When did you start your business?
I started working at PRD as a National Research Manager in 2014, promoted to Chief Economist in 2019. So overall I have been in the business for 10years!

What was the inspiration behind your work/business?
I have always been incredibly passionate about knowledge sharing, in particular ensuring that people accurate data and objective high-level analysis; to assist them in making life decisions. To me, correct information is power, and I want to be able to give people that power. That is the main inspiration behind my research work at PRD – I wanted to share my knowledge and analytical abilities, so that people/organisations/government agencies have the correct information when they make their real-estate decision; whether that is in purchasing their first home, buying another investment property, building an apartment tower, creating a housing strategy, re-purposing a particular asset for the greater good, and many more. I have seen too many people regret or projects fail due to lack of information, incorrect analysis, or subjective opinions. If I can somehow play a part in minimising this regret / failure, I would have achieved my goal.

What are you most excited about in your work/business?
I am incredibly excited to bring my work to different parts of Australia. Not just to obvious/capital cities such as Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Hobart, but to regional areas that many people may not have heard of. For example, Tamworth, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Bungendore in New South Wales; Mackay and Whitsundays in Queensland; Ballarat, Shepparton, and Bendigo in Victoria; and Launceston, Clarence, New Norfolk in Tasmania. I love being able to spread knowledge as far and wide as possible, and the opportunity of doing truly excites me. I get to travel and enjoy the beauty of these areas, indulge in my love for architecture, learn how the local community operate and structure their economy. Not to mention that they are always so welcoming, so friendly, keen to learn, keen to show off their area. It truly warms my heart when I see (and I am told, through feedback / audience chatting to me) people gaining a better understanding and enjoying the information that I bring to them.

What has been the most challenging thing about starting your work/business?
I would say that the most challenging thing about starting my work was establishing myself as a trusted voice / expert in the field, especially as I came in “green”. I was MUCH younger than most of my clients – I was 29/30years at the time, female, new to the real-estate industry, and had a different “look” (i.e multicultural). Most of the clients that I had to convince had been in the real estate industry for much longer and were mostly male. My unique point of difference was my education and abilities – I had a PhD and a proven track record for research and data; as well as strong communication skills. These became my “weapon” in gaining my client’s trust. Another key challenge was managing my team, as I was coming in to an already established team and there was an existing work culture. Further, quite a few of the team members were older than me and quite multicultural. I hadn’t yet learned the appropriate skills and gained the high-level confidence (that I have now) to manage the team “properly” (I.e high level of output and conducive culture), which also created challenges. So, I had to really learn two things (and learn quickly): how to establish trust and how to manage a team.

What advice would you give to other women thinking about starting a work/business?
Equip yourself. Education and experience is the biggest tool/weapon that you can have to succeed. If you don’t have the experience yet because of whatever reason (i.e age, location, stage of life, etc); equip yourself through education. Gain as much education as you can possible – whether its through academic (like myself), non-academic, informal courses, or attending seminars / talks / mentorship. Information is power, both officially gained and through experience, so equip yourself with as much information as possible, to establish some power as you embark on a new work/business journey

Why did you enter the Women Changing the World Awards?
I truly love the sentiment of the Awards, and how it touches all aspects of different types of business and stages of life (i.e through the various categories). I also love how it is open to any female in the world, so that we can have as much light (as possible) being shone on females everywhere. The name “Women Changing the World” also gives an extra edge when utilised to build one’s name in work/business, establishing a higher level of achievement that the general public can trust.

What did you enjoy the most about being part of the awards?
I love answering the questions!! Because it makes me double take and really think about where I am in my life and what I have achieved/overcome in the past 10years – it made me appreciate my journey and growth so much more. Thank you for this experience!!

What surprised you most about the awards?
The breadth of finalists – where they come from, their background, what they have achieved, their stories, etc. It is so varied and literally shines a light to all women from all walks of life from all corners of the globe. I love it!

How did the awards help you in your work/business?
The awards have provided me with a network of women to connect with, and learn from. The seminars that were held for finalists have really helped me further understand how to position myself in my area/industry of work and leverage off my expertise. Being able to share my success with all of the Women Changing the World Awards logos have also been beneficial, on multiple fronts: setting myself apart from others in the industry, building my confidence, and highlighting my contribution and expertise – it has earnt me many congratulations and accolades from colleagues near and far, which will assist in building my personal brand for future endeavours.

What advice would you give to other women thinking about entering the awards?
DO IT!!!! Do not hesitate AT ALL!!!! Grab the opportunity with both hands and throw yourself into every aspect of it. There is nothing for you to lose, only gain.

What has been the best thing about starting your own work/business?
I was trusted with my own national research department, which is akin to starting your own business. The best thing about having autonomy is that you are able to shape and mould your work/business, to reflect who you are and your passions, while ensuring that you are competitive and a leader in your industry. I am proud to say that PRD Research is a leader in the residential real estate research industry, we are often contracted by big companies and highly sought after for media expert comments; BUT with its own character and “twist” based on my expertise, vision, and passion. We are the only residential real estate research house that has partnerships with higher education / university, appointed to a State Government committee (i.e the Brisbane 2032 Olympics Legacy Committee), and intimately connected with Australian economy decision makers, and many others. The latter is the “twist” that makes us special, based on the capability and vision that I bring to the table.

What’s happening next in your work/business?
Innovation and agility in business is key. My plan for 2025 is to upskill my team members, in terms of their data analytical and business communication skills, to ensure that we are the best of the best. Adapting new technologies and systems in the way that data is collected, collated, and presented is the crux of our research expertise; therefore, investing into accessing better data and creating higher quality research products will elevate our offering to clients. I also want to do more for the multicultural community – in terms of their increasing their data literacy, especially when it comes to the real estate market. This can take several forms – translating our work into several most-used languages, hosting a real-estate seminar with multicultural audience as a focus, etc. Lastly, I really want to empower more young women in their career path, especially those from a cultural and linguistic diverse (CALD) background. Whether officially (for example through a mentorship program) or unofficially (for example through multicultural organisations), I want to help more CALD females overcome some of the common roadblocks.

What are your big plans for the future?
At present I have a national role. A big plan of mine is to go outside of Australia, to challenge myself and broaden my reach at an international level. I am currently planting the seeds for this to happen (sooner than later), so watch this space!

How can we connect with you?
https://www.facebook.com/1Dancer1/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-diaswati-asti-mardiasmo-78b4712/