A year ago, Matt Lancashire, a prominent figure in Brisbane’s real estate sector, was on the verge of abandoning his successful career. Despite generating hundreds of millions in sales annually and overseeing a team of 160 across five Ray White offices, Lancashire found himself grappling with burnout and dissatisfaction.
“The scrutiny in our industry is intense,” Lancashire reflected. “I strive to alter the public’s perception of real estate agents through my work, but the relentless negativity and criticism I faced, especially on weekends, began to take a toll.”
At his lowest point, Lancashire confided in his business partner, Haesley Cush, expressing his desire to withdraw from the industry altogether. “I told him, ‘I’m done, buy my shares,’” Lancashire recalled.
However, a pivotal conversation with a psychologist marked a turning point. “She shifted my outlook dramatically,” Lancashire said. “She pointed out that the issue wasn’t real estate per se, but people. If you take things personally, you’ll come to loathe your job. Instead, I learned to approach interactions with empathy, understanding that rudeness might stem from personal issues.”
This shift towards emotional intelligence proved transformative for Lancashire. He emphasized that the industry’s current needs extend beyond technical skill to emotional acumen. “Empathy is an often-overlooked skill,” he asserted. “Effective communication, knowing when to listen rather than speak, and managing people’s emotions are crucial, particularly in a field where a significant portion of transactions involves emotionally charged situations like divorce.”
This renewed perspective facilitated a remarkable resurgence in Lancashire’s career. At the Ray White Queensland 2023-24 annual awards, he garnered several prestigious accolades, including the No.1 principal award for settled commission. His group, Ray White Collective, was named the top multi-office group, and Ray White New Farm secured the title of No.1 office in Queensland. Lancashire’s achievements for the financial year included a notable $233 million in sales.
Despite these accolades, Lancashire remains grounded. When contacted by Elite Agent the day after the awards, he was already up at 4:50 a.m., ready for another day in Brisbane’s competitive real estate market.
Lancashire’s path to success was not without its challenges. Prior to his real estate career, he worked as an electrician, a profession he admits was not his forte. “I struggled academically and felt immense pressure coming from a family of high achievers,” he noted. With few options available, he defaulted to a trade.
His entry into real estate was serendipitous. While traveling abroad and running low on funds, Lancashire decided to sell a Brisbane property he co-owned. When the initial agent failed, he took matters into his own hands, ultimately securing a sale above the expected auction price. This success sparked his interest in real estate, leading him to join Ray White New Farm in 2006 under Haesley Cush’s mentorship.
The early years were challenging, with Lancashire making no sales for nine months and amassing $60,000 in credit card debt. Despite the difficulties, he remained determined. “The realization that there was no backup plan pushed me to fully commit to real estate,” he explained.
With a $1,000 loan from his parents, Lancashire invested in a new suit and attended meetings with top-performing agents, including James Dack, whose advice on branding, auction listings, business structure, and hard work proved invaluable. Lancashire adopted a rigorous schedule, focusing on daily prospecting and door-to-door outreach to build connections.
The journey to success demanded significant personal sacrifices. Early in his career, Lancashire missed numerous social events and was notably late to his own 30th birthday. “My friends were frustrated, but by my 40s, they understood the rationale behind those sacrifices,” he said.
Now, as a father of four—Monty, 9, Lulu, 7, Ziggy, 5, and Goldie, 16 months—Lancashire has achieved a better work-life balance, though he still works 80 to 90 hours a week. He prioritizes spending time with his children and, together with his wife Caitlyn, has contributed nearly $400,000 to their school through charitable efforts. He also maintains an active lifestyle, running marathons and fitting in early morning runs before his family wakes.
“I simply make it work,” Lancashire concluded. “It’s just the way I operate.”
