The Second Climb Begins
04/11/25 • 65 min
What happens when the summit you’ve spent years climbing isn’t where you’re meant to be?
In this powerful episode, Dan Cohen shares his journey from Sales Director at a 15 branch agency to launching his own values driven business, You, Me and Property. After playing a pivotal role in the management buyout and growth of Paul Carr Estate Agents, Dan made the courageous decision to step away, not because he was done, but because he was ready to start again on his own terms.
This isn’t just a story about going self-employed. It’s about rediscovering purpose in estate agency. Dan takes us back to his roots, sweeping pavements, speaking to locals and falling in love with the human side of the job. Over time, that connection got lost in the noise of targets, titles and transactions. What followed was a deep internal reckoning that led to the boldest decision of his career... to walk away from the comfort of leadership and create something more aligned with who he is and how he wants to serve.
We talk openly about the emotional shift from corporate to independent life, the identity shake-up, the doubt, and the liberation of doing work that feels real again. Dan explains why his model doesn’t chase volume but instead focuses on experience, presence, and the emotional side of moving home. It’s about staying in the room from start to finish, not just to tick boxes but to leave a mark people remember.
For estate agents considering their own ‘second climb’, Dan’s story is proof that success doesn’t always mean more branches, more staff, or more deals. Sometimes, it means stripping everything back and building something that reflects your values, your pace, and your purpose.
In an industry where speed and scale are so often the focus, this episode is a timely reminder that connection is the real differentiator and that redefining success might just be the boldest move you’ll ever make.
Discover where you are in your The Estate Agency Business Journey Today!
Answer 26 questions and we’ll show you where you are and how to move forward.
Take our Estate Agent Business Journey Profiler to gain valuable insights on the proven path towards the business of your dreams.
Take The Profiler
Have you ever found yourself wishing that all of your Estate Agency technology was connected in one place?
Iceberg Digital provide the UK's most innovative Estate Agencies with their technology including Lifesycle, the worlds-first estate agency software that combines traditional Estate Agency CRM and marketing software in one platform.
Neuron, offers AI-based websites that put the right message in front of prospects, and Uzair, the industry's number one AI assistant built specifically for the Estate Agency industry, helps you perform long-winded tasks in seconds, making you more productive with your time.
Estate Agency X is a part of Iceberg Digital. Click here to explore more
What happens when the summit you’ve spent years climbing isn’t where you’re meant to be?
In this powerful episode, Dan Cohen shares his journey from Sales Director at a 15 branch agency to launching his own values driven business, You, Me and Property. After playing a pivotal role in the management buyout and growth of Paul Carr Estate Agents, Dan made the courageous decision to step away, not because he was done, but because he was ready to start again on his own terms.
This isn’t just a story about going self-employed. It’s about rediscovering purpose in estate agency. Dan takes us back to his roots, sweeping pavements, speaking to locals and falling in love with the human side of the job. Over time, that connection got lost in the noise of targets, titles and transactions. What followed was a deep internal reckoning that led to the boldest decision of his career... to walk away from the comfort of leadership and create something more aligned with who he is and how he wants to serve.
We talk openly about the emotional shift from corporate to independent life, the identity shake-up, the doubt, and the liberation of doing work that feels real again. Dan explains why his model doesn’t chase volume but instead focuses on experience, presence, and the emotional side of moving home. It’s about staying in the room from start to finish, not just to tick boxes but to leave a mark people remember.
For estate agents considering their own ‘second climb’, Dan’s story is proof that success doesn’t always mean more branches, more staff, or more deals. Sometimes, it means stripping everything back and building something that reflects your values, your pace, and your purpose.
In an industry where speed and scale are so often the focus, this episode is a timely reminder that connection is the real differentiator and that redefining success might just be the boldest move you’ll ever make.
Discover where you are in your The Estate Agency Business Journey Today!
Answer 26 questions and we’ll show you where you are and how to move forward.
Take our Estate Agent Business Journey Profiler to gain valuable insights on the proven path towards the business of your dreams.
Take The Profiler
Have you ever found yourself wishing that all of your Estate Agency technology was connected in one place?
Iceberg Digital provide the UK's most innovative Estate Agencies with their technology including Lifesycle, the worlds-first estate agency software that combines traditional Estate Agency CRM and marketing software in one platform.
Neuron, offers AI-based websites that put the right message in front of prospects, and Uzair, the industry's number one AI assistant built specifically for the Estate Agency industry, helps you perform long-winded tasks in seconds, making you more productive with your time.
Estate Agency X is a part of Iceberg Digital. Click here to explore more
Previous Episode
Why ChatGPT Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
The property industry is undergoing a seismic transformation, one that most agents have yet to fully grasp. In this powerful episode, Mark Burgess, CEO of Iceberg Digital, and Elite Performance Coach Rob Brady go beyond the buzzwords to reveal why AI is not just another trend but the defining technology shift of our time.
Artificial Intelligence is no longer confined to writing a few lines of text. It now merges big data, machine learning and natural language processing to power tools that can think, act and adapt in real time. And while others are still catching up, Iceberg Digital is already five years ahead, thanks to nearly a decade of data infrastructure development.
Mark explains how AI-driven websites can dynamically reconfigure themselves based on each visitor’s profile, showing different content to a landlord than a buyer, all without human input. He also introduces Uzair 2.0, Iceberg’s next-generation AI assistant built specifically for estate agency. Trained on industry-specific knowledge from valuations and viewing feedback to market cycles, Uzair doesn’t just understand the industry; it speaks its language.
The episode explores how this level of intelligence allows agents to identify patterns invisible to the human eye: Which valuers consistently secure the best fees? Which clients are most likely to re-enter the market? Which landlords pose recurring issues? Combined with your brand’s voice and your own data, these insights are game-changing.
But this episode isn’t a sales pitch, it’s a wake-up call.
Mark’s message is clear: “This isn’t optional. You either adopt this technology to stay ahead or risk becoming irrelevant.” The divide is already growing between the agents embracing AI and those clinging to legacy systems. One group will thrive; the other will simply not survive.
If you're serious about future-proofing your agency, this episode is essential listening. Discover what’s next and how you can lead the change, not chase.
Discover where you are in your The Estate Agency Business Journey Today!
Answer 26 questions and we’ll show you where you are and how to move forward.
Take our Estate Agent Business Journey Profiler to gain valuable insights on the proven path towards the business of your dreams.
Take The Profiler
Have you ever found yourself wishing that all of your Estate Agency technology was connected in one place?
Iceberg Digital provide the UK's most innovative Estate Agencies with their technology including Lifesycle, the worlds-first estate agency software that combines traditional Estate Agency CRM and marketing software in one platform.
Neuron, offers AI-based websites that put the right message in front of prospects, and Uzair, the industry's number one AI assistant built specifically for the Estate Agency industry, helps you perform long-winded tasks in seconds, making you more productive with your time.
Estate Agency X is a part of Iceberg Digital. Click here to explore more
Estate Agency X - The Leading Estate Agents Of The World - The Second Climb Begins
Transcript
Estate NCX , the UK's number one estate NC podcast discussing the future of estate NC , entrepreneurship and business hosts Mark Burgess and Rob Brady .
Speaker 1So on this episode of Estate NCX I'm with Dan Cohen from you , me and Property . If anyone is in the Midlands area and knows of Dan , he's got a great story about to unfold , rising f
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