More than 450 women and men came together to experience the third annual Women in Estate Agency Conference (WiEA) – in a day that proved popular with those who attended.
Throughout the day a well-respected line up of speakers shared their views, brought together under the conference theme: “The Power Of You”.
Verona Frankish, Chair of WiEA, introduced the day by sharing the shocking statistics that one in 10 men in the estate agency industry still do not believe that women can lead as well as men, and that despite 71% of entry level positions being filled by women, they account for just 42% of board level roles.
But despite these stark facts, the tone of the conference was anything but negative, with speaker after speaker sharing their stories of overcoming bias and challenge in a way which moved and inspired every person in the packed auditorium.
The audience heard from Hayley Brackley on shattering the limitations of conformity; Vicky Bibiris on how to break through self-doubt and live authentically; An Deckers on her journey from being wanted by Interpol to the most wanted letting agent in East London; and Jeremy Langmead who shared a moving and uplifting tribute to WiEA committee member and shining light of the estate agency sector, Sarah Edmundson, taken by breast cancer last October.
Other speakers included Natasha Terinova on investing in female founders, Danielle Nash on taking control of your career trajectory, Emma Serlin on finding your voice and making an impact, and Jennie Barker on building a thriving company culture.
The post lunchtime lull was comprehensively dealt with by Lucy Noonan introducing Club Mob who got the whole audience dancing to the Spice Girls; and this year also included a panel of men, hosted by Ben Madden with Kristjan Byfield, Iain McKenzie and Daniel Keedwell, discussing the complexities of being a man in today’s world. The packed day was rounded off by the pioneering Jo Salter, Britain’s first ever female fighter pilot.
Immediately following the conference dozens of people took to social media to share their feedback and universal praise for the day.
“If the West End did conferences…Laughter, tears, shared experiences and dancing…yes dancing! Sarah would be proud. Took it to the next level with the variety of content and engagement.”
“It was like a rollercoaster of feelings, stuffed to the brim with brain-tickling insights, pro tips, inspirational talks and networking.”
“Thank you for an utterly incredible and inspirational day. We cried, we danced to Spice Girls and we laughed hard! Thank you to all the amazing speakers and everyone that organised today’s event. I had the best day!”
“A really thought-provoking day. I laughed and cried, the content was amazing, the takeaways were invaluable and the keynote speakers were extraordinary!”
“Until you attend one you really can’t understand what it’s like. Always high energy, always thought provoking, I laughed, I danced and I left inspired. If you haven’t been to one, get yourself to the next one.”
“What an incredible day celebrating WOMEN and also highlighting MEN’s struggles. Aspirational, Inspirational and Joyous would be my 3 words to describe the day in London.”
“I’m left lost for words and in awe of the many inspirational speakers we heard from during the day. We laughed, we danced, we cried, we learned & we left feeling incredibly moved, empowered & inspired once again.”
“The conference yesterday was a masterclass in the value of sharing, empowering, vulnerability, ambition, balance and comradeship. “
“This event is really one of a kind. It’s the stories and the journeys shared are authentic, motivational and really inspiring. It was a day of laughter, celebration, joy and some tears. I am already looking forward to next year!.”
The conference returns in 2026, ahead of which WiEA continues to deliver a number of other ways for women in estate agents to get involved, including the original Facebook group, bespoke WiEA leadership training, regional events, and the recently launched Charter membership scheme.
