Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another S.H.M.E. All the way from Mali, your host, Alvaro, to bring you another interesting guest. This time he's our Australian friend, Ryan John Fisher. He's a top real estate broker based in Melbourne and he's combining both football and real estate to make incredible things happen in our society.
So really excited about having him here today and I hope that all of you get to enjoy this conversation. Mate, what's happening, Ryan? Alvaro, how are you? It's been one year, next week since I've seen you.
That's true, man. Come on, we need to celebrate the anniversary. Yeah. Actually, I'm not too far from you this time.
I mean, Bali, so we are closer than ever. How is Mali good? No, beautiful, beautiful. I mean, can't complain.
But tell us about yourself, man. How is everything in Australia? Things are starting to loosen up a little bit? Yeah, well, last time I spoke to you, I was in a hotel locked up for two weeks as you know, it was quite well-wised, really at the time.
And then came into Melbourne, launched the business a year ago next week. And it's definitely eased up a lot in terms of the restrictions and masks and all these sorts of things. The market was incredibly strong for about six or seven months. But now I feel like, and you can probably echo these sentiments where you are over in Miami in places like that.
The sting has come out a little bit, I feel, and the economic fallout of COVID is starting to take place globally. So it's interesting time. Yeah, well, we'll see exactly how that transitions into the luxury space in real estate. And congratulations to all of us that anniversary on starting your own brokerage, Fisher GM, which tell us a little bit about it because I find it very interesting.
Your background is football. You were doing negotiations in that space and now transitioning into real estate. You haven't lost that connectivity between both worlds. And you're doing something remarkable.
You're really tackling social disasters and really helping the economy and people in different ways. So tell us about that. Yeah, I mean, I was in real estate before football, and then I went into football heavily, I traveled the world, really sort of implemented myself into that space. I did a lot of networking, I've seen a lot of things both at club level and also at grassroots level.
And it felt like real estate was always going to be there. I always knew that I had that there in my locker if I needed it. So as I said, well, got into the football market for a little while, did some business, COVID then hit. And in based on the two decisions that I made, I've come back and got into real estate.
But the thing for me is that I don't want to lose that connection with the game at all. That's why the foundation has been set up so that my main sort of vehicle is real estate, hence the brokerage, but also with the revenue that we generate and the network that I've been able to ascertain across football. And some of the issues that I've been able to identify within that space, I really want to use the business as a way to help make a positive impact in that regard. But the brokerage itself, as I said to you as a year old next week, we operate a little bit differently to a traditional estate agency here in Australia.
We don't offer auctions. We don't offer leasing. We don't do public open for inspections. Everything is why private sale and private negotiation.
So it's very much a hybrid sales business, which suits my strengths. And I also feel like it is set up to navigate into the next part of the world that we're going into, which is I believe where we're going to see the corporate structure really start to change massively, especially in real estate. So tell me, tell me about that part. So how do you see things coming up?
Well, I think I'll put it to this way. My business is operating from four or five apps. And I've got a team of four people who assist me in the back end to allow me to do what I need to do. But none of those are actually full-time employees for the business.
So I've got somebody who takes the administration, the reconciliation, the trust accounts, things like this. I've got a media team who are outsourced. I've got a legal team who are outsourced. And then I've got suppliers who I effectively call upon what I need.
And they basically are an ecosystem around me that service me within the market to do what I need to do, which is be in front of the clientele, be across the market, negotiate and facilitate sales, which is my strength, I guess, and what I enjoy to do. So I don't have an office with 15 stuff. I don't have an office with dramatic overheads. My business is very fluid.
I can get up and go wherever I need to go to do the business that I need to do. And I've got that team set up to do that. And I think COVID really pushed it onto people that you sort of have to sort of force yourself to operate that way. And I really, as sad as COVID was and as devastating as it was globally, there were elements of what it forced me to do from a business and a lifestyle perspective.
I quite enjoyed it. I've retained that now that we've come out of it. But I think with the way the world's going, it's so connected, some of the tech in the software that's coming into the space like blockchain, FT, that's going to completely revolutionize the way that people do business. I don't think a lot of people have really understood how dramatic that's going to be.
So I think the business model that I've got really suits where things are potentially going to go. That's what I think I could be wrong. No, but I think that's excellent. What you're saying, the truth is that, look, some of us were able to travel around the world, be able to experience so many beautiful things that the world has to offer, but yet keep operating our business officially.
And I think it's because of how the business model has been established. Because of COVID, we have been able to adapt in ways that has helped us now to progress in different ways, but also with this new advancement in technology. And now with the web 3 and the blockchain, I believe that at the end of the day, these are elements that are just helping real estate evolve. So not sure how advanced is that in Australia.
I know that where we are in Miami, it's probably one of the capital cryptos and a lot of things are happening when it comes to crypto, NFTs, metaverse and all related to real estate. So it's exciting to see where this is heading and I'm glad that you're taking the lead in that space there. Yeah, I just look, I'm not going to sit here and pretend. And I think anyone out there who really claims to understand what's going on is lying, because it's all very new to all of us.
Oh, I think we're all excited because for the first time in many ways, everyone's on even playing field in terms of opportunity to learn it. So anyone out there who doesn't know what an NFT is who doesn't know what blockchain is or doesn't know how it's going to impact real estate, you know, join the queue. But the best thing to do is to just start educating yourself as much as possible. So you can stay on the trajectory as it happens.
That's what I think. Absolutely. No, I agree with you. I need such a big opportunity, as you said, to really create our authority and credibility in such a new and disrupting industry.
So no, well, what about you? Now, tell me a little bit, because obviously last time we spoke, you were focusing on massive deals in Dubai, now transition into Australia. How has it been that change? Look, it's been very good in the sense that Dubai was a great experience.
Dubai actually taught me how much I love the Australian market, first of all. I came back without any doubts that the Australian market was where I really wanted to invest all my energy. But Dubai was an amazing experience in the sense that it allows you to deal with 15 to 20 cultures a day. It's based on melting pot of different cultures because of where it's geographically based.
There's so much business going on there from all around the world. So just to experience different people's cultures, the way they conduct themselves, the way they do business was such a great experience to then put into my tool belt to bring back with me. Obviously, I was very lucky that I met a friend who would come to life on friend over there as well as you know. So the opportunity to meet people like him while I was there was great.
So I've got very fond memories of Dubai, but I just felt like if I'm going to put five to 10 years, 15 to 20 years into a market, I want to live there. I want to be based there. I want to live in Breebits. And I just did feel like Dubai personally was for me.
But as a market place, it's a phenomenal place to get an education quickly. No, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, there's a lot of competition and interesting things like that. But now I'm glad that you did that transition towards Australia market because that's obviously what you're passionate about. And I wanted to ask you a bit passionate because you obviously are doing this not just for the sake of making money.
A lot of people going to real estate because they think it's easy quick money. You're your own boss, but you're doing it for the sake of really helping other people's lives. That's why you started your foundation. Tell me a little bit more about what that is all about.
Yeah, I think when I traveled, I really learned there's a lot more to life than working accumulating wealth, trying to buy the biggest box you can possibly own in the living unit. And look, I was very guilty when I first got into real estate of some of the things you just mentioned. You know, the first thing I did when I started to have a little bit of a taste of money was buy the end of my new watch. You know, I fell into that trap at a very young age.
But I think you have to go through that to realise that's not the be all and end all. And it's really not what the emphasis should be. It's not where you're going to find purpose. It's not where you're going to find intellectual stimulation.
It's not where you're going to find drive. It's not where you're going to find anything close to happiness. That's for sure. So I was very, very careful this time in thinking to myself, okay, if I'm going to get back into real estate and I'm going to do as best I can to succeed, if I'm succeeding in real estate by default, there's going to be a level of revenue coming into the business because it is a high-owning industry.
And that's going to come with a responsibility. So how am I going to handle that this time? And because of that level of football, it was a no-brainer to be like, okay, how is it is to go for a dance together in a way? How did that marry?
How did that combine? Now, when travelling Portugal, Italy, parts of the UK and other areas within the world, I noticed at grassroots and low social and economic levels football was a really powerful thing. And it could really make a difference if utilised correctly. So that's when I went, okay, I'm just going to set up a foundation.
I'm going to use what I have and I'm going to use my passion for both real estate and football to combine that and see what I can do globally to make a difference. So we've just invested some money into an underprivileged community over in Portugal for a research project that we've just finished. We've just basically initiated an introduction to a company who do a lazy work out in Kenya and Ghana. So we're going to be involved with that.
Wow. Yeah. And we've also got a relationship with a girls team in the UK where the women's game is much on the up, it's growing, but at lower levels they really suffer from a lack of economic support. So it's just about really, and it's all sort of landed naturally, combining everything that I'm passionate about and just leaving it in a better place and I found it.
That's a lot of it. I love it. No, and I think that at the end of the day, by the way, congratulations on that, I love the way that you're taking the lead on it. And more people should be taking that as an example, because a lot of people are accumulating wealth, but they're not really making an impact in our society.
And you're really taking that vehicle that you've built for yourself with real estate to really help other people. So I find that very tremendous, especially because it's something that comes from your heart, something that you're passionate about. And that's really what the ultimate goal in life is, to live this world by living it a bit better than what it was. Aside from that, I mean, I'm really curious, because it obviously has transitioned through so many different destinations and so many different workplaces.
And the word luxury obviously is something that resonates in so many different ways and forms. What is it for you right now? Luxury for me right now, if we talk about the real estate space is... That's a human, that's a human being.
Like what's a real estate for you? I mean, real estate. I mean, yeah, luxury. Great, great question, actually.
This is a great question in that context. Okay, luxury to me is a balanced diet, being able to go for a walk with a podcast at some point during the day, feeling intellectually stimulated with my work, having some really good people around me on a consistent basis from a lifestyle perspective, and feeling like there's no ceiling on what I can achieve. That, to me, if I've got the capacity to have all those things happening, I'm living with very luxurious life. Anything after that really is a bit of a, is a bit of a binder or a cherry on top, or potentially even unnecessary.
You don't need to complicate. So, you know, simple. I like simple. I've learnt that simple is great.
I've also learnt that that doesn't mean you're no longer ambitious. It doesn't mean you're no longer wanting to achieve commercial success. It just means that you've got a different drive and a different motivation and a different reason to fight. Or energy, you don't lose your ambition.
That's built within you. But you channel it in a different way and you think, okay, now that I've got a really different relationship with what I want to achieve, that now changes the entire way I approach it. So luxury for me, cross out the word luxury and just ride simple. Yeah, we complicate everything too much.
Sometimes we complicate everything too much and just simple things like drinking a cup of coffee, it's like, okay, that's luxury for me. So people, right now here in Bali, everybody's so humble. You know, I see people living in so many different places and being so humble, so grateful for what they have. And it's all about being that.
So I really appreciate that answer, especially coming from you. And look, I know you have things going on and I just don't want to take too much of your time. And just wanted to wrap this up by saying that your inspiration, I really appreciate our friendship and also that you're sharing this information with everybody else. So if you want to add anything else, feel free to do so.
But those that are listening to watching, please follow Ryan, Fisher, I just got to score a TM and check out everything that he's doing because it's remarkable. Yeah, I just want to say congratulations to you too. I mean, obviously since we first connected, I've been following what we're doing. And I actually saw you on stage at a conference very recently.
And I found that I found that very interesting talk. I love the way you approach life. It's great. And I wish you nothing but all the success we're doing because I think you're going about it right by too.
So hold on. Thank you, my friend. But I look forward to seeing you very, very soon. Hopefully whether you see Australia, Bali, Miami, you know, lots of things are happening.
Did you want to add? What is it? Did you want to paint up? No, no, no.
There's a pizza guy. No, it was a guy there. It's because you're so healthy. I was just joking.
No, I ordered some breakfast to be healthy. No, no, no, I tried to be healthy because when you travel so much, I'm telling you, once you're falling through the healthy trail of just eating any whatever they give you, it doesn't work. So you'll see me soon doing another item. Well, hopefully if you have a little bit of Australia, of course we will catch up in the if I come your way and then obviously I'll let you know as well.
But it's good that the world is open back up again. So at least we have a chance to maybe do that soon. 100%. All right, my friend, we'll see you all the best and we'll talk very soon.
Very awesome. See you, mate. And thanks again for everybody tuning in today. We hope you enjoyed it.
And remember, embrace it's beautiful success in life. My name is Alvaro and I'll see you next time.