WADE MCKENZIE

???? Strata Plus; Strata Partners; Strata Choice; Strata Associates – but Strata Republic? That’s unusual.

???? Yet Strata Republic is the name Wade McKenzie wanted, when he established his own Strata Management business in 2004. The idea for this name sprang from McKenzie’s belief that strata living was a democracy, and he was looking for a name, which was synonymous with this belief. However, he could not come up with a fitting title, until one day, when driving in Crows Nest, he passed a “Coco Republic” shopfront, and the light bulb went on. For many who have lived and worked in strata, this belief might come as a surprise, given how many authoritarian committee members, managers, and residents many of us have encountered. However, McKenzie’s view that strata living is a democracy is technically accurate, in that each lot owner can vote on all issues pertaining to life in their own strata community. It is also consistent with McKenzie’s own positive and egalitarian attitude to life in general and his great passion for the strata industry. It may be an unusual company name, but it’s certainly a memorable one and it is reflective of Wade McKenzie, a young man with an unusual background for a strata manager.

???? Firstly, Wade McKenzie is a proud Wiradjuri man through his mother’s family, and he is one of the few people working in the strata industry, who has an indigenous background. His great grandmother, Vandah Parker, who lived at Rankins Springs about 560 kilometres west of Sydney, was one of the stolen generation. One of McKenzie’s avowed aims in life is to be able to provide both mentoring to young indigenous people in the strata industry and pathways into the industry for them. Given his indigenous heritage, it is little wonder that McKenzie is drawn to strata community management, since our indigenous brothers and sisters have been living communally for more than 60,000 years.

???? Secondly, McKenzie had a pretty tough upbringing in some of the grittiest suburbs in Sydney yet, with determination and self-belief, he has forged an enviable position in the strata industry in 2023.

???? McKenzie was born in July 1980 in Surry Hills to mother, Dale, and father, Jonathan, both in their very late teens at the time of his birth. His parents separated amicably early in his life, and he spent the major part of his younger life with his mother, living in his grandmother’s house in Bourke Street Surry Hills. He attended Riley Street Infants’ School and then Crown Street Public School. When he was ten years old, he moved with his mother into public housing in nearby Waterloo. He attended J J Cahill Memorial High School at Mascot, where his best subjects were English, Mathematics and Legal Studies. In fact, he can clearly remember learning about strata in Legal Studies, little realising then, that it would become such an integral part of his later life.

???? By his own admission, McKenzie was more interested in sport at high school than academic studies and, in addition, he was also a year younger than the others in his year. Consequently, he did not perform so well in his first attempt at the Higher School Certificate in 1997. However, after moving in with his father, who at that time was living in North Sydney, he repeated Year 12 at Marist College North Shore, and on this occasion, he was much more successful, gaining a place at Sydney University to study for a degree in Bachelor of Arts (Psychology).

???? McKenzie quickly found that neither Psychology nor Sydney University suited him. He was still working part time for Coles at Redfern, where he had worked since he was 15 years old, and, so, he decided to leave university and undertake the Diploma in Real Estate at Sydney TAFE at Ultimo. This decision was largely influenced by his father, who had forged a lucrative career in the real estate industry. Jonathan McKenzie was very much a role model for the young Wade. Jonathan not only worked in Real Estate but bought houses; renovated them; and then sold them off. In addition, Wade had attended lots of auctions with his father and had gained a real feel for all aspects of property.

???? In 2001 Wade McKenzie attempted to gain a foothold in the commercial real estate industry, but it was a tough market after the Sydney Olympics, and he could not get a start. It was at this time that he saw a newspaper advertisement for an Assistant to the Director of a strata management company. He faxed off his resume and quickly landed the job as assistant to Peter McNair, who was one of the partners at Strata Associates in Harris Street Pyrmont. Other partners in this business were Judith Ferguson; her son, Craig; Bruce Howland; and John Edwards—illustrious company, indeed. The attraction of both the strata industry and commercial real estate was that there was no weekend work and that was important to McKenzie at this time, as he was also pursuing success in cricket.

???? As a schoolboy, McKenzie had played representative cricket for Randwick and, later, when he moved in with his father, for Mosman Cricket Club. As a bowling all-rounder, he went on to play senior Grade cricket for Mosman, so he wanted his weekends free for cricket.

???? McKenzie had only been at Strata Associates for a few months, when one of the other partners, Craig Ferguson, persuaded him to join his team with the lure of a job as a Strata Manager. He joined Chris Whelan, who was already on Ferguson’s team, and later Zac Marshall. They all became great mates. This proved to be a hothouse of strata development, as all those young men have gone on to run their own, very successful, strata companies. McKenzie worked in this role for two years before moving to Jamesons as a strata manager for a short period.

???? In 2004, McKenzie joined his father, Jonathan, in their own strata business working under the Colliers International banner. They negotiated a franchise deal with Colliers to operate a strata management business out of the Colliers Property Management office in Gloucester Street in the city. They were able to leverage Colliers Residential Project Marketing team and gained access to the developers whose properties Colliers were selling off the plan. A third partner also held shares in their business. This business progressed well for the first couple of years, but in 2007/2008, due to issues caused by the Global Financial Crisis, McKenzie’s father left the business, the third partner buying his shares. It was at this time that Strata Republic was born. New premises were leased on the 7th floor at 70 Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD and McKenzie and his business partner launched Strata Republic, independent of Colliers.

???? In May 2022, McKenzie acquired 100% of the shares in Strata Republic and he immediately moved the company’s office from the CBD to new premises in Harvey Street Pyrmont. He had several reasons for this move, but primary amongst them were his fond memories of his days with Strata Associates up the road in Harris Street. In addition, rents were cheaper in Pyrmont for better premises; travel for strata managers was far easier; there was a dearth of strata management companies in the area; Pyrmont was a densely populated, high end apartment suburb; and the company, now boasting a staff of 13, had outgrown its CBD accommodation.

???? In another major move for Strata Republic, McKenzie is planning to open an office in Byron Bay later this year. He already divides his working week between Sydney and Byron, flying into Sydney early on Monday and flying back to Byron late on Wednesday. He spends Thursday and Friday in Byron Bay preparing his new office and gaining clients for this new venture. In his spare time, McKenzie spends a lot of time on his fitness, being part of Mark Carroll’s high intensity training group back in Woolloomooloo, along with weight training and another great passion, touch football. He has also recently discovered golf and is rapidly becoming addicted to the sport.

????? McKenzie’s plans for the future of Strata Republic revolve around his staff eventually taking over from him down the track. He has many long-term employees, including Amelia Causer & Ying Xie, both of whom have been with McKenzie’s company for well over a decade. He is also keen to support his staff if they wish to take up more active roles within SCA (NSW), such as positions on all the various committees or even at board level.

???? McKenzie also has a vision of assisting more indigenous people to gain a start in the strata industry and mentoring them on their strata journey. He, himself, is proud to have been part of strata’s development over the past 20 years as it progressed from cottage industry to the monolith that it is today, and he would love to see more indigenous men and women be part of strata’s journey over the next 20 years.

??? ?The story of Wade McKenzie and Strata Republic is certainly an inspiring one. It is a story of creating a successful business during a 20-year period, which was blighted by two of the most destructive and daunting crises of the past century namely, the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet through it all, McKenzie has built a very viable business, boasting steady growth and a loyal, long-term staff. At the same time, he is clearly focused on a future in which he, not only makes a lasting contribution to the growth of his staff, but also creates pathways for more indigenous Australians to follow his footsteps into the strata industry.