A former tech company founder who successfully scaled and took public an Australian marketplace platform is applying those same growth principles to build a rapidly expanding real estate operation across the American South.
“The trick to scale was to start to make yourself redundant,” says Stephen Keighery, Founder of Home Buyer Louisiana, who previously grew a tech company to 300 employees before its public listing. “I always did something, and then I always made myself redundant… sometimes not even knowing what I was gonna do next.”
According to Keighery, this systematic approach to replacing yourself in key roles creates space for strategic growth: “I just replaced myself completely and go, ‘Okay, I got nothing to do now.’ And I found something to do in a second, there’s no shortage of things to do in your company.”
Stephen Keighery methodically built his real estate team by prioritizing roles that would free him to focus on growth. His first hire was an acquisitions specialist to manage communications with sellers. Next, he brought on a dispositions expert, though he initially resisted giving up control of buyer relationships. He then expanded the sales team further and now plans to hire a marketing specialist. “They’re better than me now,” Keighery says of his dispositions team, who now handle property analysis and deal underwriting, allowing him to concentrate on strategic initiatives.
The redundancy principle in Stephen Keighery’s business applies not just to team structure but also to systems and technology. “That’s not just in people. It’s also in systems,” he explains. His operation relies on tools like Salesforce CRM, AI-powered automation, standardized processes for market analysis, and a systematic approach to expanding into new markets, all designed to ensure the business runs efficiently, even without his direct involvement.
Having completed over 206 deals in their initial market, Keighery’s team has expanded with intention. “We don’t want to be national… we want to maintain our local feel and roll out bit by bit,” he explains. This measured approach prioritizes deep local knowledge, strong buyer relationships, consistent service quality, and a clear understanding of market-specific challenges.
Each new market is selected through careful analysis to ensure sufficient transaction volume and opportunity. “The markets we pick, we analyze them first to make sure there’s transactions and volumes,” Keighery adds, underscoring the team’s commitment to data-driven growth.
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