BUSINESS INSIDER
ONE TO WATCH
DANIEL KORTLAND Residential and new homes sales agent, Savills
What was your first ever paid job? Administrator in a car and van rental brand. Boss was great, thrilled I was doing all the shredding and filing! How did you find your way to Savills, and what is your role there? I fell into property. I like being active, so being out of the office a lot of the day was quite appealing. The opportunity and training Savills offers are excellent. Starting out with the firm in London, I was able to transfer back the West Country where I now focus on the town and new homes market. Having just purchased a new build with my girlfriend, my experience of the sales process and new developments is very real and current. Who have been your biggest influences and role models throughout your career? Alan Sugar. His book: The Way I See It is a very good read. My dad also – their characters are not dissimilar!
Dan: gym regular and devoted Lord Sugar fan
And its weaknesses, or things that could be better? With the growing number of new developments in and around the city, transport links will require thought to be improved and cope with the increasing pressure of commuters and visitors.
What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve ever been given? Take the positives from every situation. What do you enjoy most about your work? Dealing with a variety of people from all walks of life, buying and selling for a number of reasons, and persevering for a result.
What are your favourite stress-busting strategies? Going to the gym and eating out.
What has been your greatest professional achievement to date? I was ranked number one in the central division in London for house sales in December 2015, with a previous employer. What are some of the oddest matters you’ve ever had to resolve at work? While marketing a flat in Marylebone, we discovered that there had been a petrol station on the site in the 1970s, so ‘contaminated land’ was highlighted in the searches. We managed to overcome this and get the sale through for the clients. What are Exeter’s strengths as a place to work? One of the main reasons that Exeter makes such a great place to work is its size – you can pretty much walk from one side of the city to the other. It has everything you need to live and work, yet it remains personal and has a great community. Exeter has access to rail and road connections and an international airport and it is increasingly becoming a target for 78 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk
investment, not least in new residential property.
What’s the one item in your workplace you can’t live without, and why (not including computer or phone)? A Post-it note. In a training session, I learned about the benefits of using colour in the workplace and the humble Post-it can be a useful way of achieving this.
I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT POST-IT NOTES
What’s the best bit of advice you could give a young person wondering what to do with their life? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Take a chance and try something out of your comfort zone. Be confident in who you are and set a different goal each year. What’s your motto for life? Proper planning and preparation are everything.
For more: savills.co.uk