Sadhana Smiles is Chief Executive Officer of Harcourts Group Victoria, the state division of one of Australia's leading, well respected and fastest growing real estate brands.
She is one of only two female CEO's in her sector which is commonly referred to as the "boy's club".
Starting her career as a receptionist Sadhana has created a brand that has placed her amongst her peers as a thought leader, industry commentator, corporate activist and a contemporary feminist.
Under her leadership, Harcourts Victoria is:
- one of the leading business units globally within the group
- the fastest growing franchise group in Victoria
- consistently increasing their market share
- most recognised, most quoted and most heard brand
With a focus on performance and satisfaction Sadhana has doubled their EBIT over the last two years and increased franchisee satisfaction, sitting at 96th percentile in the sector benchmark.
All this in an industry that has the 2nd worst pay gap and one where some of her male counterparts have labelled her just about everything a woman can be. "I am a coloured woman playing in a male dominated industry, earning my seat at the table through my results. Numbers never lie." She is passionate about the issues of violence against women and diversity - "our workplaces must reflect the communities we work in"
In 2012 she bought Walk a Mile in their shoes to Victoria, this is now a national event for the Harcourts Group with over 1000 men and women walking in high heels, raising money for White Ribbon and making a clear statement that violence towards women is not OK.
The group has raised over $300K for White Ribbon and funded over 100,000 students to participate in the award winning 'breaking the silence program' teaching the youth about respectful relationships.
She is also working with various organisations in Australia to highlight the issue of dowry deaths of Indian women and the violence some of them face in Australia post their arranged marriages.
In 2013 Sadhana published her first book - People Power - did you have them @ hello, a step by step guide to developing and managing performance driven teams. In 2016 published a self help journal for women based on her own experiences - I want what she's having.
In 2013 Sadhana was named the Victorian Telstra Business Women of the Year, as well as the winner of the Victorian Telstra Private Corporate Sector award.
In 2016 Sadhana was named one of 100 women of Influence in Australia. AFR/WBC sponsored award.
Sadhana is the founder of Links Fiji, a not for profit, with a focus on conducting pap smears for women in rural areas of Fiji and reducing the incidence of cervical cancer.
A single mum to nine kids, Sadhana' s drive comes from her desire to leave the world she influences a better place. Sadhana has earned a reputation as a popular speaker and presenter, regularly asked to present at some of the industry's most prestigious events, Women's Conference and many franchise conferences.
Key Points:
- Sadhana helped make Harcourts the fastest growing franchise group in Vic. 30% growth on locations in last 4 years
- She increased EBIT by 351% since 2011
- Harcourts franchisee engagement sits at 96th percentile
- ACE score -81 (whether franchisees are advocates, committed, engaged)
- NPS score of 70
- Sadhana has authored 2 books
- She was the 2013 Victorian Telstra Business Woman
- She was the 2016 winner 100 women of influence
- Harcourts has had the highest brand awareness under her leadership
- She bought Walk a Mile in Their Shoes to Australia - raising money for White Ribbon and make a statement that violence against women is not ok
- Sadhana is the founder of Not for Profit - Links Fiji
- She is regularly published on Women's Agenda and Huffington Post
Topics:
- Stilettoes in Business
What does it take to inspire people, develop a positive workplace culture and nurture the next generation of leaders?
Leaders today are leading in what is the fastest pace of change ever, the shifting needs of 5 generations in the workplace, the disruption that is impacting many industries, globalisation, socialisation, distribution of our workforce, diversity and equality are just a few of the challenges we need to overcome.
Stilettoes in Business is not about a woman leading a brand, it is about how you as a leader can create a culture within your organization that people want to belong to.
In 2012 Sadhana set in motion an event that would have a national positive impact on the culture of the company.
In this session she shares with you how as a leader she took the issue of domestic violence against women, created a cause that nationally the network connected with and now has over 1000 men and women, walking in high heels, raising awareness and making a clear statement that violence against women is not OK. The impact on the culture of Harcourts as a group has been phenomenal.
Her question to you as a leader is would you be able to have men and women in your organization put on high heels and walk a mile for a cause that is dark and edgy.
Her success as a leader is not just measured in the legacy she will leave behind but also in how she has driven the Harcourts brand in Victoria to be the most recognized and fastest growing.
If you are an emerging leader, your business needs to make significant changes or you simply want to hear from another inspiring leader then Stilettoes in Business is this session for you. - I want what she's having
And the winner is - Sadhana Smiles!
These are words Sadhana says she will never forget, the joy of her kids, family and friends on the night she won Victorian Telstra Business Woman 2013. The memory of that night etched in her mind forever.
However, no journey to the top is made without pitfalls, dream takers or mistakes but if you have grit and determination, overcoming any obstacle placed in your way is possible.
So how does a 16 year old migrant, with no university degree get to win such an award?
In this session Sadhana will inspire you as she candidly shares her journey about the day she decided becoming a CEO was one of her career goals and winning the Telstra Award was a personal one; how success in the corporate world is as important as balancing social corporate responsibility and giving back to her birth place, how her choice to divorce took her relationship with her kids to the brink and how finding herself in a dark hole opened up the opportunity to rebuild her life and paint her own picture.
Sadhana often quotes that she was born in a glass box, where a culturally oppressive childhood prepared her for the "glass ceilings" of the western world.
This session will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will inspire you to write you goals, place them on the shower wall and believe that you can have everything - with just the matter of how?
