A Decade Of Putting People First
With Jools from Explore Property Munro & Co.
Explore Property Munro & Co. is celebrating ten years of business- a decade of integrity, culture, and commitment to putting people first.
For Business Owner, Sales Manager and Sales Agent Jools Munro, launching the business was one of the most challenging and rewarding periods of her professional life. After spending 23 years as a police officer Jools made the leap into real estate after meeting her husband, Errol, who was already well established in the industry.
“I watched him do what he was doing, and I thought - I think I could get a lot of happiness from this,” Jools explained.
She was right. While the transition from policing to real estate represented a major change, the underlying motivation remained remarkably similar: service.
“I've always enjoyed service.” Jools said.
“It’s really what gets me out of bed. A little bit like policing, you know. People call police when they can't solve a problem themselves, and it’s the same for real estate; except you’re helping somebody start a new journey.”
This service-first philosophy has permeated all aspects of the business.
In property sales, the company’s focus is on achieving the best possible outcomes for their clients, rather than simply maximising the agent’s own result. In property management, quality service beats profit maximisation, with the business deliberately limiting the number of properties individual property managers oversee.
Another secret to ten years of success? Recruiting a strong team, and building a tight knit, unique team culture that retains talent.
That culture is underpinned by four principles drawn from Fish!, the well-known business book inspired by Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market: choose the attitude you bring to work, be present in the moment, make someone else’s day every day, and have fun while working.
The business has deliberately encouraged collaboration between sales, administration and property management, with teams bonding over monthly challenges. Driven by Jools’ bubbly personality and care for her team, the day-to-day is punctuated with plenty of laughs.
“We celebrate together, and we have each other's backs.” Jools said.
“We don't take from one another, we uplift one another. The culture is super important to me. We will never compromise on our morals and values and the fact that we focus on service: giving, not taking.”
Putting this sentiment into action, Explore Property Munro & Co. has become a beloved part of the business community, running its annual Pooch Party on The Strand, supporting local events including India Fest, and being actively involved with organisations such as the Townsville Business Women’s Circle and Chamber of Commerce.
Along the journey, property portfolios and teams expanded.
The business began with virtually nothing, taking on a friend’s investment property as its first rental. Jools and Errol made significant personal sacrifices to fund its growth, including selling a boat, trading cars and downsizing their lifestyle.
Now – those sacrifices have paid off. But growth has not simply been viewed as a measure of financial success – for Jools, it’s a way to create opportunities for the people within the business, allowing their agents and property managers to build their careers, take on new responsibilities, and progress within the organisation.
Looking forward, Jools says the goal is not world domination.
It is longevity - maintaining the same commitment to service, community and people that has shaped the business, to set it up for another decade of success.
