Country experience, coastal opportunity

First-time resident managers Sean and Naomi Brannan have left farming near Moree to buy the management rights business at Sandy Beach Resort, bringing their young family and plenty of practical business experience to the Noosa River.

Sean and Naomi have swapped cotton crops for resort gardens, taking a considerable leap from an industry they know inside out into one they are only beginning to discover.

This interview was first published in the September edition of Resort News. OUT NOW. Read it HERE

They did not leave farming in search of an easier life. They were looking for their next business opportunity, one that would draw on their experience, suit their young family and give them something they could grow together.

“We have always enjoyed business and property, so management rights naturally caught our attention,” Naomi said.

“The more we researched the industry, the more it felt like the perfect combination of everything we enjoy: business ownership, hospitality, property, family and lifestyle.”

Naomi is a third-generation cotton grower who worked on her family’s properties around Moree in northern New South Wales, growing cotton, wheat and pulses and raising beef cattle.

She also has a creative streak and owns Brannan, an e-commerce brand for which she designs mainly handbags and accessories.

Sean is also from Moree. He worked in his family’s earthmoving business before the couple started their own farming company, Montana Partnership, around 10 years ago. Together, they grew cotton, wheat and pulses, with a big focus on contract farming, spraying and harvesting.

It was busy, hands-on work and, as it turns out, very good preparation for management rights.

“Agriculture teaches you to wear lots of different hats, and I think that translates really well into management rights because there are so many elements involved,” Sean said.

“We had experience owning and running a business together, managing staff and working as a team. We had also owned several investment properties and always had an interest in real estate, so we thought that would translate well too.”

The move was always going to be a family decision. Sean and Naomi have two daughters, aged one and five, and any new business needed to work for all four of them.

“Farming can be a very busy and stressful life at times,” Naomi said. “We also knew that if we moved away, it had to be to a fantastic location where our girls could thrive.”

Noosa certainly delivered on the location, but Naomi is quick to point out that the business came first.

“We liked that it was a job we could do with our children and something we could grow and build on in the future,” she said.

“The location was obviously an incredible bonus, but the business was what came first.”

Finding Sandy Beach Resort

Sean and Naomi knew very little about management rights when they started looking, so they set about learning.

“We spent many hours in the car listening to podcasts and researching anything about management rights that we could find,” Naomi said.

Sean’s family owns a caravan park in Moree, so tourism was not entirely unfamiliar to him. His background also meant he was comfortable with the caretaking and maintenance side of the business.

The couple looked at several management rights businesses in very different locations. Noosa came onto their radar after they stayed with friends along Gympie Terrace over the New Year.

“It was the first time we had ever been to the Noosa area,” Naomi said. “It’s such an incredible spot on the river, and we thought we should definitely keep it on our search radar.”

They contacted Alex Barker-Ré from Calvin Bailey Management Rights and inspected Sandy Beach Resort during their sorghum harvest at the end of January.

Instantly it felt like the right fit.

“We had certain criteria when we were looking, and Sandy Beach ticked all our boxes,” Sean said.

“The location speaks for itself, but what stood out most was the feeling of the place. There is something incredibly captivating about the gardens, and it had a loyal community of owners and returning guests who clearly loved it.

“We saw enormous potential, not because it needed changing, but because it already had such a strong foundation.”

Once they knew Sandy Beach was the right business, they moved quickly to make an offer.

Working out when and how to leave farming was more complicated. Farming is not a business you simply close on Friday before beginning a new job on Monday. Add two young children and schooling to the equation, and the Brannans had plenty to consider.

“We reached a point where we just had to commit to the idea and do it,” Sean said.

“We didn’t want to overthink it. It was about making a move where we could see a sustainable future for us and our girls.”

Despite the many elements involved, Sean said the buying process was fairly straightforward once they understood how it all worked.

“Having industry professionals around us for advice was the key to making it easier,” he said.

Both Sean and Naomi completed their real estate training before settlement and spent as much time as possible learning about the management rights model, including the letting business, caretaking responsibilities, body corporate requirements and their agreements.

They also asked plenty of questions.

“Management rights is quite a specialised industry, so having experienced professionals who understood the process and could guide us through the legal, financial and operational sides of the purchase made a huge difference,” Naomi said.

Practical conversations with other management rights operators were also helpful.

“Hearing what they had learnt, what they would do differently and what to expect in the first few months was incredibly valuable,” she said.

The handover from the previous managers was another important part of the process.

“They were very generous with their time and knowledge and gave us a great introduction to how the resort operated day to day,” Sean said.

“There is a huge amount of information to take in, from booking systems and owner accounts to maintenance schedules, contractors, guest procedures and all the little things that are specific to the property.

“We tried to absorb as much as we could, ask plenty of questions and take lots of notes.”

Learning the ropes

But as every experienced resident manager knows, some things can only be learnt once you are actually running the business.

“There has definitely been a learning curve, particularly understanding the legislation, body corporate requirements and the different responsibilities that come with caretaking and letting,” Naomi said.

“There are so many moving parts behind the scenes, from bookings, guest communication and housekeeping to maintenance, managing staff, wholesale orders, pools, gardens and making sure the property is well presented every day.”

They understood the basic management rights model before buying, but nothing quite prepared them for how many different jobs were wrapped up in it.

“You’re running an accommodation business, looking after a property, communicating with owners and guests, coordinating trades, managing staff, dealing with body corporate requirements and constantly problem-solving, often all before lunchtime,” Sean said.

Read: Management rights explained: A practical guide for first-time buyers

As luck would have it, their strengths are quite different.

Sean is practical, hands-on and, according to Naomi, able to fix almost anything. He naturally gravitates towards maintenance and upkeep and is happiest out around the resort getting things done.

Naomi has more experience in office administration, particularly payroll, accounts and day-to-day business administration.

There is, however, plenty of crossover.

“We both like to know what is happening across all areas of the business and be able to contribute,” Naomi said.

“We come from very outdoorsy, hands-on backgrounds, so we enjoy being around the resort, talking to guests and owners, checking the property and getting involved in whatever needs doing.

“Our strengths are different, but they complement each other. We are very much a team, and neither of us is afraid to roll up our sleeves.”

The family is beginning to find its rhythm after a very busy first few weeks.

“It has been a big change, going from life on the farm to running a resort in Noosa, but we are really enjoying it,” Naomi said.

“The girls are settling well into coastal life, which has made the transition so much easier. We do miss the farm, but we feel incredibly lucky to be raising them in such a beautiful part of the world.”

For Sean, one of the best parts has been getting to know Sandy Beach’s owners and guests.

“The owners we have met have been so welcoming and supportive,” he said. “We have also had some fantastic long-term guests staying, and we genuinely love our daily interactions with them.”

Naomi is enjoying the variety, although learning all the software used to manage daily bookings has been one of her biggest challenges so far.

“It’s not difficult, but there are a lot of different things to learn,” she said. “We always want to have a high level of understanding so we can optimise our systems.”

Sandy Beach Resort uses Resly, the cloud-based property management system designed specifically for management rights and short-term accommodation businesses. The platform brings bookings, channel management, direct reservations, reporting and trust accounting together in one place. For first-time operators Sean and Naomi, learning to use the system has been an important part of understanding and optimising the resort’s daily operations.

Sean and Naomi have ideas for Sandy Beach, but they are not rushing to change a resort that owners and guests already love.

“We are still new, and we want to take the time to understand the resort, our owners and our guests before making any major changes,” Sean said.

“We are listening to feedback and looking at the property with fresh eyes. We don’t want to change things just for the sake of it. It’s about building on what works and continuing to make Sandy Beach the best version of itself.”

Over the next few years, they hope to strengthen the resort’s presence in the Noosa accommodation market, increase occupancy and direct bookings and build a strong social media presence.

“We want to continue creating a resort that owners are proud to be part of and guests want to return to year after year,” Naomi said.

For other newcomers considering management rights, their advice is simple: do your homework, ask plenty of questions and surround yourself with good people.

“I don’t believe you necessarily need to come from the industry to be good at it,” Sean said. “There is a lot to learn, but having previous business experience has definitely helped us.”

Naomi believes it is equally important for couples to understand each other’s strengths.

“You need to be able to divide and conquer, but also step into each other’s roles so you can run the resort seamlessly,” she said.

“We are still very early in our own management rights journey, so we certainly don’t have all the answers yet, but we are really glad we made the leap.

“It has been a huge change for our family, but it’s exciting, challenging and rewarding. For the right couple, we think it can be a fantastic business and lifestyle.”

The experts behind the purchase

Sean and Naomi Brannan credited their professional advisers with helping them navigate their first management rights purchase.

Matthew Manz and the Mahoneys team guided them through the legal process.

“Matthew was very knowledgeable and always took the time to explain things clearly, which gave us a lot of confidence throughout the purchase and settlement process,” they said.

Lel Parnis, Chantel Duplessis and the Holmans team assisted with the financial and accounting side of the acquisition and helped them understand the business from a management rights perspective.

“They were always just a phone call away and were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable throughout the process,” Sean and Naomi said.

Alex Barker-Ré and the team at Calvin Bailey Management Rights supported the couple from their first enquiries through to settlement.

“Alex was approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. We really appreciated their guidance, honesty and industry knowledge,” Sean and Naomi said.

Resort Accounts and Consulting provided specialist bookkeeping support and training throughout the process.

“Tarryn and her team were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. They are true experts in their field, and the training Tarryn provided was extremely valuable,” Sean and Naomi said.