Making life better by ‘trading up’ is what drives the human quest for self-improvement. That’s exactly what Nigel Jackson and Richard Jones have done, and it’s culminated in the launch of an exciting new agency on the Sunshine Coast known as Jackson Jones.
The pair have put together a team dedicated to creating a new level of high-end service for clients from Caloundra to Noosa.
Both Nigel and Richard’s journeys began on the other side of the globe, swapping out dour British winters for lives in one of Australia’s most stunning regions.
Nigel is a Yorkshire boy, born and bred, but had the good sense to marry an Aussie (Kate) before moving to Queensland.
“I was looking at the drizzle in London and watching our bank balance shrink each week, so we decided we needed to come over permanently,” he said.
Two decades of corporate experience, including everything from oil companies to hospitality, have been pivotal in Nigel’s real estate success.
“I worked in high level management as an account manager for most of my professional career and that’s given me a point of difference. It’s all about communication, doing what you say you will, maintaining high standards and adding value with every single conversation.”
Richard’s journey to business ownership started in much the same way. He and Vanessa immigrated to the Sunshine Coast seven years ago.
“We put everything into a shipping container and came over without any jobs lined up… it was a total leap of faith,” he said.
But they landed well, with Richard grasping an opportunity to work in real estate with a major agency.
“The difference you could make in people lives and the earning potential excited me,” he said.
Richard went in wholeheartedly and was soon making a name for himself.
“Whatever I do I want to give it a red-hot crack. I’ve never been one to flit between jobs. I found a core market and took it upon myself to become the number one agent in those suburbs. It wasn’t long before I achieved that.”
He rose through the ranks, opening a new office within the brand and going on to lead a successful team as the agency director for the Sunshine Coast.
He is a multi-award winner and most recently was named by ratemyagent as the number one agent for his agency in 2020.
Heading out
The two found themselves working together and discovered a shared approach for providing exceptional client service, which soon stimulated a conversation about ‘setting up shop’ on their own.
“We couldn’t do things at a micro level. If we saw an innovation that we wanted to implement, it had to go through other people and channels that we didn’t have direct influence over. We wanted to remove those roadblocks and have complete control,” Richard said.
He was also aware a brand’s reputation is built on aligned values and exceptional service.
“We now have complete control and can ensure anyone we do bring on is operating in line with our values.”
Nigel chimed in to say these values will be the bedrock on which Jackson Jones’ success will be built.
“From the minute someone rings, to your response time, to how you communicate, to how you do everything you say you’re going to do. You must have an ethical approach towards negotiation and building a relationship with clients. We want to provide a premium service level – the sort you should expect for multimillion-dollar properties but at a value that’s comparable to other agents.”
UrbanX solution
After exhaustive analysis on the options for establishing a business, the pair decided to open their brand on the UrbanX platform.
“We did lots of research weighing up pros and cons for various models and franchise options that are out there and UrbanX simply came out on top,” Richard said.
“We were super impressed with Dan’s efficiency and how on the ball he was. During one of our initial conversations, I asked Dan a question he didn’t know the answer to, and he hated not knowing. Five minutes later he came back with the answer. He’d sent a message and got someone to find the answer so before our conversation was over, we had what we needed. To me, that was just awesome.
“His energy and enthusiasm are infectious too. If you can have a really good company to work with and support you, a good person at the top, good team behind them, and you can also make more money, it becomes a bit of a no-brainer.”
Nigel said the importance of starting their own brand, and not simply joining a big-name franchise, was essential to him, and UrbanX allowed them to do that while increasing their earning potential.
“The financial upside is huge if we write the same numbers as last year,” Nigel said.
“A lot of traditional agencies are struggling with the new industry disruptors, because agents are getting their calculators out, looking at their year and saying, ‘Well if I’d done exactly the same with, say, UrbanX, I would have earned twice what I did earn.'”
Best of all, the flexibility and support offered by UrbanX has allowed them to hit the ground running, with their business ready to open just four weeks after kicking off the process.
The UrbanX suite of services also integrated seamlessly with Jackson Jones‘ own administration and communication team.
With experience, an excellent local profile and the full support of UrbanX, Nigel and Richard see nothing but more sunshine in Jackson Jones’ future.
For more information, visit www.jacksonjones.com.au or www.urbanx.io
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