The Bayly Real Estate story is one that started years ago when Steve and Jackie Bayly first met as teenagers. As a couple, they learned some harsh lessons early on when they began investing in property for themselves. Now they run Bayly Real Estate with a team of 10 people, from their offices in Kent Town.
“Since entering property sales and property management, their revenue has grown enormously – by 35% in the last 18 months,” explains Oreon Partner Tom Carr. “Their team has also grown, and with the careful use of automation, they’ve been able to add important efficiencies into the business.”
Jackie is one of the top sales reps in Adelaide and has been ranked by Real Estate Business (REB) as one of the top 50 agents in South Australia for the past two years; she’s also been the 12th-ranked female top agent in SA for the past 12 months and has received a REISA nomination for excellence.
Recently, the team introduced what they call the Bayly BOOM (Bayly Online Offer Management), which has helped bring more transparency to client transactions and the ability for purchasers and vendors to secure the best outcome and price.
Challenges along the way
“Obviously, quick growth can create cash flow issues, so this has been a focus for the company and for the Oreon team in recent months, ensuring that the business has adequate funding from a cash flow point of view while still being able to create efficiencies and cost savings in the business,” explains Tom.
Jackie adds, “Being able to adapt quickly in times of rapid change – such as COVID – and managing the emotional wellbeing of our staff and increased workload while also expanding our business was a real test.”
Keys to success
Steve and Jackie say that being able to adapt to change has been vital to their success over the years, as has implementing cutting edge systems and technologies to improve efficiencies. “We’ve maintained our customer focus, as well as our support for staff,” says Steve. “Having resilience and flexibility helps you push through in challenging times.”
When asked about advice for other business owners, Jackie says, “Stay focused on the bigger picture. Look at ways to improve yourself by developing personal and leadership skills, and work to establish and maintain great working relationships with a supportive team, including your staff, accountants, and suppliers.”
Oreon’s role in the journey
Steve and Jackie are long-term clients of Oreon Partners – in fact, they were clients of Ben Reynolds and Tom Carr even before Oreon was founded. Tom first began working with them in 2005, and when he became a partner at Oreon, they continued working together.
Over the years, Oreon has assisted the company in areas including tax planning, cash flow forecasting and budgeting, cloud-based technology support, SMSF planning, risk management and protection of personal assets. During COVID, Oreon provided extensive help in accessing government grants and offering moral support to the team, particularly in the early stages when there was a lockdown in Adelaide.
“Really, I think the best thing we’ve done for them over the years has been to support them both emotionally and strategically during stressful situations,” says Tom. “During COVID, the environment was changing very quickly and there was a lot of uncertainty, so it was important for us to give them confidence that their business was succeeding.”
“The team at Oreon is incredible,” says Jackie. “They’ve been with us in the good times and the hard times, offering ideas, solutions, and recommendations. They were extremely supportive and offered immense assistance during the pandemic on available grants and JobKeeper.”
“The best thing about Oreon Partners is that they walk alongside you in the trenches when things get rough and they’re with you to celebrate the wins,” adds Steve. “They’re extremely personable and they take a genuine interest in your business and personal goals.”
Future of the business
In the future, Steve and Jackie hope to grow their Sales and Property Management team, whilst still maintaining an authentic, dynamic family business with strong values and a supportive culture that will help the next generation of real estate professionals.
“We see our role now as mentoring and helping new people in the industry,” says Steve.
To learn more, visit the Bayly Real Estate website.
