Property developer worth half a billion dollars, Tim Gurner, reveals how Zoom helped his business

An Australian property developer worth over half a billion dollars has revealed how Zoom helped his business thrive during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Tim Gurner – who is worth $672 million – said the online meeting application gave him back the time he wasted travelling interstate to meet important clients.

The 37-year-old, who took out the number three spot in Australia’s Young Rich List in 2018, said he was planning to cut his domestic travel in half once travelling restrictions ease. 

‘I can now connect with interstate stakeholders at the click of a Zoom link, rather than spending a whole day travelling for one or two quick meetings,’ he told the Australian Financial Review.

‘Until then, I’m not planning on travelling really at all until there is more clarity, so for now, my interstate meetings will continue to be held on Zoom.’ 

Mr Gurner – who famously said millennials should stop forking out ‘$40 a day on smashed avocados and coffees’ – started his first business at university, running events at Melbourne nightclubs.

He then founded a gym business called My Wellbeing after borrowing $34,000 from his grandfather. 

After his father died, Mr Gurner took a year off and sold his business before deciding to invest in property during the global financial crisis in 2008. 

The lockdown period had been a ‘huge test’ for Mr Gurner’s tight-knit staff who he said loved the face-to-face contact in the office.

But despite the major transition, the property tycoon said there had been a string of positive changes to come out of the pandemic – including ‘surprise cuddles’ from his kids.

Mr Gurner started to invest in property in 2008 and was number three on Australia’s Young Rich List in 2018

Mr Gurner said the lockdown gave people a chance to ‘slow down’ and focus on their family and friends first.

The millionaire also says he has no plan to return to the office just yet and will reduce his travel by between 20-40 per cent.

When restrictions were first put in place, Mr Gurner had two high-rise projects on the move.

In just two weeks days he managed to settle 99 per cent of the apartments totalling $180million, using virtual house tours and one-on-one inspections.

The 37-year-old still gets up at 5.30am, claiming it his most ‘productive’ hour of the day.

‘By having more time to myself at home, as opposed to cramming in anywhere between 16 to 20 meetings a day, I’ve been able to focus on the strategic future of the business and explore a lot of alternative opportunities that we have never had the time to consider in the past,’ he said.  

In just 14 days Mr Gurner (left) managed to settle $180million worth of apartments using virtual house tours and one-on-one inspections