Why being terminated was the best thing that happened to me, and my clients!

“I’m not a salesman, but if I believe in what I’m selling, then I have no problem with selling it.” This mindset helped me land my job… and ultimately, it also cost me that job. Here’s why.

I’ve always been someone who cannot, for the life of me, sell something I don’t genuinely believe in. In this case, I believed in the product—the service we provided—but I couldn’t stand behind certain house and land packages we were promoting that used it. That was my challenge. My mum once told me, “Never bother lying, Lisa, you’re a terrible liar.” And she was right. I’m not good at it—never have been. It would be written all over my face. I’m brutally honest—maybe too much sometimes—but it’s just how I operate. It’s the only way I know how to be.

Take, for example, Sam, one of my B2B clients. He found a property listed that he was personally interested in. When he asked me about it, I did the research. The property was in an area showing little to no demand in the NDIS space. I called an SDA provider who knew the region, and he confirmed that investing there wasn’t the best choice. So, I called Sam and said, “I can’t sell you that property. There just isn’t enough demand in that area. But I can recommend better options in areas B and C.” That honesty built a trust between us that’s lasted to this day. We’ve become friends, and I’m proud of that.

For me, integrity, honesty, and genuinely wanting my clients to succeed are non-negotiable. Those values are at the heart of my own business. Running a business based on these principles—carefully selecting properties that align with what’s best for my clients—is what drives me. I don’t believe in “a sale at any cost.” I don’t want to be that person, and I definitely didn’t want my business to follow the same path as others in the industry who compromise these values. I love what I do. I’m passionate about helping people make informed property investment decisions and grow their wealth, particularly for retirement. Maybe it’s because I started my own SMSF property investment journey as a client before I became a professional in the space, but I have a strong conviction about how I want to treat my clients.

At Superannuation Smart Property, we work closely with investors who want to invest in property through their SMSF. We focus on building new house-and-land packages—something that wasn’t possible just a few years ago, especially when borrowings were tied to the purchase. Thanks to the connections we have with various facilitators, we’ve made it possible for clients to build new properties using a single-part contract, ensuring full compliance with the SIS Act that governs SMSFs.

I’ll admit, when I was let go from my previous role, my ego took a bit of a hit. It was the first time in my career that I’d been fired, and it wasn’t a great feeling. But I quickly realized it was a blessing in disguise. Still, you always hope you can make a difference. And that’s when it hit me—I could make a real difference. By working directly with clients, I could offer a wider variety of properties across the country. I could fully control the types of investments I presented and ensure they truly benefited my clients. It was a new chapter, and I was exactly where I needed to be. The feeling of being in control of my own business was incredibly empowering.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to chat with you—whether it’s with you, your family, friends, or clients—to see how I can assist in navigating the world of property investment through your SMSF.

Let’s talk soon! Feel free to book an online meeting directly into my calendar via this link: Book a meeting with Lisa Thomas – Superannuation Smart Property

Read more about Lisa Thomas and Tayla Thomas on our ‘About Us’ page.