Letting & Estate Agent Podcast Control freak Estate Agency bosses - Ep. 2441
Jan 7, 2026
In this insightful discussion, guests Sam Ashdown and Phil Jones, co-founders of Ashdown Jones and experts in driving agency growth, reveal key challenges faced by UK estate agents. They tackle the pitfalls of micromanagement and the necessity of transparent KPIs, emphasizing how many owners struggle with delegation. The duo explains how accepting a bit of imperfection can free up time for strategic growth. They highlight the dangers of the artisan trap, where hands-on control limits financial success, and share their journey towards data-driven management for sustainable agency development.
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Owner Keeps Tight Financial Control
- Sam Ashdown describes an agency owner who alone controls the company bank account and payroll despite running a million-pound turnover business with 18 staff.
- This extreme control forces the owner to handle payments and payroll personally, even on holiday.
Transparency Aligns Teams
- Sam and Phil stress transparency by displaying KPIs and financial targets publicly in their meeting room.
- Most estate agencies hide these metrics because owners cling to control, which limits team alignment.
Accept 70–80% Performance
- Accept that team members will perform at about 70–80% of your personal standard and stop micromanaging.
- Use the freed time as leverage to work on higher-value tasks that grow the business.