“I remember when I first started, agents would say ‘I’m not sharing my commission.’ That’s drastically changed now – we get calls daily from agents with new listings asking who we’ve got.”
After working in real estate sales in Brisbane from 2014-2016, Darren identified the buyer’s agent space as an emerging opportunity with less competition. Before launching, he secret-shopped competitors to understand the market better, then made the leap from selling to buying.
Darren builds his business on three pillars: culture fit, trainability, and hunger. His recruitment strategy has yielded a diverse team from backgrounds including hospitality, landscaping, and project marketing – creating a workplace that breaks real estate stereotypes.
“Culture is at the top of the list. We do company events every quarter. It’s a work hard, play hard mentality here.”
His leadership emphasises transparency and partnership, even giving team members ownership stakes in business expansions like Universal New South Wales and Universal Rentals.
“BAI gave me the framework and confidence to build this business. Without it, I wouldn’t have had the clarity to grow this fast.”
Looking ahead, Darren plans to expand in Sydney by Christmas, with international expansion planned for early next year. His focus remains on quality over quantity.
“To build a sustainable business, your reputation is everything. You’ve got to play the long game in every aspect.”
