It takes a special sort of person and a lot of passion to move into a new area and start a business from scratch – Barb Whelan is doing just that, and she’s doing it successfully.

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In an industry where word of mouth and relationships are key, Barb Whelan chose to move to Central Otago and build a business from scratch. 

She has developed her real estate business in the Cromwell district using a strong foundation of industry knowledge and her passion for property.

“I’d been coming down here on holidays to visit friends for a few years and started to fall in love with what I saw,” Barb says. 

“I remember one weekend in Naseby just going, ‘Oh, this is so absolutely special.’”

Barb decided to buy a holiday home and rental property to give her a reason to keep coming back. 

She purchased a property, drove down from Auckland with a load of furniture, and COVID struck. 

“I started the renovations and a week later, lockdown happened. So, I stayed.”

Barb continued to work remotely with her Auckland-based team, and sold a number of properties over lockdown.

When lockdown lifted, she went exploring.

“I explored this whole area, loved it, and I haven’t gone back.”

Barb says the team from up north tried hard to entice her back to Auckland, but she knew Central was where she belonged.

“Why would I want to go back and live in such a crazy city where life is just manic?

“Down here is where I found peace.”

Barb then faced the challenge of starting a new business from scratch in a highly competitive environment, without a client base.

Barb says the keys to success are passion, staying true to what you value, and being open to explore opportunities.

She had a wealth of experience, expertise, knew property through and through – but what did she have to offer local clients in this place she now calls home?

“It all started with values,” she says. 

“I found Tall Poppy – an agency with the same values as me.

“I can work on my own, give the level of service I’ve been trained to do, and still have my own style.

“Then, I’m growing my business with ideas that are different.

“I’m not just there for a sale or purchase process, I’m with people for the whole journey from the moment I step foot on the grounds right through to after the property is sold.

“I help with marketing, staging, advice on what sells a property, identifying what each individual vendor needs or wants.

“I give in-depth information and the honest truth.

“I’m a new face, they don’t know me, we haven’t developed trust over time – yet I’m successfully listing, successfully selling, and getting referrals because people are happy.

“That’s what counts.”

Barb says passion is what drives her to succeed in her business.

“Property is something I’ve loved all my life. I’ve been there as a vendor, and as a buyer, and I’ve been there looking at possibilities and renovating.

“I understand first-hand both the emotional side of it, and the practical side of it all. 

“I know how to manage the process so it becomes seamless.

“A business in real estate lets me help people; I’m helping people’s dreams come true.

“Friends and family said to me, you’re crazy, you’re nuts, you don’t know anybody, how can you succeed?

“To me, that’s all part of the journey of life. Taking opportunities, seeing new things, meeting new people and always exploring.

“You don’t have to be the same as everyone else. Be curious, be yourself.”

To find out more about Barb, click here

Images Mary Hinsen