Kyrillos Mansour is the founder of First Brick Property Buyers Agency, a South West Sydney-based company that provides buyer agency services to investors across all of Australia. Since First Brick started they have consistently outperformed the real estate market returns and consistently purchased under-market value properties for their clients. First Brick clients get a fully tailored customized experience, ensuring they get the best investment for their personal portfolio strategy, budget and circumstances.
For more information, you can find First Brick on all socials or their website www.firstbrick.com.au
Here we sit down with Kyrillos to learn more about his journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Kyrillos: Since I was young I always had an interest in businesses. I was always interested in how small businesses became big. How big business became bigger. I was interested in the dynamics of how things worked on the inside.
I’m not so sure why, but it was always there. I watched endless videos and listened to endless podcasts regarding business in general. My favourite tv show was shark tank and I loved reading business owner autobiographies too.
I wanted to build something, I wanted to watch something grow from nothing into something. To this day that wants and desire to build something carry me through my day-to-day life. I could never accept a monetary gift from my family, I felt embarrassed and that I wouldn’t be looked at the same if I had financial help building my dreams.
I’m not sure what inspired me to become an entrepreneur but what I know is that this is what I was born to do. Build business and help others do the same
Q. How did you get started?
Kyrillos: I started First Brick initially as a personal project to help me with my own personal investing after graduating from university. I went to university straight after finishing school, I was studying a Master of Optometry, which I had no interest in and no intention of working in the optical industry for long.
My idea was you don’t need a business degree to start a business, you need money. Optometry was a 5-year degree, but if you didn’t take any breaks and holidays it could be done in 3 and a half years and start earning good money.
So I graduated and started working went to the bank and got a loan to invest, but I didn’t know where to invest and didn’t know how to figure it out either. During my Uni days, my dad sent me a book called “my 4-year-old, the property investor” After reading this book, my life changed, and my viewpoint on how to make money changed forever as well. From then I read everything there was to read and listened to everything there was to listen to regarding real estate investing. I knew the theory, but the practice was a different story.
I began building spreadsheets of data to work out where I wanted to invest, eventually, I purchased a property, but my spreadsheet didn’t stop there. I was having fun, I kept updating the sheet, started helping friends and family, and even obtained my real estate licence just for the knowledge until one day a friend said to me, have you heard of a buyers agent
I looked up what a buyers agent did, and I thought, no way someone will pay me to do what I have so much fun doing anyway. I quit my job and started First Brick.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Kyrillos: I believe my biggest start-up challenge was and still is, building awareness around my profession. Buyers’ Agency is a very small and niche market in Australia, especially compared to Real Estate Agents. So building awareness not only of the profession but then awareness and education as to why people should pay for a buyer’s agent (to do what historically has been something people did on their own anyway) has been a huge challenge and necessity.
We have overcome this by deciding on a marketing strategy and sticking to it no matter what. That marketing strategy is, we are going to be teachers. We are going to teach people about real estate.
All our content is geared to be free education and free resources. We want to be able to help people to do it on their own, and we never really ask for them to be customers. However, through this method, we show people we are the industry leaders and experts and if you want to use a professional you know we are here, otherwise, we are happy to help any way
I have learnt that by giving value and understanding why someone should give you their attention let alone money, you can create beautiful things.
Q. What is the most memorable thing you’ve done since you started your business?
Kyrillos: We have achieved so much in the last 4 years of operating. Our biggest achievement though has to be the fact that we have a 100% success ratio on our clients and them achieving better than market results.
We have worked with over 100 clients and we have only ever received 5-star reviews.
Our biggest achievement is our clients all being successful and creating better lives for themselves.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Kyrillos: I would recommend the richest man in Babylon.
It’s not a long book so it’s easy to get through, but it’s also packed with wisdom.
The book is written in parables so it’s not a boring syllabus book, it’s easy to read and really breaks down the basics of investing.
Also, I was just featured in a book which would be a good read too, “how to invest in property: interviews with successful property investors”.
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Kyrillos: I would like to leave the world a better and kinder place. I want people to remember me for having helped thousands of people lead better lives, and I want people to remember me for being a kind person, someone that was always willing and ready to help.
I want to help thousands of people become financially free and lead amazing lives. I want people to think of me and think of First Brick and think, they really do just want to help people be happy, financially free and live fruitful kind lives.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Kyrillos: Be patient, be ultra-consistent, work harder than anyone you know and think in terms of 10 years, not 10 months, everything becomes easier when you do that.
To keep up to date with Kyrillos and his journey, connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.
