In real estate, success is often measured in listings and deals closed.
But for a growing number of families across the Ray White network, legacy is measured in far more meaningful terms: hard work, resilience, and a deep sense of care passed from parent to child.
This Mother’s Day, we celebrate five dynamic mother-child duos whose journeys reveal just how much heart it takes to build a life, and a business, in real estate.
Elliott and Michelle Placks: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
For Elliott Placks, now Principal and Managing Director of Ray White Double Bay, the first blueprint of a hardworking agent was his mum, Michelle.
“I remember how hard you worked,” Elliott said. “You came home after a long day, excited, enthusiastic. Your clients respected you because you never cut corners. That stuck with me.”
Michelle hadn’t chosen real estate for prestige. It was a financial decision to support her family.
“I got into real estate more out of necessity than want,” she explained. “We’d bought and sold a few houses, and I thought I could give it a go. But really, it was a financial decision; to keep you both in private school, which was important to us.”
Yet, in her very first year, she was named Rookie of the Year at Century21.
“It was a struggle,” she recalled. “But it was so rewarding.”
It was a model of tenacity that Elliott absorbed.
“Every day when I came home in those early months, you’d ask, ‘Did you sell something today?’,” she said. “ And I’d have to say, ‘not yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.’”
“That’s actually really funny, because when I come home now, the first thing Remy asks is, ‘did you, Dad? Did you sell something?’,” Elliott said.
“The apple doesn’t fall far,” Michelle said.
And yet, behind their laughter and affection lies a deeper lesson. “I used to finish basketball and watch everyone else get picked up at 4:30pm and I’d wait,” he said. “4:40pm 4:45pm… and you couldn’t call in those days but I always believed you were coming. And you always did. You always did.”
“Resilience,” he said. “That’s what you taught me.”
Michelle had always led with integrity and she’s proud of the leader her son has become.
“It’s amazing what you’ve turned your company into,” she said. “The number of staff you lead, and the way they speak about you. They say you’re fair. They say you give everyone time.”
“I love you because you’ve given me the foundations for success,” Elliott responded. “You’ve always done everything for me and now for my own family. You care. You’re always there. I love you.”
“I love you right back,” Michelle said. “You are a wonderful father, a wonderful husband, and the most wonderful son. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Mitch and Kate Peereboom: mutual admiration in this mother-son duo
Young gun real estate star Mitch Peereboom has credited his mum for helping shape his success. Mitch, who owns Ray White Wilston is now ready to take the reins of his second office at Ray White Surfers Paradise.
Mitch, 30, grew up watching his mum, Kate Peereboom, build her own business in Brisbane’s inner north, now at Ray White Wilston.
Kate, a mum-of-three, said Mitch was about 12 years old when she first started her own real estate business.
“It was a lot of work but I had great family support and a great client base,” Kate said.
“My earliest memories were of mum as a real estate agent,” Mitch said. “She told me she was going to open her own business and I was intrigued about what that meant. I always loved real estate agents and how entrepreneurial they are; always energised and happy to talk.”
“Mitch joined the business when he finished school, and worked in the rentals department to see what it was all about.
“The first thing he asked was ‘do I get to wear a suit?’,” Kate laughed.
“After a few months I took him to an in-room auction and he met the auctioneer and CEO at the time and said ‘how do I get to do this, this is very exciting’”.
“Mitch ended up helping out with a few things at the auction and the next day he was offered a job in the corporate team and excelled from there.”
“The one thing I admire about Mitch is his fearless way and that he’s full of confidence,” she said.
“He’s been like that since he was a toddler. When I feel a bit nervous about doing something I always think to myself that if Mitch can do it, I can do it!”
Mitch talked of how he admired her work ethic and reputation.
“I watched her growing up as a business person and I think about our business today and the impact she had on me is something I am so proud of.”
“I am so grateful to her, it’s been pretty special,” Mitch said. “Mum is my role model.”
Jo and Zac Boothroyd: building with balance
For Jo Boothroyd, Director of Ray White Lara, real estate was survival. After her husband suffered a debilitating injury, she became the family’s sole provider.
“I started in real estate doing the books for an agency,” Jo said. “I loved it and it progressed from there. I had three little ones. Zac, his brother Jess, and our daughter Madison. It was tough. We worked seven days a week, sometimes 12-hour days, and juggling that with a family was really hard. But I absolutely felt I had found my niche.”
Her son Zac remembers hot chips after school and evenings at her office, not with resentment, but admiration.
Those casual moments masked the intensity of Jo’s responsibilities. When her husband suffered a life-altering head injury, Jo stepped into the role of sole breadwinner.
“I often wonder if the kids missed out because I was working so much,” she said.
But Zac remembers things differently. “I can’t remember ever not having what I needed.”
That balancing act left an impression and shaped the way Jo would eventually lead.
“That guilt from those years made me a better principal,” she said. “I wanted an office where women could balance both career and family. I understood that guilt and tried to create a workplace where others didn’t have to feel it.”
Years later, when Zac grew disillusioned with his corporate job, Jo offered him a lifeline, and a new career.
“Zac didn’t come in as a salesperson,” she said. “It was a different role, more suited to someone with a young family. It required Monday-to-Friday work, which made the transition easier,” she said.
Zac flourished, thanks to strong mentorship and his mother’s belief in him. And while family business comes with its bumps, their shared values have kept them strong.
“It’s not rainbows and puppy dogs every day,” Jo admitted. “The culture depends on how I interact with my family in the business. We have our lively debates.”
Zac agreed.
“Our relationship brings unique challenges, but also opportunities that you don’t get in a regular business relationship,” he said. “We’ve found a balance over the last decade, and the fact that we’re sitting here now is a testament to that.”
That deep familial bond carries through in how they speak about each other. Asked to sum Jo up in one word, Zac doesn’t hesitate.
“Generous,” he said. “Mum’s generosity, both in the family and the business, is unmatched. She always shared her success with others.”
Now, as Jo prepares for retirement, she sees Zac not just as a successor, but a testament to her life’s work.
“You’re my succession plan,” she told him. “I’m proud and excited for the next chapter.”
Judith and Haesley Cush: stamped contracts and shared vision
For Haesley Cush, now CEO and co-partner of the award-winning Ray White Collective, his real estate roots go back to after-school visits with his mum, Judith.
“My earliest memory of mum in real estate is her ‘hiring’ my brother Charlie and I, to stamp contracts,” Haesley said.
“We would race into the office after school, our school bags still slung over our shoulders, earning five dollars for every full box we completed.”
Judith Cush, still a revered name in Brisbane’s real estate community, didn’t set out to build an empire. After a stint living in Papua New Guinea, Judith returned to Brisbane determined to buy a home for her young family, finally settling on a rambling colonial in Tarragindi.
It was through that process she found herself drawn into the world of real estate, joining Ray White Moorooka.
“I made it clear to the principal that I wanted to work for her,” Judith said. “I was nervous to start while I had little kids, but I negotiated hard to make sure I could still pick Haesley and Charlie up from school.”
It wasn’t just paperwork and open homes that formed Haesley’s early real estate education. “I would wake up early before school to help put up signboards,” he said. “I didn’t expect to join real estate. Comments about agents being smarmy completely shocked me, because all I had ever seen growing up was how hard Mum worked and how respected she was. When I did some work experience at Mum’s office, it felt like a natural fit.”
The mother-son duo would go on to work together at Ray White Moorooka for six years, cementing a professional and personal relationship built on deep admiration. Judith, for her part, saw Haesley’s spark early.
“Because I was raised by an extremely hardworking Mum with an entrepreneurial spirit, I grew up with no concept that women might not have equal footing in business,” Haesley said. “Mum was a trailblazer, and now that I’m in my 40s, I realise how rare it was to grow up with that being the norm. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of.”
Describing Judith in one word, Haesley said without hesitation: “tenacious.”
Judith smiled when she heard this. “That’s exactly the word I had in my head for Haesley, too,” she said.
“More than anything else, Mum never took a shortcut,” Haesley said. “She role modeled resilience, integrity, and tenacity. Charlie and I are the benefactors of that.”
And in that enduring spirit of hard work, community, and family, the Cush legacy continues to grow.
Tracie and Maigan Robertson: love, grit, and sticky notes
For Tracie Robertson, Managing Director of Ray White Parkes | Forbes | Condobolin | West Wyalong, real estate wasn’t a calling, it was a challenge. As a talkative teen once told she had “no aptitude for selling,” Tracie made it her mission to prove the doubters wrong.
And she did, while raising a family in the organised chaos of open homes and ringing phones.
“I remember crawling under dining tables during inspections,” her daughter and clearing sales agent, Maigan, laughed. “And writing notes like ‘Get off the phone!’ and sticking them to the window while Mum was on a call.”
It wasn’t always glamorous. Tracie was juggling it all — clients, meetings, and motherhood.
“She was a great mum,” Maigan said.
“But she was so busy. Still is.” School pick-ups were sometimes missed. Time was tight.
“I didn’t get it back then,” Maigan said. “I’d be annoyed. But now I understand.”
Those tough moments planted the seeds of resilience. Maigan learned to think on her feet.
“Whenever there’s a problem now, my first thought is, ‘Let’s fix it. Let’s put a process around it so it doesn’t happen again.’” She developed that mindset straight from Tracie. Real estate didn’t leave much room for chaos. Systems had to be built fast.
Despite the chaos, the respect between them runs deep.
“Maigan was such a helpful little girl,” Tracie said. “Still is.”
Maigan smiled. “You’re the peacemaker. Always calm. Always helping people through tough times. Even when things were rough for you.”
For Tracie, watching Maigan grow into her own role has been the reward.
The funny thing is, Tracie never expected Maigan to join the industry. “Honestly, I assumed she never would,” Tracie said.
“But I’m proud she did.”
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