Send us a text In this week's episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, Holly sits down with Graham Howell; estate agency veteran, mentor, and now self-employed partner agent at The Avenue Estate Agents. From corporate beginnings at Connells to regional training at Purplebricks and Yopa, Graham has lived and breathed agency for over 20 years. Now, he’s building a business rooted in local community, family values, and relationship-first agency. They explore the real journey behind self-employmen...
Send us a text Welcome to the final part of our special In Conversation trilogy with the UK’s leading psychological performance coach, Stephen-James Copp. In Episode 1, we explored how the brain is wired and why the stories we tell ourselves matter. In Episode 2, we uncovered the origins of those stories, from parents and peers to experiences that leave lasting imprints. And now in Episode 3, we dive into the solutions: how to break free from limiting patterns, how to implement practical too...
Send us a text Welcome back to In Conversation — the Elite Agent Masterclass series with James Humphries-Stone and leading psychological performance coach Stephen-James Copp. In Part 1, we explored how the brain can be rewired and how stories shape our beliefs. In Part 2, we go deeper: where do these thought patterns actually come from, and how can we begin to change them today? Stephen shares powerful insights into how subtle experiences in childhood, the words of our parents, or even the ...
Send us a text In this first part of our three-part series, In conversation with Stephen James Copp: mastering the mind for high performance, James sits down with the UK’s leading psychological performance coach to explore the power of the mind and how our stories shape who we are. Stephen unpacks why the belief that “a leopard never changes its spots” is one of psychology’s biggest myths — and how, with awareness and the right tools, anyone can reframe their thinking and create lasting chang...
Send us a text "How do I sell without sounding salesy?" That’s the question Matt Selby has spent years helping business owners answer — and in this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, he joins James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin for a powerful conversation on selling ethically, effectively, and with emotional intelligence. If you’ve ever struggled with fee objections, felt awkward about ‘closing’, or wished you could convert more clients without the cringe — this episode will give you p...
Send us a text 📅 Event Info: Thursday 4th September Calderfields Golf Club, Walsall (Just outside Sutton Coldfield) Ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-generate-more-leads-make-more-sales-build-consistent-cashflow-tickets-1498704849549?aff=oddtdtcreator 🎯 How do you generate more leads? 🎯 How do you convert them into secure, successful sales? 🎯 And how do you create consistent cashflow from your pipeline? In this special episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Sto...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin sit down with Sam, the founder of PropServ — the platform that’s changing how estate agents handle property maintenance, client care and cashflow. What started as an idea inside an agency is now a fully built PropTech solution that’s solving a huge pain point for lettings agents: repairs and maintenance. Sam shares the behind-the-scenes journey of building PropServ from scratch — and how they’...
Send us a text In this episode of Elite Agent Masterclass, we welcome Sam Cable, Lettings Director at The Avenue Estate Agents, for a deep dive into the current (and future) state of the UK lettings market. With years of experience across corporate, independent, and self-employed brokerages, Sam brings sharp insight into where the industry is heading — and how agents and landlords alike can stay ahead. Inside the episode: Why the lettings model is overdue a major shakeupThe legislation change...
Send us a text In this episode of Elite Agent Masterclass, Jack Durkin and Holly Boylan are joined by Ian Macbeth, co-founder of Avocado Property, The Momentum Group, and The Survey Network. Known for his bold approach to branding and disrupting the traditional estate agency model, Ian shares how Avocado carved out its identity in a crowded market — and what other agents can learn from it. Inside the episode: Why clarity of brand message matters more than flashy marketingThe “Power of Three” ...
Send us a text In this episode, Jack Durkin and Holly Boylan sit down with Rob Brady — TEDx speaker, coach, and Head of Strategy at Iceberg Digital — to talk about what it really takes to build a future-ready estate agency. Rob shares his journey from being a disruptive sales director in corporate agency life to coaching some of the UK's most progressive independents. If you’ve ever felt stuck using outdated strategies or want to stop chasing volume and start building a business that runs on ...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, Jack Durkin and Holly Boylan sit down with Richard Austen, a premium-market agent with decades of experience — and now a self-employed partner at The Avenue. Richard shares the honest highs and lows of transitioning from corporate agency life to self-employment, navigating premium listings, and what it’s really like building a personal brand in today’s market. Inside the episode: How Richard pivoted from quantity surveying to esta...
Send us a text In this punchy solo minisode, James Humphries-Stone shares his raw, unfiltered take on the recent BBC Panorama investigation into estate agency practices at Connells and Purplebricks. But rather than pointing fingers at frontline agents, James looks higher up the chain — straight at leadership. Inside the episode: Why the real issue isn’t bad agents — it’s broken KPIs and toxic leadershipHow incentivising price reductions indirectly encourages overvaluingWhy the branch manager ...
Send us a text Today, James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin reflect on their recent business and mindset retreat in Girona, Spain, sharing the powerful lessons and takeaways that are already changing their business, relationships, and approach to estate agency. Inside the episode: Why they invest heavily in masterminds outside of estate agencyThe importance of putting yourself in new rooms to gain fresh perspectivesHow avoiding problems creates voids in your business and relationshipsThe comm...
Send us a text Welcome back to another episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass. Today, James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin are joined by Brian Mansell, co-founder of Gazelle, the man revolutionising the way agents secure sales and protect their pipelines. Known for never shying away from controversial industry truths, Brian shares: How his Foxtons background shaped his approach to valueWhy agents need to stop thinking like agents and start thinking like the publicThe origins of Gazelle and h...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin sit down with Bailee and Alice Curran to unpack their incredible journey since launching their self-employed estate agency business with The Avenue just six months ago. Bailee and Alice are not your typical agents. They’ve built a six-figure pipeline in record time, and today they reveal exactly how they did it. Inside this episode: Why Bailee almost backed out of joining The Avenue and how he...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, Jack Durkin sits down once again with Holly Boylan — Head of Operations at The Avenue Estate Agents (and affectionately known as the "Queen of Process") — to deep-dive into one of the most crucial topics for any self-employed agent: The power of systems, structure and process. Whether you're launching your self-employed estate agency business, or you're already established but feeling overwhelmed, this is essential listening. Insi...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Stone and Jack Durkin tackle one of the hottest and most frustrating challenges facing estate agents right now — pricing. With overvaluing more common than ever, and sellers often chasing inflated figures, James and Jack go deep into: Why price reductions are hitting record highs, despite asking prices still risingHow agents can confidently educate sellers without fear of upsetting themThe psychology of seller deci...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Stone is joined by The Avenue’s Head of Marketing & Media, Ben Robinson. For the first time on the mic, Ben shares the strategy behind the visuals—from videography to nurture campaigns and personal branding, this is everything an elite agent needs to know about building a premium presence. You’ll discover: Why most agents get video marketing completely wrongHow a 51-step process turns average listings into mark...
Send us a text In this episode of The Elite Agent Masterclass, James Humphries-Stone sits down with Jack Durkin to reveal exactly how top-tier estate agents prepare for, deliver, and convert valuation appointments—without dropping their fee or compromising on quality. This episode is packed with real-life insights, including: How to use a 40-step nurture sequence before a valuationThe “Know, Like, Trust” psychology and why most agents ignore itStructuring a 7-step appointment that builds rapp...
Send us a text This week on The Elite Agent Masterclass, Jack sits down again with James Humphries-Stone to explore what agents really need in the first 90 days of starting their self-employed estate agency business. Together, they unpack the business planning process new agents go through when joining The Avenue — from defining their personal ‘why’ and planning for income, to building daily routines that drive results. You’ll hear: Why transitioning into self-employment isn’t just about chan...