose .
Speaker 2So I just think you know if anyone listening , if you've got an idea , people telling you it's not going to work , and you know something in your heart's telling you just to go for it .
Speaker 1Well , you found a gap , didn't you ? And I think that's the thing you know . When you come from an industry , you see what's missing , you see an opportunity and I think that's you know very much . A premise of this podcast is really about demonstrating the behind the scenes of the industry but also your business as well , I guess dispelling myths and showcasing that hard work does pay
Life Lessons and Entrepreneurship Journey
Speaker 1off .
Speaker 2but Not all the time , unfortunately . No , that's true , and then that's what I say to people I'm like it's really sad People can work so hard their whole life and just not get ahead yeah , absolutely , I think I think . But yeah , that's probably one thing I'd like to post , but just have a go absolutely just have a go , yeah make sure you surround yourself with people , with good people .
Speaker 2I think that's a big thing . Like you can't , can't get further in life by you know , maybe sort of you know , you gotta , you gotta expand your circle .
Speaker 1A little bit , chat through that because I , because I think that's an absolute strength of yours .
Speaker 2Yeah , look , you know you probably call me a bit of an introvert . You know I'm loud , you know I seem like I'm bubbly , but you know , deep down I'm just a dude from the sunny coast . But now when you're forced in the deep end , you've just got to tread water and you've just got to . I think you've just got to be yourself .
Speaker 1Totally .
Speaker 2I think that's the thing , whether people like you or not , it's just no BS . You know what I mean and you know it's easier to tell the truth and remember what you lied about . Absolutely , you know like I just think , that's how I've always come across , that's how I've always been brought up as a kid .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2Do as you say , as you spoke about before , and if you're yeah , and ask for help .
Speaker 1You know , like that's probably one of my biggest life lessons was just to be able to go hey , you know and learn from people that are better than you . Like that's amazing . I always take advice from anyone ? Yeah , you know what I mean .
Speaker 2I'm not no at all , far from it . I don't think anyone ever is .
Speaker 1But you know you've said about expanding your circle as well , because really there is so much to learn from all different . You know people's backgrounds , age , sex , race . You know , and especially with your experience and travelling the world .
Speaker 2Culture .
Speaker 1Absolutely . Yeah , there's just so much to be . You know , I think life is an ongoing learning , so have a chat .
Speaker 2Let's chat about how Box Brownie came about , the founding partners , Well yeah , well , look , I think Box Brownie really came apart Like I was ready to pack photography in and I remember you were like this because of all the travel you know I've done . I said to my wife I had a couple of mates who'd gone to WA , western Australia , to work in the mines . Yes , I had a couple of mates who'd gone to WA , western Australia , to work in the mines and obviously good money there . My goal back then was to do that , just to give up photography Before I'd , probably before this idea sparked and this is actually all part of it and I remember saying to my wife oh , I want to do this , you know , and she's a hairdresser and she had a couple of clients and you know what she said she goes no long distance relationship wow , I don't think it'll work because I've got clients who have done that and the families have broken up yeah and obviously my idea was I've got no , I've got no expertise anywhere else except what you know real estate marketing , if you want to call it that and that's that sort of .
Speaker 2hit me and I remember sitting down once and I got an email . You get pestered by Indian editors . If you want to call it that , if you're a photographer , sure , to this day they email me yeah , okay , and you know , I try .
Speaker 1I do get them on Instagram as well , asking advice .
Speaker 2Everywhere , everywhere . So one day you get pestered , pestered , pestered , and you know , try to say it nicely- I don't mean no disrespect . Yeah , of course , and it's like it's pretty bad , but they're hustlers and you can appreciate that right .
Speaker 1Totally , that's right . And volume , you know , I think you know like you get 10,000 no's in maybe one year , oh , 100% right .
Speaker 2They're just doing their best , which is great , and I remember one time I was already using them and before Box Brownie I tried hundreds of them and they were terrible , terrible , terrible
Photography Editing and Business Growth
Speaker 2, terrible .
Speaker 1So this was editing photos , is that ?
Speaker 2Yeah , sorry . So this is yeah . When you're a photographer , if you've got a website , you'll get offshore people trying to contact you to do your editing .
Speaker 1Yeah , perfect , because as a photographer .
Speaker 2you know you make more money on site doing more shoots . Yeah , correct , the editing is almost like the graveyard shift , like I've got to edit nine houses now . You're up until midnight .
Speaker 1Yes , yeah , you want it back tomorrow . Right To get the photos back . Yesterday I was going to say but you get the photos back tomorrow to the agents , and then do it all again .
Speaker 2Correct , it's just like . That was the rhythm I was in for years , and the amount of computers I blew up just from working them was crazy , like I went through heaps .
Speaker 1Have you met a computer that's as fast as you ? Yet ?
Speaker 2No , probably Mel's server at an office , I reckon yeah , but like it really started from there and I remember being contacted by an editor and there was like it was a price difference and I was like penny dropped yeah .
Speaker 1With what my wife said and that , yes , I was like oh , so now I'm only doing that .
Speaker 2At first I was paying $5 a photo to edit it .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Then it dropped down to $3 and then eventually , you know , it sort of goes from there . But now we're charging $2 .
Speaker 1A photo to give you an idea ?
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely , and we will drop our prices as we scale up . That is proven with our business . So we're like nothing else really out there . There's no subscriptions , no monthly fees . We just try and be the fair guys in the industry .
Speaker 1Yeah absolutely .
Speaker 2Agents come and go . There's 30% less agents now in America , you know so . You know . No one wants a subscription to pay for something they're not using . So that's always been our model . But that's really where it came from . Was that desperation of needing a career change and trying to support my family ?
Speaker 1I just wanted to pay my house off .
Speaker 2Yeah , amazing , because , you know , isn't that the Australian dream , or anyone's dream , to pay off their family home right ?
Speaker 1Absolutely , and I think that's yeah , we spoke about that as well off air , like about that as well off air , like the . You know , we were just saying you know you put that what you do in five years , you know , so you don't have to suffer for 50 years . I mean , you know , I saw , you know my mum was by herself and paying a mortgage by herself , and you're exactly right , you know you've got to have that driving force . What are you , you know ? What are you running from and what are you running towards ?
Speaker 2I think , as they say , you know the more or you sweat in peace unless you bleed in war . You know what I mean . Like it's just like do the hard yards , you know , and you know not always , but you know focus that energy and you know a lot of the time it can pay off for you .
Speaker 1And even when it doesn't , brad , like what a lesson in life you know , like I think with you . Know , with success it's an internal success and it doesn't have to be an outward success . Or , you know , like , some of my biggest life lessons have come from failures or mistakes , or , like you said , that ability to put your hand up and ask for help .
Speaker 2I think too it's like . I know it's hard to say at the time , but somehow you've always got to find a positive from a negative Always .
Speaker 1You know what I mean .
Speaker 2And even if it's not right , I think it's a mentality thing , Absolutely no . You've sort of got to get comfortable doing the things you're uncomfortable at .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's so true . You just have to do it Flex the muscle , the tough ones , yep .
Speaker 2You know , it's like going to the gym and doing your bicep curls or whatever you do , like . I think it's just consistency , you know what I mean ? Correct , yeah , and just try and keep it real .
Speaker 1Absolutely . I think that's so important . So you had your overseas editors $5 a photo giving you your night time back .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah . Well , it gave me that time with the family . Yeah , it gave me that personal time back right .
Speaker 1Yep .
Speaker 2It's always important . You know , as a photographer yeah , that was always . You know , it was just hard because you're literally shooting all day and editing all night . Yeah , like that's the rhythm , unless you outsource . I know there's a lot of photographers who still enjoy the editing and I kind of cringe at that going oh , come catch me when things change because it always does yeah , of course , but look , I used to love the editing too . I'm not going to lie .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely , but back then , when I was editing , there was no YouTube channels on how to do it . I was going to say , yeah , there was only deep forums you had to sort of go in and it's just different . It's like everything's different now . So evolved , you can jump online and learn how to do it in a heartbeat .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's right , and all of the apps and programs and , I guess , self-editing . So then , yeah , chat about how I'm . So I want you to share about Mel and you coming together .
Speaker 2Yeah , so Mel was my third time lucky building the system which I like in itself too .
Speaker 1You know what I ?
Speaker 2mean , I had two knockdowns and then I met Mal and we were just engaging him at the start to build it .
Tech Business Partnerships and Growth
Speaker 2When you're in any technology business , let alone property technology , you need someone who can code right . Pretty fun fact . I actually grew up in a back shed with my pa , grandpa , and he used to run the MS DOS on floppy disk drives and we used to go to computer swap meets , I remember , in Melbourne on gravel roads , and so he'd be looking down going wow .
Speaker 1That's epic .
Speaker 2He used to code back then .
Speaker 1Yeah , wow .
Speaker 2Fun fact my uncle just moved up from Melbourne recently . He told me that my pa and his mate they used to have massive satellite dishes . Yeah , yeah , they created the first Zoom they knew about . Back then he didn't say Zoom , but my uncle said it was video messaging and they could talk to each other . And I'm talking back in the day .
Speaker 1How epic is that ? And I never knew about that . That's so cool .
Speaker 2So that's kind of where I came from , I guess , and it's cool to see where it came today .
Speaker 1That's awesome . My dad was . He had a really big fascination with computers and would build them , and that was early 90s . So same thing . I can remember him doing that and flight simulator like all those kind of .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah . Well , speaking of flight simulators , my wife's grandfather . He was one of the people who invented it . Oh , there you go , as well as certain bits with the runway lights .
Speaker 1Wow , funny mentioning that .
Speaker 2And then my grandpa was actually in aviation as well , like in some of the wars , so it's kind of like Full circle . It's funny how life just twists you and that's amazing .
Speaker 1So you knew that that coding component was so important .
Speaker 2Oh , you know , I didn't really know .
Speaker 1We all know what coding is kind of yes , but you need a genius right .
Speaker 2Yeah , and back then I just didn't know what I needed . I was just following my spirit . I guess you'd say or following the heart , like it's like how you need someone who can do websites , and coding is part of that , of course , and yeah , we're being business partners now . I always go off Christmases on bad , bad with dates , but at least eight years maybe not coming into nine and we just haven't looked back .
Speaker 2Like realistically , I think I needed the two knockbacks yes , or the two failures yes To gain his interest . Yeah , I think if I'd have went to him from the start , it couldn't have worked out the way it did .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2You know what I mean . You know Mel was building . I love motorbikes . Yes , I remember walking there and he's building like Travis Pastrana's Nitro Circus online shop . I'm like dude , this is so sick .
Speaker 1Amazing , I love motorbikes . Yeah , yeah , yeah , and I knew him when I worked at the Chamber of Commerce as well .
Speaker 2That's who ? Yeah , so Was he the .
Speaker 1Is it still correct that he's the youngest person to go to uni ?
Speaker 2Yeah , he was like . To my knowledge , when I met him , he was the youngest person to be accepted into university in Australia .
Speaker 1Yeah , incredible .
Speaker 2For mathematics .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2You know , I think he was accepted at age 12 .
Speaker 1Yeah , amazing , and he couldn't go until he was 14 . It's incredible , isn't it ?
Speaker 2And I think you know that just shows how different we are . But I think opposites attract right .
Speaker 1And what commonalities would you have Like ? What would you suggest to the anchoring ? I'm guessing probably values .
Speaker 2Just doing what we say .
Speaker 1Yeah , amazing , we haven't had one argument .
Speaker 2Yeah , I just Not one . And it's just like do as you say . Yeah , it's pretty easy . Yeah , it really is , I could say something else , but I won't say it on air .
Speaker 1We'll save that for after , but that's incredible . That speaks volumes for who you both are as people .
Speaker 2I think you know , yeah , like just be a hard worker and just be honest , and you know just all that . But I think every situation is different .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2But you know I like it that we did a third time lucky . I still remember when I had to pay him quite a substantial amount of money when we weren't business partners and I'm like damn here we go again .
Speaker 1I didn't even tell the wife , I was just going for it , and did you ? You believed in the value , though I was scared shitless , to be honest . Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2And then during that time we had to buy another business partner . I had to refinance the house . It was a good few hundred thousand dollars and we'd be lucky to be making $1,000 a month back then . Well , we spoke about that didn't we ?
Speaker 1The years of no income , like that's the grind that people don't see , and the refinancing a house when we're having our first kid , yeah , the stress the worry .
Speaker 2You know , totally put it on the line . Yeah , and you know people said I was crazy at the time . I'm running around like a headless chook . I'm doing photo shoots . I'm getting up at three o'clock in the morning . We didn't you know . We've got that rework button . Yes , yeah , we never had one back in the day , so I was the rework button , so I'd be up at three o'clock fixing all the crap from the night before stressed out going to the .
Speaker 2I do kickboxing which keeps my head straight . It really grounds , your course any sort of martial arts .
Speaker 1It really grounds you of course , any sort of martial arts , Muay Thai , is it ? Yeah , Muay .
Speaker 2Thai . My brother was Australian champion . We're very heavily tied up in the scene especially Dad . But you know , and it just sets you up for the day , so I train in the morning . It makes you between photo shoots , going into the office , answering phones , fixing the issues . I did all that and this is for you know , no pay just keep putting money into tech yeah . Yeah , it's crazy when you look back at it .
Speaker 1It sure is . And well , crazy in a good way . I mean , now we can reflect and look back . I mean , it's when you're in that hustle and grind , isn't it ? But there's something you just focus on your .
Speaker 2you know , it's like I didn't listen to any noise outside . I just knew where I was hoping I was going , I was going .
Speaker 1Absolutely .
Speaker 2You know what I mean ? That was my star , I guess , and that's what I was aiming for .
Speaker 1Absolutely , and I guess you know for the detractors and those people that sort of questioned you would have had a lot of bloody good supporters behind you as well , I bet .
Speaker 2Yeah , I think I just stuck in , just got into it .
Speaker 1I wasn't .
Speaker 2You know , I was just working . Yeah , absolutely Grinding you know doing , seeing a few bits and pieces here and there I was just working .
Speaker 1Yeah . So that comes with that comes sacrifice . So obviously you know I know we'll chat about , you know that time that you miss with the family , but you know it would have been the same as well . I imagine in those years when you're grinding hard , you know friends still partying .
Speaker 2Oh , you know all that . But then you know , I'm overseas partying .
Speaker 1Yeah , no one's ever seen . You know , I know you like tequila .
Speaker 2Yeah , like you're in VIP parties inside VIP parties .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2Like . You know that speakeasy style , like the people we rub shoulders with are like the titans of the industry and you know everything's free over there , whether it's on whether we're paying for it , which the first conference we went to we couldn't even afford to go as a company . Yes , you know , I remember sort of slapping my credit card for the drinks bills , and drinks aren't cheap in America . You know that . I know that , yeah and yeah like , but look , it's unfortunately , you know .
Speaker 2You have to do it to get I just , you know , I'm not a big , I'm a big drinker when I want to be yes . But I just , I don .
Speaker 1Well , it's a social aspect isn't it as well ?
Speaker 2Well , that's what it is , Amy , to be honest , and connecting and networking .
Speaker 1Like you're an incredibly smart business operator , you know what the foundation of a good business is connection , like I said , doing something better than everyone else .
Speaker 2And just treating people like our clients are our friends and they become really good friends , which is awesome , Absolutely . But like you've got to build that in the first place , Correct , They'll see you at the booth . We're always . Our motto was first at the booth last to leave .
Speaker 1Yes , yeah , and that's still to this day . Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2And we don't sit down , we don't have chairs , when we're at the booth .
Speaker 1We're always ready to go . Yeah , I know . That's like a rule was like we went to say hello and then you were like , you were straight on . You were like , oh , I've got to get and I love that , and um you know , I'm not .
Speaker 1Those conferences aren't cheap , mate you've got to get that roi , but I understand that and I think that's really important . Um , so let's just for those , because there will be people that are listening in that actually don't know what you offer and I think it'd be remiss of me not to allow you the opportunity just to go really deep into each aspect and then let's have a chat through , because obviously I've probably utilised every aspect . I you know , I'm always been an early adopter , always one to try and break a system but also to , yeah , jump on board , because I know that every service that you offer is incredibly vital in the sales process , but also for our clients .
Speaker 2And it depends the house right . That's why we didn't want subscription .
Speaker 1Was that sort of something , that was an option .
Speaker 2No day one . It was never an option .
Scaling a Real Estate Photography Business
Speaker 1But isn't it interesting too , how much we've moved away from subscription models . Back when we did it , everyone was like you have to have it , we have early VC venture capitalists . You have to have it .
Speaker 2You have to have it . You have to move to Sydney to make this work . If you want to be global , you've got to change the name . Yeah , wow , I was just like .
Speaker 1Isn't that amazing For everyone that is listening in . There was a little middle finger there .
Speaker 2But you stuck to your guns In a nice way .
Speaker 1Of course , no , but agreed because you have to Follow your own heart . Yeah , absolutely so . Yes , isn't that funny , though , again , how people think they know the right thing when , ultimately , you've been so in depth and you know what people are looking for .
Speaker 2I just think you know . Well , look , I suppose , yeah , boxbrowniecom . We are at the moment , the world's leading real estate photo editing website . Incredible , so think . Photoshop on a menu . I love it . We just got our coffees off a menu . Yes , everything has a preset price . Love that . The price you see , is the price you pay .
Speaker 1There's no hidden taxes unlike many other countries out there . Yeah .
Speaker 2We have 24-7 customer support in four different languages , 365 days a year , so that's English , Spanish , Japanese and French .
Speaker 1And they are always available . I tell you .
Speaker 2Always available .
Speaker 1I'm running edits . I think literally after midnight last night chatting to Pooja and having amazing customer service .
Speaker 2So behind the scenes we have 400 staff .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's amazing In 19 countries Incredible .
Speaker 2That includes , obviously , all of our beautiful customer service team management . You know all that , all of myself and everyone else who runs the business day to day . Including editing no , yeah , that's coming .
Speaker 1Sorry , I'll zip now .
Speaker 2No , that's okay , so that's just that just makes the website operate Amazing .
Speaker 1As do our editors .
Speaker 2So that's our beautiful staff . That's our Box Brandy family . Let's do our editors . So that's our beautiful staff . That's our Box Brandy family . Now we have over 2,000 editing teams . So one team could be a solo operator . One could have two 300 staff plus . So that's a lot of mouths to feed and we're 100% bootstrapped or a self-funded business where in our scale of where we are . So you just said earlier , we have just shy of 200,000 clients right now self-funded and we have paying clients in 117 countries . It's incredible .
Speaker 2As for sign-ups we've had I checked about a year ago . Yeah , we had A whole world in sign-ups except two countries .
Speaker 1Can't wait , tell us .
Speaker 2So I can't remember that .
Speaker 1You're going to find out now .
Speaker 2Yeah , look , I will . I'll actually ask Mel and flick it to you . Is that amazing ? But yeah , like .
Speaker 1So how do you get and we'll go back to the products , because that's a really important thing how do you get that scale ?
Speaker 2Like . How do you get to Word of like and ? And you know how much we used to travel , right ? We spent hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars worth per year on travel expenses . Face-to-face . We're flying to New York and staying right on Thomas Square at the Hyatt .
Speaker 1You know what I mean .
Speaker 2Yes , Proud to say we've done some very pimping stuff . I wish we had a video crew follow us on the journey . It would have been the craziest story , I think , ever .
Speaker 1Absolutely . You've definitely got a booker or a docker in you , that's for sure .
Speaker 2But even just the people we rub shoulders with . And you know one of my best mates . He's the number one agent at RIMAX in the world .
Speaker 1It's amazing .
Speaker 2Another guy sold $5 billion worth of property . Like these are the people we're rubbing shoulders with private jets , this and all that , but at the end of the day it's word of mouth , Totally of mouth is still our highest form of advertising .
Speaker 1So advocates within the industry ? Oh no , it's more like anyone it could be someone from your office loves what we do . Yeah , that's right , and they'll tell a friend yeah , correct . You know what I mean .
Speaker 2Or yourself doing a great podcast and someone will listen to it , and you're still telling a friend by doing this Correct , which we're grateful for .
Speaker 1So yeah , so like Blogs , yeah , so like Vlogs as well .
Speaker 2I know like All of that stuff .
Speaker 1Yeah , you've always just diversified and always made sure that you're ever present in front of the people that are your consumers .
Speaker 2You know we're doing blog or vlogs , if you want to call it that where I'm teaching photography training and literally you know we film it all in this house and I'm used to being behind the camera , not in front of the camera .
Speaker 1Oh you nail it , no . Not in front of the camera . Oh , you nail it , no .
Speaker 2I know We've done a few together , oh , but if you saw the early ones , they're pretty cringe worthy .
Speaker 1Don't worry . I did an intro for a video a while ago and there was 15 outtakes and I just felt so embarrassed for the videographer .
Speaker 2It's like you get comfortable eventually , right .
Speaker 1Funny , funny , funny with the video vlogs , because I'd never forget your shooting a property . In how many seconds ? 59 seconds or something .
Speaker 2Seven minutes .
Speaker 1Oh , seven
Dealing With Online Haters and PropTech
Speaker 1minutes .
Speaker 2Got a lot of haters that one .
Speaker 1Yeah , we've spoken about that before . I don't read it . Well , don't chat about the haters , tell us about that .
Speaker 2Oh no , like you get a lot of you know any on social media , whether you're an influencer or just posting , or you've got videos .
Speaker 1You have people . We'll call them trolls , because that's what everybody knows about . I don't read it , and you know what ?
Speaker 2I can guarantee you they would never say it to my face .
Speaker 1Correct , that's exactly right . Look , I think as well too . You know , I always say those that are beneath you , or I say those that are trying to pull you down are already beneath you . And really , Really , it's not an accident that your number plate's Disruptor isn't it ? I've got a few .
Speaker 2Well , Disruptor . Everyone calls us a digital Disruptor .
Speaker 1Yeah , so I've got that .
Speaker 2Yeah , I've got Founder . Yep , I've got ScaleUp on a big ute that I have because we're a scale-up business now , not a start-up . Yeah , amazing , so I've bought a lot of PropTech number plates because I'm very passionate about really the , I suppose , pioneering the way , because when we started doing this and travelling the world , there was no other business but PropTech property technology that's the abbreviation for it . Wasn't it really a thing ?
Speaker 1No , that's right .
Speaker 2Now it's just hundreds of companies and you know when you're an Aussie company and got the flair kind of we have you know . There's a reason why I think people never forgot us . Yeah , and I think we worked so hard up until COVID , where we couldn't travel . Anyway , no one forgot us .
Speaker 1Oh look , and I think that's the really important thing , because you've done it that many times and I think that is that repetition of marketing . But , like I said , it's also about the delivery of product . You've never hesitated to jump on , you know , if there's been , you know we will share this funny edit .
Speaker 2You don't mind if I share that ? No , no , no , I love it . Explain why , though ? Yeah , of course , which is always good . Yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 1So a product , because we will talk about the products on offer . One is we get our drone photographs . They're amazingly well edited .
Speaker 2Aerial editing and drop pin options to show local landmarks . Thank you , thank you .
Speaker 1Essentially , we had a jetty and I gave a mock-up . Now I put the line in the wrong spot .
Speaker 2So the mock-up would be you draw a duplicate image where you want the local attraction . So obviously an aerial photo can say a thousand words , obviously that one photo can show the whole area .
Speaker 1So the beach is here , the shopping centre is here , the school is here . You know that one photo can show the whole area .
Speaker 2So the beach is here , proximity shopping centers here , schools here , you know all that sort of stuff . So if you're an interstate , international buyer , correct you know ? Hey , there's the house circled . Yeah that's all the stuff that's around it .
Speaker 1Yeah , and I laugh because you would laugh at me , because I'm still , I'm still doing those in paint Like I'm still in MS paint editing , dropping them in . Anyway , I think we've got a markup tool now you do , thank you . Thanks , brad , I will move to that . Yeah , honestly , time and efficiency . I thought you were a daily adapter , anyway . So stupid me didn't put the bloody pointer mark down to the actual jetty . So when I wrote military jetty and then asked them to put the pointer on the actual jetty , they said actual jetty , which the irony is not lost on me . But anyway , we had a laugh and you know what ?
Speaker 2You got that cool rework button , haven't you , Mate it was fixed back straight away .
Speaker 1But , yeah , some of the awesome products and I'll chat through , if you don't mind , some of the things that .
Speaker 2I've used and what I love . What do you use and maybe give the viewers the benefits of what could be cool .
Speaker 1So I guess the most , I'd suggest , the product that you're most famous for , I guess most used by the people I know , is the digital declutter .
Speaker 2Right . So yes , virtual staging is what we're best known for . Wow , because we actually do the most in the world , which is pretty crazy .
Speaker 1It's epic , so to get to virtual staging . You need to remove the items , so the item removal tool , Well , come on man , you're killing me . Anyway , back to what I was saying , is that the item removal , so the reason that that has been so powerful in our business is about people's privacy . Removing personal items , tenants in our business is about people's privacy . Removing personal items , tenants Definitely Digital declutter . I mean I've had team members that have spent a whole day removing personal effects .
Speaker 2If you drop something , you break it .
Speaker 1Yep , exactly , that's exactly what I was going to say , marking walls Dropped heirloom exactly , and here in Australia , $10 to have that whole thing done .
Speaker 1I can't tell you the relief that is in an appraisal when I sit with a client and say you don't have to worry about that , you'll get that done . Virtual so definitely the virtual staging . So I just did an amazing one . So studio space , so multi-purpose studio space , so it's currently set up with a lounge and a work from home space . And then what we did and you'll love this , because this is something we worked on together is then we had that removed and then we had it set up as a one bedroom apartment and then we print that on a canvas and then have that an easel at the property . So I know we've done vlogs around that .
Speaker 1I'd suggest that's probably just that next level . So certainly the reason for that and I guess it's important to explain the rationale . Why certainly the reason for that and I guess it's important to explain the rationale . Why is that ? When somebody sees a virtual styled image online , sometimes there's a little bit of pushback . They come to a vacant home or it's felt a little bit misleading . They can't visualize a vacant space . So essentially , the reason why I found that the easel worked really well is . They could then visualize it , but it also maintained that level of trust , you know , and A hundred percent .
Speaker 2You know , I suppose , and you know it was a good tip back in the day . I believe that I sort of told you about it .
Speaker 1I think we did that about .
Speaker 2yeah , we did a video on it , which is great .
Speaker 1About four years ago or something .
Speaker 2And that was what our customers would always say . That was the feedback . They're like we do . We were learning from our customers by being on site at these conferences .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And I do remember that we'd share that and it works great because you're being transparent .
Speaker 1Totally , that's right . You know a lot of people Well , thanks Brad for the idea . No , no , my absolute pleasure , and this is what we do , absolutely , you know it's all about giving back and just get in . You know , not everyone acts .
Speaker 2Amy , like you do people , you tell 10 people , maybe one will do it .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's right , and you're that one ?
Speaker 2yeah , absolutely um , but I think a lot of people will have the vacant image online and then have the virtual staging and have a disclaimer on it . Some people will just have the virtual staging and then do the art easel trick . There's yeah , there's a few ways to bake the cake is what I always say . But correct , I think it's always easy to be transparent online and then when they get there and meet you , amy , they're already trusting you better correct .
Speaker 1That's exactly right , and I think you know like it's a really good thing , isn't it , to chat about the misleading ? Uh , there's , there's definitely a lot out there , so it's always about maintaining integrity oh , and it's even , like you know , artificial intelligence .
Speaker 2It's out there now absolutely look it's good , it's gonna get great , yeah , but at the moment you know it's skewing the furniture , it's not adding . You know . You know the shadowing from the window sources . If you've got multiple angles of the same room in photos , it doesn't do that yet .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2You can tell it's a bit plastic here , it will get better yeah . Much like the sky replacement . Ai can do bits and pieces of what we're doing . Of course , when it's good enough , I know we're going to be implementing it . Yes , At the moment , let's say , if you do a sky replacement and they go over the power lines and the antenna , you can get in trouble for that .
Speaker 1That's a big fine , that's a huge one , absolutely , and you know when we're doing hand-tuned editing and what does that mean ?
Speaker 2I suppose real humans doing the . Photoshop , if that makes sense do is not AI , except for our property descriptions , which we'll get into later . Yeah , sure , but all of our editing is done by real people and I've just got off this training , but I've been training people the last three years . I've ran a team of 30 where we secret shop our editors , no extra cost to you . Yes , you might not even know we did this , but I ran a team and we rate our images from one to five all of our top edits .
Speaker 2Yeah , I rate our images from one to five , all of our top edits . Yeah , I'm looking for things like what we just spoke about . Or is the furniture got enough shadowing , or is that item removal ? Is that line of the tile straight enough ? Yeah these what we're looking at behind the scenes that you don't even know about . So we're , we're , we're only with the rating system . Only our good editors get the work , the bad ones get suspension , which means you , as the client , amy get , get the best result . You don't even realise that's happening .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely , and I guess that's great feedback for you as an end user as well as because I have sometimes had like a quality controller who'll come back and say , hey , we can do a little bit better .
Speaker 2Yeah , yes , there you go , and I love that , and so it's all those things , but I think it's .
Speaker 1you know it could be an error on my behalf , like our actual j , and I think , too , like it's a new system .
Speaker 2What we're doing , no one's done it before . Still to this date , everything's custom . You know , we , us as what do you call it ? Us as business owners , we feel like we're building the system for you the best way we can , but who's saying ?
Speaker 1that we're doing it right .
Speaker 2Yeah , and sometimes it can be our editors . Sometimes it can be clients submitting wrong or not understanding there's options , but that's like any business . That's why it's great to have customer service always available and always listen to every problem , whether it's good or bad , and just get to the bottom of it .
Speaker 1We've just evolved so much . So what I love is that you know we've been able to do sort of agency templates and everything's pre-formatted . You know it's evolved and grown so much and I love that . So some other things that we do are 3D renders .
Speaker 2Yes , yes , I knew you'd like me to talk about that . Yeah , I suppose . And people who don't know what a render is , it's an artist's impression or think a photo of a building or development that's not built yet . You'll usually see them on vacant blocks of land and on signboards , or sometimes on the fence . They have that nice mesh they print on .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's what we did . Worked with on a vacant land in Mumbai .
Speaker 2So , yeah , it's a really , really good aspect . So you really good aspects . You've got to block a land , you've got to put a house on it or a massive commercial factory or whatever that is shopping centre . We can superimpose that so you can visualise what's going to get built . You know off the plan sales . That's how builders and developers do it .
Real Estate Photography Revolutionized
Speaker 2We also do the 360-degree render virtual tours so you can almost scan a QR code and literally walk through the property like it's CGI . And that's what snagged us America's Largest Home Builder , dr Horton , because we did that and everything else we offer .
Speaker 1Amazing At a low cost option as well .
Speaker 2Has to be low cost . Yeah absolutely , and that's really what we're all about .
Speaker 1Yeah , so , and then we will . Let's definitely get into Snap , Snap , Snap , because I we'll do that , but before we go there , I also love the 360 virtual tour .
Speaker 2And you're just saying off air . Like you know , the office bought a camera , yep , didn't use it , yep .
Speaker 1Yep .
Speaker 2You knew it was there Once again , you just acted on it . Yeah , so it's a credit to yourself .
Speaker 1Oh , it's just amazing to have that opportunity , and I guess you know we were really fortunate to have you do a training session . I then forgot half of it , didn't I ?
Speaker 2But we've got vlogs on that . I know , Obviously you're local .
Speaker 1We've got the privilege of doing it . You did give me training before . Yeah , any excuse to catch up . I'm good . I love we got that . You can't lock me in an office forever . I love being outside that . You know within the first day of a property going live . I had 40 views of that and what you know just to explain to our listeners . You know that allows the user to walk through at their own pace .
Speaker 2And they get to walk the areas they want to walk in first Correct . Unlike a video , you're showing them where they want to go Correct .
Speaker 1They go oh , I'm not going to go to the hallway . I'm going to go to the bedroom here first . I'm going to go up , I'm going to go down .
Speaker 2So they control the experience .
Speaker 1No hidden secrets .
Speaker 2No , and you know they start at $20 . If you've got your own camera , you just do the unedited tours , like I told you to . If you want to edit them and have a professional a photo , yeah and virtually styled .
Speaker 1you can do as well . We can do all that , yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2But I think for $20 buying price for 15 shots , I believe it is you can walk through a property , yeah it's incredible it costs you $20 . It's back overnight , and what I love about virtual tours is you just had 40 people go through that property Before they call you . You know that they're legitimised .
Speaker 1Correct , that's exactly right . It's a pre-qualification .
Speaker 2Yeah , so you're not saving 20 minutes driving there , half an hour inspection , 20 minutes to your next one . You've sort of already got that time back for $20 .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's an interesting thing . There's obviously lots of conversations for and against with all components of marketing . I mean , for me it's really about the buyer having a wonderful experience and not taking any . I guess not putting any roadblocks in their place , Just taking any . I guess , not putting any roadblocks in their place , Just giving them everything they need to make a decision . That's exactly right . So it's been a really good asset . And then Snap , Snap , Snap . So that is , oh , you're excited .
Speaker 2Oh look , it's Snap Snap , snap . It's another world first . Yes , Much like our 360 renders the way we offer them . We've had a few world firsts , I guess you know for our , you know for our business , which is great , but it's a . It's an iPhone app . The Android version is only a couple of weeks away from from being , from being live . So if you are an Android user , let's give everyone who listens to this a free trial . Amazing , look , I'm not scared to give my email out . People say I'm not the , not the average CEO for doing so . I don't care , brad . I don't care , brad at boxbrandycom , if you haven't tried Snap Snap , snap , we'd love to get you on it . It feels like I'm cheating when I use it .
Speaker 2I know the nuts and bolts of being a real estate photographer . It's my whole knowledge . In an app , you just push a button and it does everything , like it brackets , so it takes multiple photos of the same shot at different light variants . It actually takes up to 70 micro photos behind the scenes . It's amazing it took Mel and our awesome development team about three years to hack into the camera algorithm in the Apple . We had nine cameras to do on that one Android , we've got over 150 . Wow .
Speaker 2That's why if that makes sense , apple , they have so many .
Speaker 1That's why Wow .
Speaker 2It's a true game changer . And everyone says game changer . I promise that's what it is .
Speaker 1So we just spoke about it . So where I position that in my marketing campaign ? So I use it as a coming soon feature . So we will always engage a professional photographer and we'll have them on site and we'll do that as per our brand standards . But speed , you know , speed's so important in this industry and the opportunity is there to be able to get photos directly to the buyer audience . So we have the ability with realestatecom and also domain , to send sneak peeks out and obviously we want to build that momentum before the property goes online . So I just gave you an example of a property . So we appraised that on Monday , signed it up on the spot , had the tripod in the car , popped the camera on it . It was quite you'd laugh at me . It was a pool with a locked gate and so I put the camera on the other side of the gate and hit it through . But I mean I think you sort , you know , guarantee 24-hour return .
Speaker 2It was back the same day we do um the , so the app does a few things . It does image enhancement , yeah so for those that don't know , it's two dollar edit here in Australia , dollar 60 in the US . In the US , um , it's 17 photoshop tasks . It's the exact same task . So I used to obviously work for your , for your bosses back in the day and yourself taking photos .
Speaker 2It was the exact same editing sequence , if you want to call it that I did to all my photos so blue in the sky , green in the grass , lightning , brightening , contrast saturation , straightening verticals , because obviously wide-angle lenses do that . So it's all that for $2 . So the app does that . What else it does ? It does your digital declutter or item removal .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's amazing .
Speaker 2It does our day-to-dusk edit , which is our twilight effect . It looks like a dust shoot . Yes , proven to get five times more clicks here in Australia . That's REA stats . And lastly , it does virtual staging off the phone . So that's why it's a total world , first for a couple of sections , but the image enhancement . So if you just have a house it's staged like so many of your properties are you just go in with your phone and just literally snap , snap , snap , take your shots , pardon the pun . And if you submit those on site , by the time you've walked out the door it's in the system . The average turnaround time , mel tells me , is three hours .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's amazing .
Speaker 2I've had people get them back in 20 minutes and I'm like don't think it's going to be like every time and everyone's like no , no , we're stoked , like we get it .
Speaker 1Well , and I think you really inspired that you know to take that step and to go okay , well , if you're taking a form six , so that's the appointment form that We'll take some images now out the facade and then we'll do the . You know complex facilities and then you know same day you've got that . You know that would be so vastly different , I'd imagine , to your real estate .
Speaker 2It's so different , or we even train people . Hey , everything you've said is 100% correct . That's usability . Let's say you're going for a listing , what's going to make you stand out ? So , like you , could , you know , do the old secret , drive up to the house , snap a shot at the front . You obviously don't want to jump the fence and go out the back or anything .
Speaker 1You might look like a stalker , yeah .
Speaker 2But grab a nice one at the front or a couple of different angles maybe one of the lifestyle area , the shops down the road or something like and do your $2 edits and have those ready to show your owners and go . This is what I've already done for you , but you can go a few steps further . What I would do is take a photo at the front and then do the day to dusk edit . That's $5 , a beautiful dusk sunset . We turn the lights on . It looks like you've shot it at night . They're going to be like how the heck did Amy take a photo of a house so good ? Yeah , absolutely . But I'd go one step further and go online and see if they had a floor plan and you could just grab the floor plan online redraw it .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's a great tool that you've got as well $30 , $35 .
Speaker 2We redraw any builder's plans , architect's files or even an old floor plan . Yes , and we can put it in your McGrath template , or we have many other templates to choose , or we can create a custom branded template . That way , you're going to go up with a dust photo and a floor plan already and go . I'm your marketing agent of your choices . I've already done this Just to show you what I can do , being proactive . And then I've got all this whole other range of suites that I can offer you if we need it , and this is what I'm doing .
Speaker 2Really just take control and just put your best foot forward .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's amazing . And look forward . Yeah , that's amazing . And look , you've always had such incredible ideas and , yes , certainly , like I said , I'll jump on board as many of them as I can . Already a few lessons from me . So , look , the business is going from strength to strength . Obviously , you're aware of disruptions in the industry , which is awesome , always at the forefront . If you weren't doing what you're doing now , what would you do ?
Speaker 2That's a really crazy question . Look , that's a hard one .
Speaker 1I love that because you love what you do right .
Speaker 2Oh , I just think this is what I had to do .
Speaker 1Yeah , amazing .
Speaker 2I can't answer that . I don't know yeah .
Speaker 1And you know I often think the question through myself .
Speaker 2I might be selling real estate .
Speaker 1Well , it's always a desk .
Travel, Family, and Lifestyle Choices
Speaker 1So you've just come back from Bali . Where else do you like to travel ? Probably more so with the family than all the others . To be honest , it used to be America , yep .
Speaker 2You know , as a kid I was very fascinated . You know all the motorbike videos I watched were all over there . Look , I love it . Probably my two favourite spots over there were Denver and Arizona . Yeah , awesome two favourite spots over there were Denver and Arizona . Yeah , awesome , love it . You know I've done America more than anyone I know , so that's a tough question . Look , we love Bali because of the beautiful nature and you know just what goes on , but I'm happy on my own . Back to Allstep , you know as well .
Speaker 1So special isn't it .
Speaker 2You know I've got a caravan . I love taking the kids outside and keeping them off the Wi-Fi where I can Like I enjoy motorbike riding . Are the kids ?
Speaker 1on motorbikes . Getting them into it Like you know , my oldest now loves it .
Speaker 2Yes , but I don't yeah , so just I don't push anything on my kids .
Speaker 1I let them just if they like what I yeah amazing .
Speaker 2I wouldn't mind going to Dubai , I think .
Speaker 1Yeah , nice that's probably somewhere .
Speaker 2I think once again for the kids .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2The resorts over there and things I just want to . Anywhere the family has a good time , yeah amazing .
Speaker 1I've seen enough of the world to . It's incredible , isn't it , how your priorities shift . I know COVID was a huge game changer for your business . That game changer for your business Like that , was literally probably a really good blessing to be able to enjoy your backyard .
Speaker 2It was good being able to be around my kids a lot more . And then when COVID started opening up and I started travelling again , you know like I got to go to Cannes in France . That was really cool . I've been to so many countries I never would have travelled to if it wasn't for the business . But yeah , I just think you can't get that time back with your kids . Yeah , it's such a special time . Eight and a four-year-old .
Speaker 1Freddie and .
Speaker 2Freddie and Benji yeah .
Speaker 1We say Freddie , because I've got my little pug , freddie and I love it . Freddie and Benji , what lights them up ? What's their ?
Speaker 2passions If I told you they enjoy watching kids and adults unwrap presents on YouTube .
Speaker 1I love it . That's so cute .
Speaker 2Don't you hate it ? No , it's not cute , it's terrible Far out . And they like watching this guy play Minecraft .
Speaker 1Yeah , okay , and they've got Minecraft .
Speaker 2They don't play it . They don't even know how to play it . So , they get sucked into this content . That's sort of numbing , I feel .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's being honest no , no , no , of course .
Speaker 2But my oldest son , you know , putting a positive on all that because I get the kids are going to have tech in their lives .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2But you need to teach them like just real life without it ? Yeah , you know , because kids can frequent there's no Wi-Fi .
Speaker 1We just spoke about that , though didn't we about even for us . That though didn't we about even for us ? Like you know , we're both pretty tech obsessed . We're pretty like that is our world , isn't it ? Content and being online , but there is nothing more empowering . I just went to lady elliot island for two days . We have no internet , never been there before .
Speaker 2I want to go yeah but , my son plays soccer yeah , he's picked up soccer and you know , barley , we bought heaps of like messy singlets yeah yeah , all these soccer jerseys , um soccer and I live . We just got rid of our little player at the back . I've got soccer fields there now . I love nothing more than kicking the ball with my son .
Speaker 1I'm an AFL kid .
Speaker 2I played that all growing up . But he plays soccer and I can't be more happier for him , and his team has not stopped winning since .
Speaker 1How good is that . My dad was a soccer referee growing up , so he always had the bag of soccer balls in the car .
Speaker 2My son's got the full . Steve Irwin mullet . It's crazy . Best probably haircut . I've seen on a kid and he looks like Beckham out there playing . And he just picked it up and went for it Isn't it amazing . That's his passion , Yep absolutely . I said to him yesterday I said what do you love most about school ? He said PE . The same way . So get them active , get them burning some energy .
Speaker 1Absolutely and enjoying life together . What was the best day of your life ? Brad for the pony .
Speaker 2There's probably been a lot . You can pick as many days as you want . No , let's just say , oh , probably obviously having kids .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Like you know there's plenty , but just having my kids around me , yeah , like playing soccer down the beach , just just anything with my kids it's so worthwhile , isn't it ?
Speaker 1all those moments of getting through to where you are just just moments with the kids .
Speaker 2I think you know I bought bought a book on the way home from bali . My son's like never seen you read before dad yeah , I read all the time he goes , nah , but like a book . You know , I'm probably reading books in the study , doesn't see , and stuff like that . Yes , but just things like that you love reading .
Speaker 1No , but once again .
Speaker 2I just told myself since I turned 40 , I've just got to pick it up .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely that's another thing , yeah , awesome .
Speaker 2Just trying to broaden the brain power .
Speaker 1Yeah , and what are you reading ?
Speaker 2Rich Dad , poor Dad . Yeah , rich dad , poor dad .
Speaker 1Yeah , cool . I've actually always wanted to read it , so have I , and to be honest everything he was learning at age nine .
Speaker 2Robert , I'm already teaching my son .
Speaker 1Isn't that epic ? Are you a book lender ? Do you lend a book or you keep it on the bookshelf . You can have it up . We've got a book library here at work . Some people are either one way or the other .
Speaker 2I've got some good books at home too that I've got to reread , but yeah , I've always wanted to read it . Sort of the airport , obviously the flight back from Bali , there was no TVs and the kids had got the iPads and the wife had Netflix .
Speaker 1I'm like , I'm going to read a book .
Speaker 2I read it nonstop for five hours .
Speaker 1Yeah , I love it . I'm such a bookworm . I've got a massive bookshelf next to and whilst I don't get a chance to delve into many of them , even just looking at them sometimes is just the inspiration .
Speaker 2I think I've got to get audible . I think I'd be better listening than reading .
Speaker 1Yeah , I shouldn't give a free plug , but I have on Spotify . I get the free audio book 15 hours . So with premium you get 15 hours a month free .
Speaker 2There you go . I did see it there , but yeah , okay , there you go , there you go , all right there you go , Brad favourite meal and drink . Oh , that's a tough one . Oh , I used to love pizza , yes , but I've sort of cut things out of my diet . Now , yep , I'm going to say Mexican food .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's just Like .
Speaker 2you know , even I've got a smoker at home , like I love steak , I love brisket and I love a good burrito
Barbecue, Filters, Moderation, Work Ethic
Speaker 2.
Speaker 1So good have you been to Barbecue Mafia in Brisbane .
Speaker 2No , I haven't . Oh , that is good , but I've just been to Austin , texas , about five times in a row .
Speaker 1Have you been to Franklin Barbecue ? Aaron Franklin's .
Speaker 2I've been everywhere , everywhere , man . That's my favourite .
Speaker 1We lined up . It's so funny because we went to Franklin's Barbecue in Austin and we were like when's the best day to go ? And they said Wednesday and DB , and I got there far earlier than we like to wake up . You got the chair and we got to meet Aaron . And I tell you what , if I could just take that tray and to bring that home was just like . It's sort of like oh , I won't Like .
Speaker 2I got there . I'm like it's good , but it's not Like I thought it was good , good , but I was expecting something else .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2I'm just like oh , we can cook stuff .
Speaker 1You can do it at home , australia has pretty good stuff .
Speaker 2Absolutely we are very blessed , you know like we're very Americanised , yes , and that's what I sort of feel sometimes too . But yeah , barbecue's great , you can't fault it . But the Mexican food in America , oh I know , that was my favourite in Texas .
Speaker 1We used to go to I think it's called Torchy's Tacos .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , oh , so good Anyway we'll be back there later this year . And favourite drink like I'm just going to go with beer , yeah , Because you can't get it . It's called Modelo .
Speaker 1Yeah , no Modelo . So now it's a UFC brand beer .
Speaker 2I've been drinking it for like 10 years . Yes , but you know I love good filtered water at home .
Speaker 1Yeah , nice , aren't we blessed to have it .
Speaker 2Yeah , well , I've got , you know , filters and stuff . In my house I shower in filtered water . Yeah , epic , I do all that sort of thing .
Speaker 1So has that been something that has sort of transitioned ? You mentioned about you know , making you know different choices .
Speaker 2No , I think when was it ? I think I've been drink . I think when I was 20 . Now going back , it was a birthday party . It was a birthday and mom's like what do you want ? I said , oh , if everyone's chip in and I'll pay the rest just to get a filtered water tap at home .
Speaker 2Yes , yes , yeah I don't know if that's the best one to get , but it's still filtered . Yeah , there's lots of stuff in your water . If you didn't realize , team yep , um , and only recently we we got it redone and I said you know what I want to ? I want to start showering in filtered water too . So I'm double filtered .
Speaker 1Epic , that's so good . So just because I'm like water .
Speaker 2Your body's made up of 80% of it right , absolutely so . That was you know . But you know I'll drink anything within reason , you know .
Speaker 1Yeah , and I think that's the thing , isn't it ? Like you can do , you can have the times where you had you kind . That sort of moderation level is as well . We oh gosh , we have spoken . I knew we would talk forever , but I hope this is the first of many catch-ups that we have . The whole premise behind the podcast is really to I guess you know , to literally give beyond the signboard . You know so many people think that real estate is literally put a signboard up and a sold sticker . I'm sure there's probably a couple of you know peaks in the industry that you've seen where that happened , but really you know it's a lot of hard work that goes behind the scenes .
Speaker 2It's not all coffee catch-ups . And you know , podcasts , is it ?
Speaker 1No , that's exactly right . But I think you know what I've loved most is having people and being able to shine a spotlight on your business . You as a person as well .
Speaker 2person as well , so let's end with your favourite quote or saying it's probably one that my brother probably put on . Well , I said it before . I think the more you sweat and pee , the less you bleed , and war , and I think that comes . That sort of same sort of thing is like do what you say , be a hard worker , you know . I just think it's all those things we've really seen collectively in this podcast Like you get out what you put in . That's probably another one . I think it's kind of all the same thing . It's like you know , work as hard as you can and generally you know there's a better chance it could pay off for you .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely , and I love that you did . You know sort of delve in and say is life , isn't it ultimately ? But I think you know you , you , along with other guests , you know there's a real common theme , which is hard work , determination , self-belief , um , and being a bloody good human being . Like I said , I think , ultimately , you know um . If you've got those and you're on the way , um , does it ? Does it always turn out ? Maybe not best laid plans , but , like you said , there's always a a positive in even those tough times .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I think you just got to . You know it's just yeah , life's difficult and I think the way life is moving so quickly now with technology , it's scary . So you've got to keep up with it Absolutely , and if you don't , you will be left behind .
Speaker 1Perfect . So I think the key message there is keep up with technology , but get off it if you can as well . Enjoy the time A hundred percent .
Speaker 2You know moderation right .
Speaker 1Absolutely All right , Brad . It has been absolutely amazing to have you Fist pump , Fist pump and look forward to another catch-up soon .
Speaker 2Likewise Thanks , Amy .
Speaker 1Thank you for listening to this episode of Beyond the Signboard . We trust you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed making it for you . If there are any topics you want covered in the future , make sure you reach out and let us know . Also , feedback and suggestions are appreciated almost as much as likes , shares and downloads .