Episode 45 of The Two Russells with Chris Buckler, Chief Commercial Officer at TAUK

The man redefining what it means to run an estate agency while still letting agents sell

From a dodgy paper round to leading one of the UK’s fastest-growing networks

Sounds simple… until you hear what happened in between

• Sales techniques from Switzerland to Solihull. And a few ice scrapers along the way

• Deloitte. DIY flips. A paper round at 10 (illegally)

• Keller Williams (ouch). TAUK dreams

• 250 agents and counting. With 1,000 firmly in sight He calls it evolution, not change

We call it a journey worth watching

It took him seven interviews to land a trainee job.

He started on £1,500 basic and £35 a deal commission per property, armed with nothing more than a script and a bit of attitude.

He worked 8am to 8pm, seven days a week and loved every second of it.

Fast forward a few decades and he’s now CEO of The Property Franchise Group, overseeing more than 2,000 offices and a £400 million market cap.

This is the story of Gareth Samples —

the man who failed school, failed college, and decided that failure wasn’t for him.

He’s been a negotiator, a manager, a managing director, a “retired” restaurant investor…

And now the guy driving one of the biggest PLCs in the business.

In this episode, Gareth joins Russell Quirk and Russell Jervis to talk:

•⁠ ⁠How he turned failure into fuel

•⁠ ⁠Why recruiting great people is his superpower

•⁠ ⁠What the corporate world gets wrong about culture

•⁠ ⁠The egos, red flags and realities behind today’s industry

And why, at 50, he decided he had one big job left in him.

From £1,500 basic to £1 billion turnover — powered by old-school graft.

Proof that success isn’t luck.

It’s earned.

⚠️ Trigger warning: Suicide

In this episode, The Two Russells are joined by Sam Cerrone of Cerrone Estates one of EXP’s top performers, part of its elite icon group, and a true million-pound agent, having billed over £1m in fees in just five years. Sam’s journey is far from ordinary. She started out as a hairdresser, then rose through the ranks in estate agency, running the largest Countrywide branch in Selly Oak before being abruptly let go by email on a Sunday night. That setback didn’t stop her, instead, she built a business from the ground up, powered by personality, organisation, and especially Instagram. With 12k followers and 85% of her leads coming from social media, her face is now her brand. She’s so in demand that she sometimes pauses new instructions — with clients waiting until she’s ready to sell their home.

But behind the success is resilience shaped by a turbulent childhood. Growing up in a council house, losing her dad to suicide, helping raise her younger brother, and navigating her mum’s struggles with alcohol. Sam’s story is one of grit, responsibility, and determination well beyond her years. Today, she leads a team of five (all close friends), balances work and family, and proves that authenticity and hard work can break every barrier.

This is an open, honest, and inspiring conversation with one of the most impressive women in UK estate agency.

Two brothers. One incredible journey.

Matt and Neil’s story starts in Chelmsford with junior neg jobs, diverted phones at funfairs, and even setting up what they believe was the UK’s first online estate agency back in 2002. Life wasn’t easy...their parents divorced, they lost their dad young, and at times the brothers fell out completely. But grief, graft, and a pub fight (!) brought them back together.

Since then, they’ve built something special. From Neil leaving the police to focus on lettings, to Matt grafting 13 days straight on door knocks, their paths merged in 2014. Today, they run a £1m turnover agency with 13 staff, managing sales, lettings, and HMOs all while raising families and staying true to their roots.

This is a story of resilience, ambition, and a partnership built on trust. With a brand that’s growing in a unique way, their mum as their biggest fan, and their sights set on the future, Matt and Neil show what happens when brothers back each other all the way.

We’re kicking off Season 3 of The Two Russells with none other than Mark Burgess, founder of Iceberg Digital a man who’s lived ten lives before most of us have had breakfast.

Mark went from growing up in some of the toughest parts of East London, caught up in gangs and battling addiction from 13 to 18, to buying properties with no money, leading in estate agency sales, and ultimately building 7- and 8-figure businesses.

He’s now the author of three best-selling books, an international keynote speaker on AI, marketing, and Big Data, and the creator of Iceberg Digital’s AI operating system for estate agents that’s changing the industry.

This conversation is raw, dynamic, and inspiring. A story of resilience, reinvention, and always staying one step ahead.

From a social media post to the Two Russells' big chair.

We spotted a Facebook post that Kim McGinley published back in April that talked candidly of her anxiety at addressing a big crowd at an event Kim spoke at.

'This', we thought, 'is worth exploring'. Roll forward to June and our diaries aligned and we had the pleasure of speaking to Kim in our London studios to talk about 'that panic attack' and anxiety generally.

Is it crippling? Or can it be utilised as a strength? A little nervousness keeps us all on our toes, after all.

Well, we spoke about all that plus life as an entrepreneur in financial services, juggling family life, being a social media influencer and more.

Tune in for yet another fabulous journey unwrapped on the Two Russells. Be inspired...

What’s it like to be the first female house builder MD?

And why would that person choose to then go an work in Azerbaijan?

As ever, the Two Russells prove these questions and more, of this week’s podcast guest, Sarah Pasco.

The house building sector has become significantly more balanced in recent years in respect of senior women in the sector. As leaders, as board members etc.

Sarah discusses how being one of the first female new homes bosses showed others ‘what was possible’ and, she hopes, paved that path (no pun intended).

Now, in her latest role at Taylor Wimpey having first been promoted to MD at Laing Homes, Sarah continues to deliver as an entrepreneurial leader.

It’s for nothing to do with gender. Merit is merit.

“Estate agency marketing is sh*t. Discuss”

This is one of the questions that the Two Russells put to Marketing Empress Kirsty Franks

See how she responds by listening to the latest Two R’s podcast.

And if you’re inspired by stories of strength through adversity, it doesn’t get more emotional and challenging than what happened on the night of Kirsty’s engagement party…

Geoff Wilford founded Wilfords estate agents after a roller coaster career selling luxury homes in the Caribbean. But as he was about to bank enough commission from well-heeled celebrity buyers that would make him a millionaire, his world cam crashing down and he ended up with nothing.

One day he drove up to the gates of the ‘rock star’ type development of villas he was mid-way through selling and was greeted by a sign that the company had gone out of business.

But from this he salvaged an ‘ice cool’ contact that backed him in what is the extremely successful Wilfords business today. All from the proceeds of ‘Party platters for a pound’, or thereabouts.

Listen to the latest Two Russells episode now to find out who this mystery supporter was and why he invested in Geoff.

One of Google UK’s first 100 employees, Gemma Young used her technology experience to help solve the problem of a protracted, piecemeal home moving process.

Her first entrepreneurial endeavour raised VC money but ultimately didn’t succeed.But did it? Given that those learnings translate into her follow up start-up, Moverly, which is growing fast.Gemma juggles being a tech founder with parenthood now too.

Plus we ask the forbidden question, is it harder to be your own boss as a mum versus a dad?