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Marc and Shane, co-founders of Harris + Wood Estate Agents, are living proof that it’s not about history, it’s about vision, clarity and action. In this episode, they share the full story of how they launched one of the UK’s most exciting independent agencies, growing from three people to 47 staff across three offices, plus a mortgage business, all without a traditional blueprint.

Their story challenges everything you think you know about partnerships, planning and profit.

Before opening their doors in 2017, Marc and Shane spent nine months building the foundations of their business, not rushing, not guessing, but intentionally preparing to lead. That discipline paid off but the journey wasn’t without its pressure points.

At one stage, they were both earning less than their branch manager. Rather than panic or retreat, they made the counterintuitive choice to expand, investing in growth when most would have pulled back. It’s a decision that reveals one of the most powerful lessons in agency building: sometimes scale is the solution, not the reward.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why trust doesn’t require a backstory but it does require shared standards
• The critical moment they chose to scale, not shrink
• How mentorship from Russell Jervis shaped their thinking
• The bold billboard campaign that made their brand unmissable
• The struggle of delegation and the mindset shift it demands
• How their decision-making process keeps the business moving forward, even when they disagree

Marc and Shane also unpack how they’ve shifted from working in the business to leading above it, creating a sustainable structure where the brand doesn’t rely solely on them to thrive.

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling past your first office, this is a brutally honest look at what it really takes to lead an agency that doesn’t just survive but sets a new standard.

If you’re tired of surface-level tactics and ready for real conversations about leadership, growth, and building a business with meaning... this one’s for you.

Sponsors of this podcast, Iceberg Digital are setting the standard in a world full of PropTech noise and AI buzzwords. 

With AI prospecting that finds listings before your competitors, marketing that wins instructions by putting your brand front and centre and a CRM that transforms how your team works, this isn’t just another tool, it's what leading estate agents use to stay ahead. 

www.iceberg-digital.co.uk