Kiri Barfoot - director decides it's time to retire aged 51. Photo / Dean Purcell
After 28 years at Auckland’s largest real estate agency, director and family member Kiri Barfoot, 51, is retiring.
She wants to do things other than work: travel, bike, ski, play the piano, read and enjoy being outside doing all the things she’s not had time for in years, in fact since she was 20 when she started out taking photos of houses for sale.
The agency is celebrating its centennial this year, marked by what is thought to be NZ’s largest party: a black tie sit-down dinner for 3800 at Ellerslie Racecourse in March, with British opera star Paul Potts flown here to perform.
The agency has extensive charitable sponsorships including of the Blues and the Starship Foundation and its focus has been on celebration lately.
But now the granddaughter of founder Val, who a century ago bought a rundown land agency in Newmarket for 75 pounds, has decided she wants to step back.
Garth and Judy Barfoot’s daughter says it’s time for a major step change that initially involves travelling but then skiing this winter at Treble Cone and Cardrona, hiking, running and other sports which are her passions.
She was brought up on the Shore, her father an agency boss, her mother an anaesthetist: “I won the parental lottery, right?” she says of the drive, determination and brilliance of her folks.
The Barfoots were keen on the outdoors and she was raised tramping, skiing and camping “with them digging a moat around the outside of the tent to keep us dry. You’d go ‘oh no, can we not go on another tramp?’ Then when you’re older, you realise how much you liked it”.
She is a competitive sportswoman and plans her next year around major events.
Meeting someone special is also something the single Barfoot would like. She is using dating applications, and hasn’t found the right person yet but is enjoying “meeting new people you wouldn’t normally meet in your day-to-day life”.
Her retirement from work was marked by a cocktail party at Mantells Tamaki Dr on June 22.
“I’m leaving, stepping down from my director role. I’ve just turned 51 and my kids are 18 and almost 20 and they’re on to bigger and better things. They’re getting independent and they don’t want to hang out with Mum anymore. Also, my parents have gone to a lifestyle village. They’re in their late 80s so I’ve got this window of time for me and I quite like going outside and doing physical stuff.”
First up, she’s off to Europe to follow the 110th racing of the 3034km Tour de France which starts on July 1 in Spain’s Bilbao and ends on July 23 with the final stage at the Champs-Elysees. She initially planned that trip in August 2020 but Covid delayed it so she’ll be packing the bike shorts, planning to cycle some of that challenging course as well.
Then, it’s down south to ski this winter, aiming eventually to become a ski instructor but initially, this year being an adaptive ski volunteer. Competing in a triathlon in Noosa and then an event on October 29 in the Auckland marathon are other goals.
So not much sitting around. But she acknowledges her early retirement surprised some.
“People go ‘I didn’t expect that. Maybe if you were 61, we’d understand it’. But I thought, I’m not going to be like my dad and work until 77.”
She recalls her first job taking photos, only of a home’s exterior, a time before social media, mass-advertising with photos showing inside and outside, interior layouts and certainly no drone photography or video.
Her professional journey started in 1991 in the accounts department, learning the family business while studying for her commerce degree.
After travelling, working in accounts at the London Hospital Medical College and working in Israel, she decided to return home to hold different positions within the agency to gain knowledge of all areas of its work.
Before becoming a salesperson at the Glenfield branch, she worked for TelstraClear and Telecom to get experience outside real estate.
She was a branch manager at the Waiuku office, managed Ōtāhuhu and Highland Park offices, then became a regional manager. She thinks technology is one of the cornerstones of the agency’s future success and has been involved in that part of the business extensively.
She noted a huge change in the ethnic diversity of agency staff since she started 28 years ago: “For most of the people in the 90s, English was their first language. Now, our staff speak more than 60 different languages. We really are a nation of immigrants.”
She wants to encourage more women into leadership roles. Women sometimes wait till they’re perfect before seeking to advance their careers, whereas many men don’t take such a cautious approach, she says.
“You’ve got to keep giving confidence to women out there that’s it’s okay, you can put your hand up and apply,” she says. The agency’s management is male-dominated yet its sales force is around half women.
Women might be at a 9.5 competency level before applying for promotion whereas men might only be 6.5 when they think it’s time.
On surname recognition: “People ask me if [agency managing director] Peter [Thompson] is my boss. I say no, we’re business partners.”
Barfoot wants to change the thinking about women being promoted and says she’s actively encouraged women in the business to put themselves forward.
A “goodbye” card in her level seven, Shortland St office last week says: “Thank you for being such an awesome role model and leader. All the best from the Northcote Team.” (Smiley face).
Sharon O’Brien, directors’ executive assistant, said: “When Kiri made her announcement to the company ... if we had printed out all the replies she received, we would have used a ream of paper.”
Jean Smith, Mt Albert branch manager said: “I look at Kiri as an inspiration for young working mothers returning to the workforce. She has always said it like it is. She is pragmatic, empathetic and down to earth with the ability to consider different perspectives. She has encouraged us to lead, to challenge, to bike, to be more sustainable and to do it all with a bit of fun.”
Will she ever return to the agency?
“That’s a big question. All I can say is I am putting my real estate licence on hold.”
KIRI BARFOOT:
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