Sam and Phil tackle the ongoing challenge of hiring and recruitment, from feeling stretched too thin and hitting financial ceilings, to making key decisions about when and who to recruit to enable growth.

Many common business obstacles come back to recruitment but planning your agency’s structure ahead of time can also help break plateaus and prepare for long-term progress.

Why should you prioritise recruitment, even when time or finances feel tight, and how can you step back from frontline agency work to drive success?

Here’s how we can help you to IGNITE your agency:

Find out more about COSMO and take advantage of our exclusive podcast offer!

LISTEN to another episode

Request an AJ Mastermind brochure by calling 015394 40892 or emailing emma@ajmastermind.co.uk

Connect with a community of ambitious agency owners on our private AJ Mastermind FACEBOOK PAGE

For your questions, reach out to Sam Or Phil: sam@ajmastermind.co.uk OR phil@ashdownjones.co.uk

Stay updated on our upcoming EVENTS

Some key takeaways:

➡️ Recruitment is often the answer when your estate agency hits a ceiling or the owner is overwhelmed.
➡️ Building a future-focused Org chart helps clarify hiring needs and unlock the next stage of business growth.
➡️ Investing time in recruitment—even when it feels impossible—prevents bottlenecks and prepares your agency for opportunity.

Some great moments:

✅ “As soon as you drop down to a level that is paid less than you want to take as a salary, you’re costing your business the opportunities that you would create otherwise.”
✅ “If you don’t have time to recruit, it’s because you didn’t recruit when you were supposed to recruit. The best time to recruit is right now.”
✅ “No successful business ever has one person bank access ever. That will definitely slow you down.”

Cosmo: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/cosmoignite

Listen: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/ignite-podcast

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajmmforagencygrowth

Upcoming Events: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/events/

Pack your bags because we’re going on holiday with Phil! How do holidays shape your business growth, motivation, and agency operations? Regular breaks can impact your mindset, family dynamics, and agency performance.

Phil shares his holiday schedule and discusses the practicalities of balancing agency demands with time away. Sam and Phil reflect on how lifestyle goals, including travel, serve as drivers for income and business structure.

How can you have more freedom while delivering exceptional service and running your business to support your personal priorities, whether that’s travel or something else entirely?

Here’s how we can help you to IGNITE your agency:

Find out more about COSMO and take advantage of our exclusive podcast offer!

LISTEN to another episode

Request an AJ Mastermind brochure by calling 015394 40892 or emailing emma@ajmastermind.co.uk

Connect with a community of ambitious agency owners on our private AJ Mastermind FACEBOOK PAGE

For your questions, reach out to Sam Or Phil: sam@ajmastermind.co.uk OR phil@ashdownjones.co.uk

Stay updated on our upcoming EVENTS

Some key takeaways:

➡️ Designing your agency around your personal goals is both possible and impactful.
➡️ Creating business systems allows owners to step away without sacrificing client service.
➡️ Motivation and agency progress can be fuelled by having clear lifestyle rewards in mind.

Some great moments:

✅ “What it allows me to do is go full speed for a period of time. And I'm sure there's people out there that can go full speed for the full year, but my head doesn't work like that.”
✅ “It gives me headspace and clarity. It gives me motivation to come back and earn money because I want more experiences like that.”
✅ “So what's important to me is lots of holidays and time in the family. I'm not interested in watches at all or anything like that.”

Cosmo: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/cosmoignite

Listen: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/ignite-podcast

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajmmforagencygrowth

Upcoming Events: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/events/

Sam is joined by Clare Hughes whose career journey went from London’s high street agencies to founding her own business with eXp. She shares how the landscape in East London has changed since the 2012 Olympic regeneration.

Clare is the co-founder (with Liana Loporto-Browne) of Women in Estate Agency, which aims to create a safe space for sharing challenges unique to women in the industry. Clare and Sam discuss the impact of leadership programs, the value of mentorship, and strategies for long-term relationship marketing.

Other topics include gender dynamics in recruitment, unconscious bias in job specs, and what agency owners can do to promote equality in their teams.

Here’s how we can help you to IGNITE your agency:

Find out more about COSMO and take advantage of our exclusive podcast offer!

LISTEN to another episode

Request an AJ Mastermind brochure by calling 015394 40892 or emailing emma@ajmastermind.co.uk

Connect with a community of ambitious agency owners on our private AJ Mastermind FACEBOOK PAGE

For your questions, reach out to Sam Or Phil: sam@ajmastermind.co.uk OR phil@ashdownjones.co.uk

Stay updated on our upcoming EVENTS

If you missed it, you can watch Liam’s viral video on…

TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdjjNGGL/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI9aS-sNRM9/?igsh=MTJiem9xdmxoZjhsZg==

Some key takeaways:

➡️ Leveraging local networks and referrals can underpin agency growth.
➡️ Building a personal brand often means overcoming self-doubt and prioritising authenticity.
➡️ Addressing equality and bias in recruitment is essential for future-ready estate agencies.

Some notable moments:

✅ “Have you, have you read the let them theory?... You can't change what somebody's thinking about you... You can only change yourself.”
✅ “It's me that gets me through the door. EXP is a platform to run the business how I want to.”
✅ “If women don't meet at least seven out of ten (criteria), they won't apply. Whereas men, it's about three and they'll apply.”

Women in Estate Agency: https://womeninestateagency.co.uk/

Cosmo: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/cosmoignite

Listen: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/ignite-podcast

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajmmforagencygrowth

Upcoming Events: https://www.ajmastermind.co.uk/events/