Our Monthly Newsletter – January 2026

An Agent MXM Update

Less than 12 months ago, March 2025, Ian and I had visions of building a large, UK founded brokerage to compete with the big US franchises. This quickly changed as we realised we wanted to focus on providing hands on, personal mentoring; offering tailor made support, and championing successful agents with drive, motivation and a strong work ethic.

Over the course of the year, we welcomed three founding agents, each coming from very different places in their careers, and each choosing self-employment for their own reasons.

What 2025 reinforced for us is that there is no single “right” way to become a self-employed estate agent. Our role only works when it’s personal; shaped around the agent, their experience, their market, and the life they want alongside their business.

An Agent Update

Ellie Pike

Ellie was our first agent, joining Agent MXM in April.

She initially wanted to focus her efforts on selling properties in Davenport, a small area of Stockport, by building her presence steadily and consistently. However, what’s been interesting is how that focus naturally expanded.

Through recommendations and repeat referrals, Ellie has gone on to launch and sell properties across the wider South Manchester area.

Her business has grown because she’s offered clients an honest and high level of customer service, which has led to her being recommended time and time again, creating the kind of growth that lasts.

 

Lauren Jackson

Lauren became our second agent when she launched her business in May.

Born and bred in Cheadle Hulme, she has stayed firmly rooted in the area she knows best. For Lauren, self-employment wasn’t new but estate agency was. With the motivation to learn, she successfully listed and sold her first ever property within 6 months of becoming an agent.

Living and working where she loves, selling homes for families similar to her own, and building a business that fits around her life rather than competes with it. Her focus remains local, personal, and deliberately aligned with her values.

 

 

Faye White t/a Ashley Davies

In September, Faye made the decision to launch herself as a self-employed estate agent alongside her already well established family lettings business, Ashley Davies.

For Faye, sales was a natural extension rather than a reinvention. She now offers sales with the same high level, hands on, customer service and care that her lettings clients already know and trust.

Faye is focussing on her well known area of Styal, Cheshire as well as the buy to let properties that she knows the ins and outs of.

Faye is adding to her business using the contacts she already has along with the knowledge we offer.

Ian Wilkinson

In December, Ian, the founder of Agent MXM, made the decision to resume his own agent journey.

Partly because he loves selling property, but also because it matters to us that the strategies and support we talk to our agents about aren’t just talked about in theory.

Ian is focusing on new build developments and high value homes of £1m+ and, since launching, has secured clients across South Manchester and Cheshire, while also supporting clients hoping to purchase in those areas.

It felt important to put his money where his mouth is and experience the journey alongside the agents we support.

 

Looking Ahead

As we move into 2026, Agent MXM is already in conversation with a number of individuals who are interested in becoming self-employed estate agents.

Some are ready to make the move in the coming months, others are simply exploring what might be possible; and that space to explore, without pressure, is something we’ll always protect.

We’ll continue offering hands-on mentoring, practical advice on strategy and technology, and the kind of business and emotional support that experienced agents often don’t realise they need.

No pressure. No exaggerated truths. Just honest, proven facts.

Thanks for being part of the conversation this coming year.

Our January Takeaway

Write yourself a letter to be opened on New Years Eve and write honestly about what you want more of in your working life, what you’d like less of, what you hope feels different by the end of the year and what you want to remember.

You don’t need a plan, just clear answers to these questions.

Seal it, date it, and put it somewhere safe.

By NYE, it won’t matter whether everything happened exactly as you hoped but what will matter is that today you paused long enough to consider what is important to you, today.

Sometimes that’s the most useful starting point there is.