Case Study: Buy the House Estate Agent
Estate agent Lesley Swinn from Buy the House in Accrington takes the plunge with the LEAD Programme.
Lesley Swinn talks about how the LEAD programme helped her and her business.
While most firms appreciate that training is a vital ingredient for success, many small businesses find that budgets only allow them to concentrate resources on their staff. Which is why when successful businesswoman Lesley Swinn heard about a £15,000 programme aimed at her — that was absolutely free — she was straight on the phone.
“I was very attracted to the LEAD course because when you’re running your own business, training is normally reserved for staff! It’s very expensive and opportunities are very limited so usually it’s out of reach of budget,”
says Lesley, who set up Buy The House with husband Jonathan in 2000, having previously been a regional manager of a national retail outfit.
“Although I had done lots of training in my previous life, I like felt I was missing ‘focus’ in my personal development.”
What makes LEAD unique is the fact that businesses benefit from direct support, coaching and business consultancy so that they are able to apply what they learn directly to their own situation.
“It definitely lives up to the billing,” says Lesley. “There are two events each month and each one is completely different. At one we had to cook a meal, at another we had to abseil off a cliff. I take something from every aspect of what we do - however indirectly."
“For example, we went to Coniston in the Lake District and we had to plan a route and then we could earn rewards if we achieved certain things, like singing a song when we got to the top! When we abseiled down a 70’ cliff, I went first - I couldn’t believe it - I had absolutely no fear at all. Two of the group didn’t want to do it but we all supported them.
“That sort of exercise helps you have the confidence to take risks in business and you have to do that if you want the business – and you – to grow and change. It’s no good looking back and saying ‘what if....?’.”
Having gone from two people in a small ‘corner-shop’ in Oswaldtwistle, Buy-the-House now employs 18. They moved to a once derelict department store in Accrington in December 2003, which at 3000 sq ft it is the largest estate agency showroom in Lancashire. The couple have also started Buy-the-Villa with properties in 16 countries.
With that kind of track record Lesley is obviously a resourceful determined individual. So has the training experience had any impact on the boss? In Lesley’s case the answer is a resounding yes.
“LEAD had rebuilt my confidence. When you’re running your own business you can be quite isolated and you can sometimes forget about the stimulation you get from networking and bouncing ideas off others. It is like an instant boost because I know now that I’m doing a lot right but it has also given me a different perspective and a new way of thinking.
“It also gives me the tools to train my staff so that they grow with me, given me a stronger focus on the financial side and shown me how to take advantage of new opportunities.”
As part of LEAD, Lesley is given telephone coaching by an independent business person who is linked to Lancaster University Management School. Another element of LEAD allows the companies to do project work where they link up with specialists at the university to focus on a business issue of their choice. “I’ve opted for marketing and website because we want to consolidate our brand.”
The experience has also given Lesley the chance to meet with her buisiness peers.
