Send us a textWhat does it take to walk away from a toxic workplace and build an estate agency entirely on your own terms? Julie Burns knows. After 15 years in property feeling “spoken down to” and controlled, she left it all behind, swapping sales for a master’s in photography, travelling to Palestine, and working on film sets. Those experiences reshaped her view of work, leadership, and freedom.When she returned, she did it differently. Naming her agency after a Viking warrior goddess, she launched Freya North in 2021 with zero capital, funding it through property sourcing until completions came in. She posts her fees openly, personally handles every transaction from valuation to completion, and refuses to expand faster than her service can keep up. If the client experience slips, she simply stops taking on more stock.Her strategy is just as unconventional. Instead of setting up next to other agents, she put her office beside a protein shake shop buzzing with young professionals, tomorrow’s buyers and investors. It’s a masterclass in finding an edge by ignoring industry habits.This episode is for anyone who’s felt trapped in a culture that didn’t value them, or who dreams of building a business that truly reflects their values. Julie shares the principles that guided her: start with revenue-generating services, obsess over the client experience, and never be afraid to write your own rules.The property world doesn’t need more copycats. It needs more innovators willing to reimagine what’s possible.Sponsors of this podcast, Iceberg Digital are setting the standard in a world full of PropTech noise and AI buzzwords. With AI prospecting that finds listings before your competitors, marketing that wins instructions by putting your brand front and centre and a CRM that transforms how your team works, this isn’t just another tool, it's what leading estate agents use to stay ahead. www.iceberg-digital.co.uk

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