Rebuilding an Agency the Right Way

Rebuilding an estate agency isn’t about starting again. It’s about stripping back what never worked and leading with clarity.

In this episode of the Estate Agency X Podcast, Patrick French shares the unfiltered reality of building, breaking, and rebuilding Lloyds Estate Agents through real market pressure. From the grind of East London lettings to a franchise implosion that tested trust, and the hard leadership decisions required to survive the 2008 financial crash, this is a conversation rooted in lived experience.

Watch the full episode above to hear Patrick’s story in his own words.

A central theme of this episode is the moment many estate agency owners quietly reach: when effort is high, hours are long, but progress slows. Patrick explains how scaling headcount once felt like growth at Lloyds, until it wasn’t. More people didn’t create more resilience. In fact, it increased risk. When the market turned, difficult decisions followed. Roles were cut not out of panic, but to protect margin, cash flow, and the long-term future of the business.

Property management became the stabiliser. Recurring income, relets, and operational discipline created breathing room when sales alone couldn’t be relied upon. Margin replaced vanity metrics. Sustainability replaced noise.

This episode draws a clear distinction between being busy and being effective. Patrick reflects on how many agency owners trap themselves by “helping everywhere” — stepping into every role, firefighting daily problems, and unknowingly slowing the business down. The turning point came when leadership became clearer, and roles were defined around the stage of growth the agency was actually in.

Patrick leads listings and strategy. Partners own prospecting rhythms. A dedicated social media manager enforces consistency. With the team aligned around the same vision, the same rabbit to chase, execution became faster, cleaner, and more confident.

The rebuild at Lloyds didn’t stop at operations. Sales returned with intent, not optimism. A clearer brand. A modern website. Video-led content. AI-driven marketing. Not for visibility, but for evidence. Patrick explains how structured property videos, scripts, and social proof now win instructions because confidence is backed by process.

This approach matters in flat or uncertain markets, where vendors don’t respond to noise, they respond to clarity.

If you’re rebuilding an estate agency, refining your model, or questioning whether your current structure still serves you, this episode will sharpen how you think about leadership, margin, and resilience.

Watch the full video above, or listen here to the episode on Apple Podcasts