In this weeks Estate Agency Leaders Podcast, we chat with with James Ankers, the visionary founder of the outsourced sales progression powerhouse, QuickChain!

Prepare for a deep dive into the shocking truth about today's property market: why is the average transaction now a jaw-dropping 16 to 17 weeks? James Ankers calls this "insane". We uncover the core reasons for this agonizing delay, including the "plummeted" standard of conveyancing where many firms operate on a "pile it high, sell it cheap" model.

The episode explores how a lack of vital "handholding" for buyers and sellers, and the late scheduling of surveys, are contributing to high rates of deals collapsing.

Discover the critical mission for every estate agent: to dedicate serious time to "thoroughly" qualify every link in a property chain before the deal is celebrated.

Finally, the discussion culminates with a powerful case for leveraging outsourced sales progression. James Ankers argues that for a business owner, it is far more profitable and less risky to outsource to a specialist team than to face the "fixed cost" of an in-house progressor, dealing with the inevitable crises of staff holidays, sickness, or sudden resignations. This is the essential guide to turning your property pipeline from a liability into a highly efficient, profit-generating asset!

Join us for a dynamic conversation with Adam Day, the entrepreneur behind the UK's second online estate agent, Hatched, and the driving force behind the massive growth of EXP in the UK, which has just hit 900 agents.Day dives into his entrepreneurial journey, from selling cans of Coke as a kid to founding Hatched to solve cash flow issues by charging upfront fees. Discover why he sees Purplebricks’ deferred payment model as an "absolute game changer" and the industry's tipping point.Hear Day's candid thoughts on leadership—why he’s a visionary, not an integrator—and the core ingredients to EXP's success, including the crucial two-year experience requirement for agents and the power of rewarding agents through equity and revenue share.Finally, Day shares his prediction for the future: how agentic AI could eliminate the biggest challenge in the self-employed model and why his single piece of advice for independent estate agency owners in 2026 is to overcome the fear of failure and "just do it".

In this episode of Estate Agency Leaders, Ian Preston interviews Joanna Knight on Culture, Leaders.Inc, Growth, and Future Business Models.

Join us as we sit down with Joanna Knight, CEO of Leaders, Inc., to trace her unique career path from selling typewriter ribbons internationally to becoming a driving force behind Moneypenny for two decades.

Jo, who was recognized with an OBE for her services, discusses how she helped two Prime Ministers on their business advisory council.

She also reveals the foundational principles behind Moneypenny’s renowned culture, a business that fundamentally answers phone calls for companies.

She emphasises that a positive work environment isn't created by "one big magic button" but by a "collection of... the hundred thousand tiny little things that matter".

At Leaders.Inc., Jo’s strategy focuses on "incremental marginal gains, evolution rather than revolution," aiming for "more of the same but even better".

Finally, the conversation tackles the integration of technology in people-focused businesses. Jo advises us against choosing "people or tech," urging leaders to instead ask, "what does my future business model look like?".

She encourages entrepreneurs to trust their "gut feel" over a "solid business case".

Her final advice for business owners for 2026 is to invest in their people, giving them "space to learn" and connect with "great people from other businesses".