#8 - My business failures

For the third and final episode of The Agent's Journal Housing Crisis series, I’m joined by Kevin Hollinrake MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and CommunitiesKevin is also the founder of Hunters Estate Agents, one of the most recognisable estate agency brands in the country.In our conversation, we discuss the current housing crisis, his thoughts on the Renters’ Reform Bill, and Labour’s 1.5 million new homes target.However, as an estate agency podcast, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to explore the story behind Hunters. - what made it a success, the challenges it faced along the way, including a time when it faced imminent failure, and how it became the thriving business it is today.To be the first to hear future episodes, sign up for The Agent’s Journal mailing list here: https://www.theagentsjournal.co.uk/subscribe

In this second instalment of our Housing Crisis mini-series, I’m joined by Rhys Brown of Cavendish Consulting, a public relations, public affairs, and communications consultancy.Rhys has been active in local politics for the past six years, leading successful campaigns at a local level. He now plays a key role in working with housebuilders, managing community engagement to help deliver successful planning outcomes. His insights—both from a political perspective and through his career at Cavendish—offer a unique look behind the scenes at the political challenges, the complexities of the planning system, and the upcoming changes that could impact housebuilding.The Agent’s Journal (www.theagentsjournal.co.uk) is a podcast, blog, and newsletter for estate agents. Our goal is to provide a resource that helps estate agents grow their businesses while deepening their understanding of the wider, deeply interconnected property industry—building expertise and enabling them to offer expert advice. 

In the first installment of our Housing Crisis mini-series, I’m joined by Russell Quirk. Russell brings a unique perspective, having been an estate agent, a local councillor, a PR professional, and a host on TalkTV. He offers fascinating insights into his career as an estate agent, his experiences in local government, and his audacious blueprint to solve the housing crisis. The Agent’s Journal (www.theagentsjournal.co.uk) is a podcast, blog, and newsletter for estate agents. Our goal is to provide a resource that helps estate agents grow their businesses while deepening their understanding of the wider, deeply interconnected property industry—building expertise and enabling them to offer expert advice.

In this episode, I announce the first mini-series for The Agent’s Journal Podcast, tackling one of the biggest issues of our time: the housing crisis. The first episode drops very soon! This three-episode series explores the causes, potential solutions, and implications of the crisis, featuring unique perspectives from guests, including Kevin Hollinrake MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing. Each conversation goes beyond the housing sector, touching on politics, business, and their intersections. The aim? To help our community gain a deeper understanding of the housing sector’s complexities, empowering us to offer more informed advice and broader insights. A teaser for Episode 1: my guest, a well-known industry figure often seen in the press or on TV, shares bold insights and an audacious solution to the crisis. Subscribe to be the first to hear when the first episode goes live.

In this next Agent Stories episode, where I sit down with agents to explore their journeys in the industry, I speak with Tom Sturton, Partner at Hortons.  Tom talks about the transition to hospitality to estate agency, and what his journal into self employment has been like to so far. Whether you’re already a self-employed estate agent or considering taking the leap into self-employment, I hope this conversation inspires you and offers valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in this rewarding career path.

This week, I wanted to share a conversation I had on ‘How I Failed in Business.’ As the title suggests, we talked through my failures in business, both before and during the journey of building Hortons. It’s a topic I’ve become passionate about - not only because I now see how each of those failures was a crucial stepping stone in getting Hortons to where it is today, but also because I wish our society viewed failure differently. In this conversation, we explore failure as a whole, and how it's an essential part of the business journey.

In this bonus episode, we kick off the first in a series of Agent Stories episodes, where I sit down with agents to explore their journeys in the industry. For our first episode, I’m speaking with Emma Gough, a self-employed Partner Agent at Hortons. Whether you’re already a self-employed estate agent or considering taking the leap into self-employment, I hope this conversation inspires you and offers valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in this rewarding career path.

In this episode of The Agent’s Journal podcast, we talk about the importance of habits to your long term success, and how everyday, your habits are you’re casting a vote for the type person who you want to become. 

In this episode of The Agent’s Journal podcast, as come to the end of the year, we talk about a process to help plan and execute on your goals for 2025 to make it your best year yet. 

In this episode of The Agent’s Journal podcast, we examine one of the most consistent traits of high-performing estate agents,  what you can learn from it, and how you can implement simple ideas into your daily habits that will help you achieve more.