Conversation and Connection with Luxe Coastal Property Buyers
There’s so many tools, strategies, events and support available for business owners these days. Coaches, consultants, boot camps and business breakfasts. John Caruso meets a business owner who’s fine-tuned the art of conversation, connection and community and packaged it into a podcast that’s paying dividends.
For someone who started his radio career more than three decades ago I find what’s happening with the media landscape these days fascinating.
It’s exciting! The rise of social media, gaming, streaming platforms for music and film and one of my favourite forms of ‘new media’, the podcast.
Everyone Has a Story: Conversations from the Sunshine Coast and Noosa is the podcast that complements our two quarterly lifestyle publications, IN Noosa Magazine and Hello Sunshine Magazine, and it’s been running for about six years.
It’s an extension of our vision to ‘connect the community through storytelling’; the ethos behind our publications and the most compelling reason behind our podcast’s existence. We love to share the stories of the region and the people that make it great.
Christine Mount, Principle and Founder of Luxe Coastal Property Buyers, is a relative newcomer to the Sunshine Coast however the power of the podcast has helped her establish relationships, connect with locals, expand her network and build her business.
“I’ve been working in property for 30 years,” Christine says. “When I left school, I wanted to do something where I could simply talk to people and have conversations; however selling residential property at eighteen wasn’t the right time or age.
“So I did a business degree majoring in property valuations and when I completed that degree, I knew a lot more about the industry and I was aware that it wasn’t just about selling homes.”
Christine’s career started in Melbourne followed by a thirteen-year stint in Singapore.
“I’d holidayed in Noosa and following a brief return to Melbourne after Singapore, the idea of living in Noosa and simply having conversations and building relationships with people really appealed,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed connecting community and my success in property has always been underpinned by establishing partnerships with people in those communities.”
Her experience and knowledge in property was extensive however her profile and branding on the Sunshine Coast required work because she was new to the market.
“I thought about this idea of connecting home, lifestyle, and community because community has always been the cornerstone or foundation, if you like, for the work I do,” she said. “I’d worked with the locals and expats in Singapore, and I’d volunteered in Sri Lanka in an endeavour to understand those communities.”
Christine’s podcast, Living Your Luxe Life, was born from the idea to do something that was authentic.
“I’d never listened to anyone else’s podcast, so I went into it completely ‘green’,” she admits. “I wanted the content to be about people tapping into their joy and sharing stories about the lifestyle they are enjoying here.
“Moving is a big thing for a lot of people. There’s a lot of fear to overcome so it’s great to hear how others have navigated those obstacles.
“My guests are predominantly women, there’s a few men, but mainly women, and I share our conversations on my network, LinkedIn etc.
“In turn, my friends started sharing Living Your Luxe Life with their friends and referrals have been building ever since,” says Christine.
Listening back to each episode and being self-critical of things like interview technique and production values were important though not essential to who she is and what Christine wants the podcast to be.
“Of course, there are areas I can work on, but I enjoy the freedom and the ‘no-rules apply’ approach to producing a podcast,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it will never be perfect because that’s not my background.
“What is important and what I’m amazed by is that I can have a conversation locally about community and these stories travel and are relevant to people all over the world.”
Living a sustainable lifestyle and supporting other women is a common theme you’ll discover while working your way through the episodes of Living Your Luxe Life.
“Partnering with Deb Caruso and the team at IN Noosa was a natural fit, right down to the environmentally friendly paper that the magazine is printed on. Noosa Gift Co. is another local business run by another incredible woman who’s focused on the local produce and the environment, so I’ve partnered with her for our client gifts.”
This new podcast host is relishing the experience of producing her own meaningful work and slowly building an audience – which also happens to be a reason why I continue to invest in our podcast, Everyone Has a Story.
Christine has a couple of tips for others keen to go down the podcast path.
“Producing a podcast for your business can be time consuming and it can take you away from your core business, so ask yourself if it will it be worthwhile,” she advises.
“Secondly, find a topic that is authentically you, because when you explore that and talk to that, you’ll be passionate about the content you’re producing.
“And thirdly, think about how you’re going to use your podcast. If you put it on all the available platforms, then you’re competing with millions of other podcasts.
“Give thought to how you can use your podcast within your own network first, either business or personal.
“Converting these people to become ‘fans’ of your podcast is an easier first step than trying to attract a stranger with no connection to you.”
HEAR CHRISTINE’S STORY
Listen to our conversation and find out more about Christine’s journey on our Everyone Has a Story: Conversations from the Sunshine Coast and Noosa podcast where you will find more than 130 conversations with locals.
