Summary. Not many Tall Poppy agents can lay claim to having looked after a future monarch, made rock stars laugh or met their spouse-to-be at 30,000 feet, but Kapiti couple Steven Brown and Vanessa Bond can tick off all these and more, as they look back on their move from the travel industry into the more grounded territory of real estate.

Stories from the skies: Kapiti couple’s move from travel to real estate

Monday 27 June ‘22

The pair met when they were both flight attendants, and say that despite gruelling hours and the alternating shifts they worked for many years, they have many fond memories of their time in the skies.

“I once looked after Prince William on a flight to Christchurch when he was visiting after the earthquakes,” Steven recalls.

“I had to Google the correct etiquette, but I think I did go outside the rules a bit at the end of the flight when he was about to step out and talk to media - I noticed his collar was tucked in on one side, so I sorted it for him. I hope he didn’t mind!”

Steven also remembers a time when rock mavens Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow were to be on his flight with their families and entourage.

“Other travellers didn’t know they would be on board. I thought I’d be a bit cheeky so I quickly looked up a list of their song titles, and when I did my public announcement at the start of the flight I dropped as many of them in as puns as I could,” he says.

“When they disembarked, they both came up laughing and told me how much they’d loved it”.

Vanessa says flight attendants have a very unique job where close proximity with people from all walks of life is part of the package.

“From prime ministers and dignitaries to everyday people, you are privileged to have a personal interaction and experience with them,” she says.

“This is why we both have found the transition into real estate so smooth. We love the fact we are able to establish genuine connections with people and give it our all. It’s all about the human factor”.

The couple say this human factor is why they chose Tall Poppy, after finding they weren’t as comfortable with the fairness of other real estate models in the market.

“Tall Poppy aligns with our values, it’s real and about connections with people - that’s why we’ve been able to make this leap with ease,” Vanessa says.

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