First Blog Post - Reflection

Today, I found myself sitting across the road at Panchos watching life pass by my building 212 Mair Street, Ballarat Central.

Set to be the forever home of Munro & Associates Conveyancing next month. There is something pure in sitting in stillness and reflecting.

Three years ago, this business was me. One person. One desk. One big idea of what I thought I could build.

We are now an established team of 10.

So much can change in such a short period of time. Any business owner, specifically one within the property industry know the past three years have been one to navigate.

The ride that was the property market post-COVID, changing lending landscapes with interest rate lows and highs, the arrival and growth of buyers' agents specifically within the regional market, shifting Vendor and Purchaser behaviour, the removal of SMSF lending this year, and, of course, all the uncertainty that comes with working in an industry that is constantly moving.

And while the market has certainly gone through change, so have I.

Our first office street signage - 32B Doveton Street N Ballarat Central - 2023

The Journey

There have been business wins that I am incredibly proud of, but there have also been decisions that I don’t refer as ‘failures’ but more lessons that were needed. Those being:

Opening another branch.

Then closing that branch.

Changing direction with business and marketing tactics.

Rebrands – more than once – as I work out what I want for Munro & Associates Conveyancing, along with who Grace Munro is.

With that being said – I wouldn’t change a thing. Because every success, mistake, uncomfortable decision and new chapter has taught me something and brought me closer to myself then what any other life lesson could.

Most importantly, it has taught me that growth isn't always about becoming bigger.

Sometimes growth is knowing when to stop, strip everything back and return to your core values. My core values have been something that has never changed despite the trends of the market or overall business. Values are what helps - build a business, guide staff, assist your clients with large financial decisions, create an environment that is meaningful and doing it all with purpose.  

Munro & Associates is not just a business I built. It is a reflection of how I believe business should be done.

So, while looking at 212 Mair Street today, I had one of those rare moments where I wasn't thinking about the next task, the next client, the next settlement or the next problem to solve.

I was thinking about the girl who started this business three years ago.

She probably had no idea what was coming. She couldn't have predicted the market, the growth, the setbacks, the lessons, the people who would join the team or the opportunities that would come along the way.

But she had a vision.

And that vision is still here. Just a little bigger, a little wiser and with a lot more experience behind it.

This brings us to this blog

Well, I don't want this to be another polished business blog where everything looks perfect and every lesson comes neatly packaged, perfectly written and tied in a nice bow for the readers. This is real, its authentic and its exactly how GM intended.

This blog is a space to share thoughts and experiences of what is really going on in the world of business as a young professional within a regional town – no BS.

I want to talk about what is actually happening in property.

The trends influencing buyers and sellers.

The things you need to know before purchasing or selling.

The hurdles that can arise along the way — and how to navigate them.

But I also want to talk about business.

What it is like building and leading a team at a young age.

The pressure that comes with being the person making the decisions.

The mistakes.

The wins.

The constant learning.

The reality of trying to grow something while still figuring yourself out along the way.

Because if there is one thing I have learnt over the last three years, it is that you don't need to have everything figured out before you start.

Just bloody start – Welcome to Grace Munro, the Conveyancing Mentor.