Top Women - 17th Edition

ICON PROPERTY

ICON PROPERTY CEO, MELISSA PHELPS, SHARES WHAT DROVE HER BUSINESS TO SUCCESS

“We started on the 16th of January 2008, and we closed our first sale the very next day. That showed me that we were on the right track.” Melissa Phelps - CEO and Principal of Icon Property Group.

Hailing from the Northern Suburbs in Cape Town, Melissa Phelps wanted to bring something fresh to the Cape Flats property market. In 2008, as the real estate market entered into a recession, Melissa and her husband, Gary, started Icon Property Group (IPG) from their dining room table, with startup capital of just R5 000.

From the outset, her goal was to see service excellence become the distinguishing factor for her brand. In hindsight, this call proved to be the one that set Melissa and her business up for success.

“I felt at home in that market and people knew who I was. So, starting my own business in that arena was a natural progression for me,” she said. Since then, the IPG name has become so well known in the Cape Flats community, that sellers seek Melissa and her team out to sell their homes.

Today, IPG has offices in Mitchell’s Plain, Delft, Eerste River, Strand, and Somerset West. The business holds a level 1 BEE rating as it is 100% black female-owned. On women empowerment, IPG boasts impressive statistics, as 77% of the staff are women.

“This is a female-dominated industry because people are more comfortable sharing the personal details involved in selling a home, with women”, Melissa said.

Of her own experiences, Melissa recounts that she has always aimed to embody client-focused professionalism. This is evidenced by the flow of client referrals in her business. “I once had a client call me 12 years after I helped him sell his home, insisting that I help a member of his family who was now selling their home as well,” Melissa shared. “It feels good to know that people can see where my heart is. That’s my legacy,” she continued.

This clean-cut client-centred approach is what defines the IPG brand. This is also what sets the business up to attain its objectives. These include a greater market share in Cape Town, with markets in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal on the horizon.

Melissa noted a focus on harnessing the impact of the digital and social media tools that exist today. “The pandemic catapulted us into the future, it pushed us to do away with the traditional approach to doing business in favour of all-thingsonline. This is likely to continue, with digital platforms increasingly filling the gaps in how properties are sold.

“We recognise the opportunity to grow into the advantages that smart tech has to offer, and we’re embracing it,” she said.

“A lot is happening within IPG at the moment. We’re investing in our agents, developing their skills. The more equipped our team is, the better they will serve our clients. That’s the only way that we see the business growing the way we intend it to.” Melissa said.

CONTACT

Physical address: Unit 108 Wentworth, Somerset Links Office Park, De Beers Avenue, Somerset West

Phone: 021 203 1620

Email Address: info@iconpg.co.za