A spark ignited a decade ago

Will in TRACTION, 2015

Will in 2025, Head of Growth at Ray White West End

When Sandy, TRACTION’s founder, sat down with alumni Will Johanessen, it didn’t take long for the conversation to drift back to the workshop where it all began.

Will, now a 23 year-old real estate professional, lit up talking about his time in our BUILD program a decade ago and the profound difference it made at a pivotal age.

“I’d always been a hands-on person,” he said, remembering how liberating it felt to step out of a traditional classroom and into a space where learning happened through doing.

For him, the appeal was immediate: tools in hand, practical skills to master, and something real to build. “You learn how to do something, and when you finally crack it, there’s satisfaction in that,” he said.

That sense of achievement became an anchor at a time when confidence was fragile. As a young person, Will carried a feeling that the traditional system was working against him.

“I think it's easy for a young person to shut down when someone says you’ve got to act a certain way, you’ve got to do this or that,” said Will. “I just wouldn't participate, or wouldn't have a go at things. I didn't back myself. TRACTION helped me build confidence and think differently about my potential.”

For Will, TRACTION provided something unique, an experience that felt empowering rather than instructive. It also taught him that setbacks aren’t final. “Just because you fail doesn’t mean it’s done. You pick up the pieces and keep going.”

This resilience has served him well in his real estate career, where he is now in a leadership role at a leading real estate agency in Brisbane - a significant achievement for someone so young.

Being younger, he says you have to work a little harder to earn a client’s trust. For him, that comes back to confidence. “It’s that core self-belief that started way back at TRACTION.”

“The self-belief that formed for me at TRACTION has been crucial in my career in real estate. I got into the industry super young. I quickly built my confidence and started selling property myself. It's a great feeling to sell properties for clients. They are putting their property - their biggest asset - with me to take care of, to sell, to get the kind of value they're dreaming of. How did I earn their trust at such a young age? Confidence.”

Sandy was also thrilled to hear Will still keeps in touch with friends made through the program - bonds forged through shared challenges and the quiet wins that came from figuring things out together.

When asked for one word to describe his TRACTION experience, Will didn’t hesitate:

“Epic!”