Opening The Gates To More Listings

Simon Gates
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May 11, 2026 • 1h 2min

Episode 295: Andy McMenemy

Today's guest is a life coach who specialises in peak personal performance. He has studied and been fascinated by human behavioural psychology for over 30 years and has trained and qualified with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis and the Northern College of Therapeutic Hypnosis, earning a Distinction in both Clinical Hypnotherapy and Therapeutic Hypnosis from the Medical Hypnotherapy Examination Board.Having developed a successful 22-year career climbing the corporate ladder to hold senior management and leadership positions in £500 million- and £1.3 billion-pound organisations,  he now works with clients navigating chronic stress, psychological trauma, post traumatic stress, anxiety, panic attacks, exhaustion, burnout, depression, and the relationship strain that so often travels alongside all of it. But he also works with people who simply want to understand themselves better, unlock the resources they already have inside them, and live on their own terms, happy, content, and properly engaged with their lives. Which, when you think about it, is the brief most of us are quietly working to.He has completed the Marathon des Sables (often called the "toughest footrace on earth") and also ran 66 ultra marathons in 66 consecutive days across 66 cities all over the UK.He is the honoured recipient of the True Englishman of the Year Award, and was also honoured by the Yorkshire Society with the Richard Whiteley Award for Inspiration.In this episode we discuss building trust, demonstrating value, confidence in pricing, the psychology of influence, overcoming limitations, mindset, discipline, managing stress, purpose, visibility and personal growth.You definitely want to check out this episode with an incredibly inspiring person and it will certainly get you thinking differently moving forward.
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May 7, 2026 • 48min

Episode 294: Opening The Gates X The Complete Agent Part 1 - Before You Charge More, Fix This First.

In this episode, I'm joined by James Kendall, Dave Warburton and Ian Storey to break down exactly how estate agents can transition from low fee, high volume business into the mid to higher end of the market.The conversation centres around a core principle most agents struggle to commit to: selectivity. Rather than taking on everything, the panel explains how deliberately turning away lower quality stock early on helps shape brand perception and attract higher value homes.They explore the reality of starting out, including the pressure of cash flow, the role of confidence, and why many agents fail because they try to “ease into” the higher end rather than fully committing to it.A major theme throughout is how you look as a business. From branding and websites through to brochures, boards and even business cards, the discussion highlights how perception drives instruction at the top end of the market. Poor alignment between marketing quality and target client will immediately undermine credibility.The group also dives into:* Why branding often needs a full reset, not a tweak* The importance of consistency across every listing and touchpoint* How better quality marketing directly influences the type of client you attract* Why most agents’ marketing strategies last weeks, not months, despite properties sitting on the market for far longer* How to generate higher-end listings through direct mail, social media, and on-market prospecting* The opportunity sitting in unsold, overpriced stock* Why price, not marketing, is often the real issue when properties don’t sell* And ultimately, why you are the USP, not just your marketingThe episode finishes with a clear message: breaking into the mid to higher end isn’t about one tactic. It’s about clarity of brand, consistency of execution, and the discipline to do the basics better than everyone else.
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May 4, 2026 • 1h 14min

Episode 293: Simon Leadbetter

Today's returning guest for a now unprecedented tenth appearance is the founder of We Are Unchained, a strategic marketing consultancy that helps businesses grow faster by enhancing their market insight, strategy, activity, and talent.Over his 8 years experience in the estate agency industry, he has worked with Countrywide, Fine & Country, Keller Williams, and Knight Frank.He's also a mentor at Agents Together, Propertymark Trust Ambassador and Fractional CMO for Lemon and Lime Interiors.With over 30 years of marketing experience across multiple sectors, from startups to FTSE100, he has turned failing marketing teams around, and educated hundreds of people on the science and art of marketing.His mission is to make quality strategic marketing and practical advice accessible to every business, whether they need a virtual CMO, a one-to-one mentor, or a marketing trainer.In this episode, we discuss the results of part two of the Voice of The Agent 2026, covering topics such as marketing, social media, content creation, video and AI. If you've not already read part two of the report, please do contact me for a copy of it and I will happily share it with you.
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Apr 30, 2026 • 56min

Episode 292: Oliver Hewitt

Today's guest is the Director of Sales at Duncan Yeardley & Sears Property. He has been working in the property industry since 2005, having enjoyed running his own estate agency in his 20’s and working for independent estate agents. In this episode we discuss human connection, personal brand, talent, culture, leadership, mentorship, mindset, prospecting, networks, flexible/blended fees, ancillary revenue and implementation.Definitely check out this conversation to hear from someone who in my opinion, goes under the radar in the industry, but has so much value to give.
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Apr 27, 2026 • 1h 12min

Episode 291: Simon Leadbetter

Today's returning guest for a now unprecedented ninth appearance is the founder of We Are Unchained, a strategic marketing consultancy that helps businesses grow faster by enhancing their market insight, strategy, activity, and talent.Over his 8 years experience in the estate agency industry, he has worked with Countrywide, Fine & Country, Keller Williams, and Knight Frank.He's also a mentor at Agents Together, Propertymark Trust Ambassador and Fractional CMO for Lemon and Lime Interiors.With over 30 years of marketing experience across multiple sectors, from startups to FTSE100, he has turned failing marketing teams around, and educated hundreds of people on the science and art of marketing.His mission is to make quality strategic marketing and practical advice accessible to every business, whether they need a virtual CMO, a one-to-one mentor, or a marketing trainer.In this episode, we discuss the results of part one of the Voice of The Agent 2026, covering topics such as market sentiment, AI, sales & lettings, house prices, fees, communication, marketing, 2025 performance and 2026 outlook.If you've not already read part one of the report, please do contact me for a copy of it and I will happily share it with you.
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Apr 23, 2026 • 52min

Episode 290: Peter Rollings FRICS

Today's guest is an industry legend and here are just a few highlights from his CV:Joined Foxtons in 1985 as one of just 20 employeesAppointed MD in 1997 (10 offices, £10m turnover) Grew it to 17 offices and £40m turnoverLeft in early 2005 to acquire Marsh & Parsons→Sold Marsh & Parsons to LSL PLC in November 2011 for £53mThese days he work as a Non-Executive Director and advisor, partnering with founders and leadership teams on growth strategy, operational discipline, and building cultures that actually perform, not just look good on paper.Some of the topics discussed in the episode were the Foxtons era, daily structure, recruitment, recessions, business strategy, proptech/AI, mentorship, collaboration and improving the estate agency profession. These businesses include names such as Viewber and Nesti to name a couple. What he doesn't know about estate agency isn't worth knowing and trust me, you won't want to miss this one as it's an absolute belter.
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Apr 20, 2026 • 1h 25min

Episode 289: Tom Ashwood & Harvey Theakston

Today's guests are the Managing Director and Senior Client Manager at Tom Ashwood & Co, who are proud members of The FIA. In this episode we discuss career transitions, market shifts, data, pricing, performance, fee justification, communication, the power of language, GeoCale, networking and collaboration.Make sure to check out this conversation as their first appearance on the podcast got very positive feedback and there is plenty of gold shared in this episode as well.
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Apr 16, 2026 • 51min

Episode 288: Verona Frankish

Today's returning guest is CEO of Yopa Property, Chair of WIEA, IWIP Woman of the Year and a board advisor for Propflo.Her journey to holding very senior positions in the property industry is incredibly motivating and I can't help but be very inspired from every conversation I have with her.In this episode we discuss her achievements at Yopa so far, her career, Purple Bricks, Women In Estate Agency, conferences, community, Agents Together, self-employment, customer retention/nurture/lifetime value, leadership, discipline, family, partnership, personal brand and continuous learning. Make sure you give this episode a listen if you want to hear from one of the top figures within our industry right now!
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Apr 13, 2026 • 1h 3min

Episode 287: Kate Brookfield

Today's guest is the Founder of Kate Brookfield Limited Bespoke agency specialising in creative marketing and social media led estate agency; selling happy homes for happy people and affectionately known as the homebuyers Cilla Black.She started her journey in the property world in 2002 working within a boutique, all female Estate Agency in Belsize Park and now with over 20+ years of experience and a reputation built on quiet consistency, bold leadership and impeccable taste, she is one of London’s most respected property professionals. She doesn’t just sell homes, she curates them.In early 2024, she launched her own brand, Kate Brookfield, and became the first collaborator with Vita Collaborations. The move marked a natural evolution in her career, combining her design-led sensibility and creative marketing mind to deliver a curated and considered service focusing on interiors and lifestyle through content creation.Specialising in North West and West London, she has an instinct for homes that tell a story and has also redefined how property is presented and sold on social media. Her distinctive, design-driven content generates exceptional visibility and momentum, with listings that don’t just sell, they captivate.In this episode we discuss authenticity, marketing, modern real estate, entrepreneurship, personal branding, social media, owning a niche, plus loads more valuable content.Make sure to give this conversation a listen with one of the leading voices in the new age of estate agents on social media.
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Apr 9, 2026 • 50min

Episode 286: Mark Buchanan

Today's guest is a 5x Icon estate agent, eXp Agent's agent of the year twice, and 2x #International Agent for Units Sold at eXp.He is also Team Leader of the current #1 International Team for both Units Sold & Volume and has built a 6-figure estate agency in West Cumbria.Before all of this, he started his career in social lettings in 2012, joined estate agency in 2015, and then joined Purple Bricks in 2018, before finally launching his own business in 2020. This has seen him travel to places such as Lisbon and Las Vegas to speak on stage about the secrets behind his success.In this episode we discuss the power of consistency, effective time management, social media growth, leveraging video, data-driven pricing strategies, continuous learning, the importance of a supportive community and loads more incredibly valuable content.Make sure to check out this conversation with one of the highest performing estate agents across the whole of the UK as he shares the formula to achieving exceptional results.

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