What is your role at Sheldon Bosley Knight?
I head the auctions department for SBK. This will involve establishing both traditional and modern auctions across the business and assisting sales valuers with instructing land and property for auction. The role will be to grow the auction proposition from infancy to fully scaled throughout 2023.
What is your job title?
Head of auctions
What does your job entail? Is there a typical day?
The first phase of the role will involve establishing process, policy and practice across the company to ensure each auction property is marketed comprehensively and achieves the best result when it goes under the hammer. In addition, I will be conducting market appraisals, providing advice to buyers, sellers and staff, and working with third party suppliers in the auction PropTech space. Every day will be different and that’s what makes it so exciting!
What did you do before this job? Which company and how long were you there?
I have had a varied career to date and have worked for some fantastic companies across every facet of agency and auctions. This has included a corporate, hybrid, large independent, lettings franchise and auction company. Most recently, I was national operations manager for Northwood UK. A lettings franchised business, I provided business consultancy for the franchise directors around the network. With a national footprint, this took me from Aberdeen to Truro and everywhere in between! I was with Northwood for just under two years before setting up my own business consultancy which is what I have been doing most recently before joining SBK.
How did you get into the property industry and how long have you worked within it?
My initial career took me to the Armed Forces where I was training to be an army officer before injury cut short my aspirations. I was working for an IT recruitment consultant and saw a job post for an Estate Agency Branch Manager Training Programme. My initial thought was I really didn’t want to be an estate agent. Something made me click on the advert and when I realised the role came with a BMW company car, I applied! Once in post, I was bitten by the property bug and 12 years later, I cannot imagine doing anything other than working in property. My career to date has allowed me to have experience in sales, lettings, auctions, and leadership.
What attracted you to working for SBK?
I was first attracted to SBK because of the aspiration to launch an auction proposition without using an auction supplier. This makes a superb point of difference to the marketplace meaning we are able to create something that cannot be replicated. This mentality of doing what is right, and not what is easy, is the difference with SBK from what I have experienced to date. SBK has the best of both worlds – the feel and culture of a family run business with the reach, aspiration and results of a large force in the region.
What’s the best bit about your job?
Being able to help people achieve their goals and aspirations. This will both be the buyers and sellers who use the auction service, and the members of staff who engage with the auction department by sending referrals and properties to the auction.
What qualifications or training do you need to do this job?
There are no formal qualifications required to be an auctioneer. However, I have attended the Foundation and Advanced Auctioneer Practitioner courses hosted by NAVA Propertymark and have practical experience of setting up an auction department in the past. The other qualifications I hold is a Level 3 Technical Award in The Sale of Residential Property, and in Residential Letting & Property Management. At University, I read a BA in International Relations. Maybe not strictly property related, but it certainly proves useful when having challenging conversations!
What motivates you to work hard?
I have always aimed to have a better year than my previous year. This isn’t achieved by big breaks, luck or being in the right place at the right time, it is by being consistent and using every second of the day to be productive. I am married with two small children and I am now pushing every day to make them proud. Since I have been young, I have been infectiously positive. I truly believe a positive attitude and work ethic will make the difference, especially when times are tough. For me, working hard is a given. However, I am always seeking to improve on how things are done. By working smart as well as working hard, success will naturally follow.
What are your career goals?
To establish myself within SBK and enjoy a long-term career here. I am keen to explore other areas of the business as well as auction and am very excited to see what the future holds.
What is the best piece of career advice you have ever been given?
Attitude will beat skills every time. Anyone can learn a new skill, but by turning up every day with a positive, can-do attitude, you’re already most of the way there.
