The little moments in white fields that shaped a future love with Mollie Parkes

As a kid, home for Mollie was a property her dad was managing, in fact it was the largest privately owned cotton property in the Southern Hemisphere,  

“It was incredibly inspiring, growing up at a place like that. And I think it was a bond with Dad and learning and connecting to the land, which shaped me for the future.”

“In my earliest memories, Dad would take me out bug checking in the cotton fields. It was such a simple routine that just became an ordinary part of our daily lives.”

“I wasn't surrounded by, technology and hundreds of other kids in the class, or even neighbours. It was that for sure that shaped my future and I think, laid a foundation for my appreciation for it as well. And knowing and seeing how committed Dad was to the land as well... Inspiring for sure.”

Image supplied by Mollie Parkes.

Like many country kids, after school there was a lure to stay in the city to begin her studies,

“I tried just about everything. I went into the fashion industry, I was a fitting model for for a few years. I was kind of giving everything a go. I think I always knew I wanted a career in ag but I just kind of wanted to experience life first. And so I went to Uni and studied business and marketing at Queensland University of Technology”

“I was involved but I didn’t know where that was going lead me because I didn’t have a goal”

At the time her dad had changed careers and started his own farm consultancy agency, it provided the perfect opportunity for Mollie during her university holidays,

“I started off doing admin stuff and helped him out when they needed. Then I got into the more finance side of things and the accounting stuff. And then I was like, ‘Ah, this is all right… This is kind of interesting’. And so then I went back to Brisbane, got a job at an accounting firm, gained heaps of experience, but it was a bit boring for me.”

“I wanted to stay in Brisbane and that’s when LAWD popped up.”

“I had mentioned to Dad that I might be interested in real estate. And he said, ‘How cool would it be to sell farms?!’”

“Dad was doing some work with the team at LAWD at the time and he asked them if they were hiring or had anything available. I ended up having a coffee and it just fell into place!”

“I had my first day and I was so nervous, but when I got into the office there were so many connections and I just thought, ‘This is going to be a great place to work’.”

“At the start I was just helping out where I could with anything as an Analyst. Now I am a Sales Executive and I’m in the middle of doing my Real Estate Licence which hopefully I’ll finish in the next month and then I can hopefully get my name on a few listings.”

“That’s the goal, to get on some listings and get my name out there. At the moment, I am just trying to talk to people, which I love talking. So picking up the phone and learning about recent sales, upcoming sales and all of that”

“It's all really cool, but I love doing the special ones, like the little random ones. We're doing this one at the moment, it’s a couple of hectares of a herb farm. And it's just cool, keeps you going and keeps you learning.”

“I am constantly trying to be better. I’ll often do some work and then print it out and have some members of the team read it and give me feedback. I ask so many questions, and the agents I work with now are so inspiring. I am in awe when we’re in meetings with clients.”

“Hopefully I will eventually succeed in the real estate world. It’s a hard one, it’s a competitive one, but I think it would just be so good. Especially if I was able to take it back to the country eventually and be part of the community”

As a young person who has explored a few career pathways and has found her calling, what’s her advice to others like her?

“You never know who you’re going to shake hands with and where that might lead.”

“I never knew what I wanted to do and now I know exactly what I want, just from taking that first step.”

“It’s all about connecting I think, and everyone’s so nice!”

“It’s such a cool industry and the work you’re doing is directly impacting the bigger picture and that’s so fulfilling.”

“Even the smallest things, you know that you’re contributing and shaping the future of ag.”

Images supplied by Mollie Parkes.