Kobie Potgieter, one of Port Elizabeth’s top real estate professionals and broker/owner of RE/MAX Independent Properties, is among the national winners of the southern African chapter of Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government awards.
Attracting over 9 000 nominations from 43 countries, competition for the coveted awards was fierce. However, Potgieter beat the other eight South African finalists in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.
According to the company that organised the awards, Potgieter was chosen for the meaningful contribution she has made to her industry. She says: “For me it’s about being a role model and inspiring young girls and women to believe in themselves. If you want to be successful in business you must be willing to make certain sacrifices to achieve your goals. Dedication, hard work and surrounding yourself with likeminded, competent people are the driving forces behind my success.”
Role model
As a founding member and vice-chairman of Real Estate Business Owners of South Africa, Kobie has already been instrumental in providing a platform for smaller role-players to make their voices heard in the property sector.
She notes that the award will provide her with an ideal platform to speak out and promote the development of businesswomen in Nelson Mandela Bay. “If I can assist and mentor up-and-coming businesswomen in Eastern Cape, we can grow our local economy and create a thriving business environment in which women play a more influential role.”
She also says that the award will help her to further her ambition of making a significant contribution to her community. A former teacher, her social responsibility initiatives focus mainly on education and training, and include the establishment of a tertiary scholarship fund for residents of the MTR Smit Children’s Home.
Kobie is also among the 10 top-selling real estate agents within the RE/MAX brand worldwide, based on residential sales commission – no small feat considering that the brand is currently represented by more than 90 000 agents operating from over 6 300 offices in more than 90 countries worldwide.
Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, says: “Kobie is an outstanding ambassador for the RE/MAX brand, as well as for businesswomen throughout the country. She consistently achieves new levels of excellence.”
Kobie’s winning tip …
“Advertising on property portals gives agents access to a huge database of clients from different walks of life.
As most people have access to technology, listed properties get a lot more views.”