Every estate agent knows how to win instructions.

Far fewer know how to build a successful business without sacrificing themselves or the people closest to them.

This week, James is joined by Michelle Smith and Matt Giggs for one of the most personal conversations we've ever had on the Complete Agent Podcast.

The conversation starts with business, discussing today's market, social media, pricing strategy and why great conversations are more valuable than ever. But it quickly becomes something much deeper.

Matt shares the personal journey that changed both his business and his life, explaining why improving yourself is often the first step to improving your company.

Michelle opens up about the reality of balancing a growing business with raising children, the guilt many working parents carry, and why being a positive role model sometimes means allowing your children to see you chasing your own ambitions.

James reflects on turning forty, improving his health, becoming more intentional as a father and the small moments with his children that have changed his perspective on success.

It's an honest conversation about leadership, confidence, personal growth and why the best businesses are often built by people who first invest in becoming better versions of themselves.

Whether you're an estate agent, business owner or simply trying to balance work and family, this is an episode that will stay with you long after it finishes.

In this episode of The Complete Agent Podcast, James Kendall, Dave Warburton and Ian Storey catch up on how their businesses are performing before diving into one of the biggest challenges facing estate agents today: pricing property correctly in a changing market.

The conversation begins with a look at their latest sales, listings and pipeline, discussing why they're focusing on quality over volume, the strength of the premium market, and why realistic pricing is helping new instructions sell much faster than stale stock.

They share examples of recent deals ranging from £600,000 homes to multi-million pound country properties, explaining how premium positioning and strong fees continue to drive profitability.

A major topic is the importance of pre-launch marketing. The trio explain how testing demand before a property reaches Rightmove helps establish the correct pricing strategy, creates buyer competition and often results in stronger offers. They also discuss why many sellers misunderstand how buyers search online and how simply moving into a different price bracket can dramatically increase exposure and final sale prices.

The discussion then moves into negotiation, with practical advice on agreeing sales to buyers who still need to sell, educating vendors about today's market, and using real examples to justify pricing recommendations. They argue that today's market isn't "bad", it's simply more price sensitive, and agents who communicate this effectively are winning more instructions and creating better outcomes for their clients.

Finally, they discuss the importance of robust agency agreements, managing difficult clients, the value of consistent marketing, and why estate agents must stop racing to the bottom on fees if they want to build sustainable, profitable businesses.

In this episode of The Complete Agent Podcast, Dave Warburton and Ian Storey discuss what's really happening in the property market and why many estate agents are creating unnecessary fear by describing it as a "bad market". Instead, they argue that today's market is simply more price sensitive, and that agents who educate their clients properly are continuing to achieve excellent results. They share their own recent sales figures, discuss why the mid to upper end of the market remains active, and explain why pricing strategy has never been more important.

The conversation explores how a structured pre-launch strategy is helping them secure stronger launches, generate buyer demand before hitting the portals, and remove much of the guesswork around pricing. They explain why homeowners should stop thinking of valuations as an agent's opinion and instead understand that the market determines value.

Dave and Ian also analyse the latest Rightmove House Price Index, discussing falling asking prices, increased housing supply, improving mortgage rates and why these statistics should be used proactively to educate sellers rather than simply reported. They explain how combining national data with local success stories gives agents far greater credibility during valuation appointments and pricing conversations.

Finally, they discuss the importance of consistent marketing, from quarterly market update letters to regular social media content, sharing real examples of how long-term consistency has generated high-value instructions and significantly increased fees. The episode concludes with an insight into how The Complete Agent is helping agents across the UK improve pricing conversations, marketing, and profitability.