The Viking Chats: navigating the choppy waters of property, technology and business

Kristjan Byfield
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Welcome aboard The Viking Chats—the podcast where property, tech, and business collide in candid, no-fluff conversations. Hosted by Kristjan Byfield—lettings veteran, proptech pioneer, and co-founder of Base Property Specialists and The Depositary—this show dives deep into the real-world challenges and bold innovations shaping the future of the housing sector and beyond.Each episode, Kristjan drops anchor with industry leaders, disruptors, and entrepreneurs to unpack the messy, inspiring, and often chaotic reality of running a modern business in a rapidly evolving landscape. Expect sharp insights, honest stories, and the occasional Viking metaphor—all served with Kristjan’s trademark wit and big-hearted honesty.Whether you’re in lettings, launching a startup, or just love a good story about navigating change—this podcast is your compass in the storm.

  1. 5d ago

    The Industry Never Stands Still with Ed Mead

    How much has the property industry really changed over the last 50 years? In this episode of *The Viking Chats*, Kristjan sits down with one of the industry's most recognisable figures, Ed Mead. From his early days learning the ropes in London's estate agency scene during the 1970s, through helping build Douglas & Gordon into one of the capital's best-known brands, to founding Viewber and becoming one of property's most respected commentators, Ed has experienced almost every major shift the industry has gone through. As the episode title suggests, one thing has remained constant throughout his career.The industry never stands still. This is a conversation about what changes, what doesn't, and why the businesses that thrive are usually the ones prepared to evolve. Ed reflects on what made Douglas & Gordon different during its growth years, the importance of having great mentors early in your career, and why maintaining a healthy balance between work and life was one of the secrets to enjoying such a long career in agency. The discussion then moves into the creation of Viewber. Originally conceived as a way of solving a simple problem—how to cover more viewings outside normal office hours—it quickly evolved into something much bigger. Today, Viewber supports auction houses, estate agents, institutional landlords, social housing providers and property professionals across the UK through a nationwide network of thousands of local property representatives. Along the way, Kristjan and Ed explore why some technology businesses flourish while others disappear, why so much PropTech has historically been built by people who never truly understood agency, and how AI is changing not just the products we build but the speed at which businesses can innovate. There is also plenty of discussion around one of the industry's biggest talking points: regulation. From the Renters' Rights Bill and increasing compliance obligations to taxation, housing policy and the ever-changing political landscape, Kristjan and Ed debate whether governments genuinely understand the unintended consequences of housing legislation. They discuss the growing professionalism of the lettings sector, the changing profile of landlords, and why good intentions don't always produce good outcomes. The conversation also tackles qualification, training and professional standards within agency. Having once supported mandatory qualifications, Ed explains why his thinking has changed over the years, arguing that while poor operators undoubtedly exist, the overwhelming majority of agents are honest, hardworking professionals who care deeply about their clients. It's a refreshingly balanced discussion that avoids easy headlines in favour of thoughtful debate. Perhaps most importantly, this episode is about perspective. Ed has seen markets boom and crash. He's watched business models come and go. He's worked in traditional agency, built a successful technology company and advised the industry through decades of change. That experience gives him a unique vantage point on where the property sector has been—and where it may be heading next. Whether you're an estate agent, letting agent, PropTech founder, supplier or simply someone fascinated by how industries evolve, this episode offers a rare opportunity to hear from someone who has spent half a century adapting to change without ever losing sight of the fundamentals. Because in property, just when you think you've seen everything...The industry never stands still. Send us Fan Mail

  2. Jul 30

    Because We've Always Done It That Way with SJ Taylor

    Why do so many businesses keep doing things in ways that no longer make sense? In this episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan is joined by SJ Taylor of Greenhouse OS for a wide-ranging conversation about estate agency, lettings, technology, AI and one of the most dangerous phrases in business: “Because we’ve always done it that way.” SJ’s route into property was, by her own admission, fairly typical. She fell into estate agency, started as a junior negotiator with Countrywide and went on to spend more than two decades working across sales, lettings, operations and technology. Along the way, she helped steady and rebuild a struggling lettings operation, worked through acquisitions, rebrands and rapid business growth, and developed a deep understanding of what happens when good people are let down by bad systems, poor training or processes nobody has stopped to question. That experience now shapes her work with Greenhouse OS, a Salesforce-based CRM platform designed to give estate and letting agents more freedom to adapt, automate and innovate. But this is not really an episode about software. It is a conversation about how businesses think. Kristjan and SJ explore why so many teams become trapped in inefficient processes, why technology is often implemented badly, and why innovation rarely succeeds when a business simply buys a new platform and expects transformation to happen on its own. They discuss the burden placed on property managers, the need for better training and professionalisation across the lettings sector, and the damaging attitudes that can develop when teams are overwhelmed, underprepared and left to spend their days handling complaints rather than building relationships. They also challenge one of agency’s favourite sayings: “people buy from people.” Of course they do. But they buy from people they know, like and trust. If those people are too busy with repetitive administration to answer properly, listen carefully or add real value, then the human element is already being lost. SJ explains how AI can take on the high-volume, repetitive work that people either dislike or struggle to do consistently. Used well, it does not remove the need for people. It gives them more time to do the work only people can do well: building trust, understanding motivation, negotiating, advising and helping customers make decisions. The conversation covers automated viewing bookings, prospecting, feedback, data, CRM migration, customer experience and why sixty-two percent of enquiries now arrive while agents are closed. It also gets into the uncomfortable reality of technology adoption. Why do some businesses implement a new system and see transformational results within weeks, while others introduce the same technology and conclude that it does not work? Often, the difference is not the software. It is the thinking, consultation, training and implementation behind it. As SJ puts it, people are like water: they will always find the path of least resistance. If old processes remain available, teams will often return to them, especially when change has been forced upon them without explanation, support or a clear understanding of the problem being solved. Kristjan argues that technology should be treated like the head of a new department. You would not hire someone to lead a major function, put them quietly in a corner and expect them to transform the business without introduction, authority, training or structural change. Yet that is effectively how many companies adopt software. From Yorkshire sayings and sausage-making equipment to AI agents and customer data, this is a candid, funny and practical conversation about business change. It is for anyone who has ever looked at a process and wondered whether it still serves a purpose, anyone trying to get more value from technology, and anyone prepared to ask the question that work-experience students and six-year-olds are often brave enough to ask: Why? Because the way something has always been done may explain how you got here. It does not mean it is the right way forward. Send us Fan Mail

  3. Jul 21

    If Not Now... When? with Nicola & Paul Broomham

    There comes a point in many careers where success stops being measured by job titles, turnover or the size of the team you manage. Instead, you begin asking much bigger questions. Am I enjoying this? Is this still what I want? What am I actually working towards? And perhaps the biggest question of all... If not now... when? In this episode of The Viking Chats, I'm joined by Nicola and Paul Broomham, founders of 2.0 Group, for a remarkably honest conversation about reinvention, entrepreneurship and having the courage to build a business- and a life- on your own terms. Between them, Nicola and Paul have decades of experience in residential property. Nicola built and successfully sold one of the industry's best-known recruitment businesses before stepping away to recharge and rethink what came next. Paul has held senior leadership positions at some of the UK's most respected estate agency groups, leading acquisitions, business growth and large operational teams before deciding it was time for a different challenge. On paper, this is the story of launching a new business together. In reality, it's about so much more. We explore what it's really like to leave behind successful careers, why selling a business isn't always the end of the story, and how a holiday in Vietnam became the catalyst for asking whether they were living the life they genuinely wanted—or simply following the path they'd always been on. One of the themes that runs throughout the conversation is that success evolves. What motivates you in your twenties often isn't what motivates you in your forties. Priorities shift. Family changes your perspective. Health can change everything. Sometimes the bravest decision isn't chasing the next promotion or growing a bigger business—it's stepping back long enough to work out what actually matters. Nicola speaks openly about the pressures of running a business, selling it and eventually returning to entrepreneurship with a completely different outlook. Paul reflects on moving from entrepreneurial estate agency into the world of private equity, the lessons that came with it and why autonomy ultimately became more important than hierarchy. We also talk about burnout, stress and the importance of giving yourself permission to pause. Nicola shares her experience of developing a rare autoimmune condition and why taking time away from work proved to be one of the most valuable investments she could have made- not just for her health, but for her future. As with many Viking Chats, the conversation naturally wanders into leadership, culture and the future of our industry. We discuss why so many business owners mistake being busy for being productive, how technology and AI are changing what modern businesses can look like, and why founders should spend more time doing the things only they can do. The discussion also touches on something Nicola has long been passionate about- supporting women in property. We explore how the industry has evolved over the last decade, why shared parental leave could be one of the biggest catalysts for genuine equality in the workplace, and why creating better businesses often starts with creating better opportunities for people. What struck me most about this conversation wasn't the business story. It was the honesty. There's something refreshing about hearing successful people admit they don't have every answer. That they still question themselves. That they still worry about making the right decisions. And that sometimes the biggest leap isn't into the unknown—it's giving yourself permission to start again. Whether you're running a business, considering a career change or simply wondering what your own version of success looks like, I think you'll find something in this conversation that resonates. Because eventually, all of us face the same question. If not now... when? Send us Fan Mail

  4. Jul 16

    The Best Ideas Challenge Assumptions with Anna & Paul of TaskHer

    Sometimes the best business ideas aren't born from complex technology or revolutionary inventions. Sometimes they're born from a simple question. Why? Why do we accept things the way they are? Why do we continue doing something simply because "that's how it's always been done"? And what happens when somebody decides to challenge those assumptions? In this milestone 50th episode of The Viking Chats, I'm joined by Anna and Paul Moynihan, founders of TaskHer, a business that started with a frustrating home renovation, a global pandemic and one very simple observation. Why was it so difficult to find a female tradesperson? At first glance, TaskHer appears to be a platform connecting customers with qualified tradeswomen. But spend an hour with Anna and Paul and you quickly realise that's only a small part of the story. This is really a conversation about customer choice, trust and designing services around people rather than processes. Anna shares the experience that sparked the idea for the business—organising work at home, communicating with contractors throughout, only for them to arrive and direct every conversation to Paul as though she wasn't there. It was a seemingly small moment, but one that highlighted a much broader assumption embedded within the industry. That assumption became the foundation of a business now helping thousands of customers find trusted tradeswomen while creating new opportunities for women entering traditionally male-dominated professions. What I particularly enjoyed about this conversation is that Anna and Paul never position TaskHer as being "anti-men". Quite the opposite. Their philosophy is refreshingly simple: people should have a choice. And sometimes, that choice can have a profound impact. One of the most moving parts of our discussion centres around TaskHer's work with Refuge, the UK's largest provider of specialist services supporting women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Anna and Paul explain how providing female tradespeople for refuge properties has transformed the experience for both residents and staff, reducing anxiety, improving safeguarding and, in some cases, even inspiring women to consider careers in the trades themselves. It's one of those moments that reminds you business can be commercially successful whilst still making a genuine difference to people's lives. Along the way we also explore the realities of building a startup from scratch during the pandemic, the challenges of creating a trusted marketplace in an industry where trust is often in short supply, raising investment, joining the prestigious REACH UK accelerator and resisting the temptation to chase growth before getting the fundamentals right. We also discuss why customer service remains one of the biggest untapped opportunities in both the trades and property sectors, how hospitality often teaches skills estate agency desperately needs, and why understanding people's lived experiences should shape the way we design products and services. One of the recurring themes throughout the conversation is that innovation rarely starts with technology. It starts with empathy. By taking the time to understand how customers actually feel—not just what they need—Anna and Paul have built something that solves a practical problem while quietly challenging decades of outdated assumptions. As someone who has spent much of my own career questioning why our industry works the way it does, I found this conversation particularly refreshing. It reinforced something I've long believed: some of the biggest opportunities aren't found by inventing something entirely new. They're found by noticing what everybody else has simply stopped questioning. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a property professional, a leader or simply someone interested in how purpose and profit can work hand in hand, there's plenty to take away from this episode. Because the best ideas rarely begin with all the answers. They begin with the courage to ask a better question. Send us Fan Mail

  5. Jul 3

    You can't train someone to care! with Clare Yates & Jo Bourne

    What if the biggest problem facing estate agency isn't regulation, technology or even the market itself? What if it's people? Not because we don't have enough of them, but because we're still asking the wrong questions when we recruit them, develop them and lead them. In this episode of The Viking Chats, I'm joined by two of the industry's most respected trainers and leadership specialists, Clare Yates and Jo Bourne, for a conversation that quickly challenges some of the biggest assumptions surrounding recruitment, training and professional development in property. We begin by exploring a topic that every agency owner wrestles with: should you recruit experienced agents, or look outside the industry altogether? It's a debate that struck a particular chord with me because it's something we've consciously done at Base Property Specialists from day one. Rather than simply hiring people who've always worked in estate agency, we've often looked to industries like hospitality, where customer experience, communication and genuinely caring about people are fundamental parts of the job. As Jo puts it during the conversation, technical skills can be taught. What can't be taught is whether somebody genuinely cares. That single observation becomes the thread running through the entire episode. We discuss why attitude almost always beats experience, why so many agencies still underestimate the value of emotional intelligence and customer service, and how some of the very best estate agents don't necessarily arrive with years of industry knowledge—they arrive with curiosity, empathy and a willingness to learn. The conversation then broadens into something even more important: leadership. For all the industry's talk about compliance, legislation and systems, we arguably spend far too little time developing the people responsible for leading our businesses and teams. Clare and Jo explain why leadership isn't simply about managing performance or understanding process. It's about creating environments where people feel safe enough to ask questions, admit mistakes and continue learning without fear of judgement. That philosophy sits at the heart of the Women in Estate Agency Leadership Programme, which they have developed together. Although designed specifically to support women stepping into leadership roles, many of the principles we discuss are universal. Confidence, psychological safety, self-belief and effective communication aren't gendered concepts. They're the foundations of every successful team. Along the way we explore why so many talented people underestimate their own ability, why others often overestimate theirs, and how creating opportunities for personal development can transform not only individual careers but entire business cultures. We also discuss the industry's long-standing reluctance to invest in training. Too often, learning is viewed purely through the lens of legislation or compliance, something that has to be done rather than something that should be embraced. Yet some of the most valuable development has very little to do with technical knowledge and everything to do with communication, confidence, listening and understanding people. Because estate agency has never really been about property. It's always been about people. Buying, selling, renting or letting a home is one of the most emotional experiences many of us will ever go through, and the professionals who guide people through those moments have an opportunity to make an extraordinary difference. But only if they understand that service is about far more than completing a transaction. One of my favourite moments in the episode comes when we compare estate agency to hospitality. Nobody expects to walk into a five-star hotel and receive the same experience as a budget chain, even though both ultimately provide you with a bed for the night. The difference isn't the product. It's how you're made to feel. Perhaps estate agency should start thinking about itself in exactly the same way. This is a conversation about confidence, culture, customer experience and creating better businesses by first creating better people. And if our industry genuinely wants to raise standards, maybe the answer isn't simply more regulation. Maybe it's investing more in the people delivering the service in the first place. Send us Fan Mail

  6. Jun 29

    Success Doesn't Come From Staying Comfortable with Verona Frankish

    What does great leadership actually look like? Is it having all the answers? Being the loudest voice in the room? Always appearing confident? Or is it something much simpler- and much harder- than that? In this episode of The Viking Chats, I'm joined by Verona Frankish, CEO of Yopa and Chair of Women in Estate Agency (WIEA), for a conversation that starts with career progression but quickly becomes something far more interesting. Because Verona's journey to leading one of the UK's best-known estate agency brands wasn't built on having all the answers. It was built on a willingness to keep stepping into situations where she didn't. From her early career in retail and financial services, through Mortgage Advice Bureau, Purplebricks and ultimately to the CEO role at Yopa, Verona has consistently chosen growth over comfort. Time and again she has taken on responsibilities she wasn't an expert in, surrounded herself with people who knew more than she did, and focused on creating environments where those people could thrive. It's a refreshing perspective on leadership that feels increasingly relevant in today's world. We talk openly about the misconception that great leaders need to be the smartest person in the room, why building teams of genuine experts is one of the greatest strengths a leader can possess, and how psychological safety transforms both businesses and the people within them. Verona also shares the personal values that have guided her career, including the difficult decision to walk away from a senior role when the direction of the business no longer aligned with her own principles. It's an honest discussion about integrity, knowing what matters to you and recognising that success isn't simply about reaching the top- it's about being able to look yourself in the mirror when you get there. A significant part of the conversation focuses on Women in Estate Agency, an organisation that has grown from a small Facebook community during the pandemic into one of the industry's most influential movements. Verona explains how WIEA evolved, why its annual event feels so different from traditional conferences, and why creating spaces where people feel seen, heard and valued has become such an important part of her life. What becomes clear is that WIEA has never really been about women versus men. It's about helping people find the confidence to use their voice, challenge their own assumptions and realise they are capable of far more than they perhaps believed. Along the way we also discuss hybrid estate agency, leading national businesses, balancing demanding careers with family life, the lessons COVID unexpectedly taught many leaders, and why stepping outside your comfort zone is a skill that can be developed rather than a personality trait you're simply born with. One of my favourite moments in the episode comes when Verona talks about becoming CEO. Despite reaching one of the highest leadership positions in the industry, she still describes herself simply as "a Derry girl doing her best." That humility, combined with an unwavering commitment to authenticity, runs through the entire conversation. Whether you're leading a business, managing a team or simply wondering what the next chapter of your own career might look like, there is something in this episode that will resonate. Because success rarely comes from staying comfortable. It comes from being willing to take the next step, even when you don't yet know exactly where it will lead. Send us Fan Mail

  7. Jun 1

    Property, AI & the Future of Trust with Sandra Jones of PriceHubble

    There’s a fascinating shift happening across the property industry right now. On the surface, most of the conversation appears to revolve around legislation. The Renter’s Rights Act. Tribunal reform. EPC targets. Compliance changes. Data transparency. AI. New expectations from consumers. But underneath all of that sits something much bigger: Trust. Who has the information. Who controls the process. And what happens when technology fundamentally changes the balance between the two. In this episode of The Viking Chats, I sit down with Sandra Jones, formerly of Dataloft and now part of global property technology business PriceHubble, for a conversation that starts with housing market data and gradually expands into the future architecture of the property industry itself. Sandra has spent decades analysing property markets, understanding behavioural trends and helping agents translate complex data into something meaningful, visual and commercially useful. Following PriceHubble’s acquisition of Dataloft in 2023, that capability has now merged with vast property-level data infrastructure, AI tools and predictive analytics operating across multiple international markets. And what emerges from this conversation is a fascinating insight into where the industry may be heading next. We explore why data has become one of the most valuable assets within modern property businesses, not simply from a valuation or market analysis perspective, but because consumers increasingly expect transparency around almost every aspect of housing. From rental pricing and affordability to energy efficiency and local market movement, the demand for evidence-backed communication is only increasing. One of the most compelling parts of the discussion centres around the rental market and the implications of the Renter’s Rights Act. Sandra explains how PriceHubble’s new Rental Evidence Report is designed to help agents and landlords justify rent increases transparently through real achieved rental data rather than vague market assumptions. Because as we discuss throughout the episode, the days of simply telling consumers “that’s the market rate” without evidence behind it are rapidly disappearing. And AI is likely to accelerate that change dramatically. We dive deep into the growing role of artificial intelligence within property and what happens when consumers no longer need specialist industry knowledge to understand their rights, challenge decisions or navigate increasingly complex legislation. If AI can instantly interpret tenancy agreements, identify compliance gaps or assess the fairness of rent increases, then the entire relationship between agents, landlords and tenants starts evolving very quickly. That creates both opportunity and risk. On one hand, greater transparency should drive professionalism, consistency and trust across the sector. On the other, it may also create a more litigious and process-heavy environment if technology removes friction from disputes entirely. We also discuss:  why 'achieved rental' data matters more than asking prices  the unintended consequences of banning rental bidding wars  the growing complexity around EPC legislation and retrofit  how consumer expectations around information are changing  and why evidence-backed communication is becoming commercially essential for agents Alongside all of that, there’s a broader conversation around London, affordability, generational change and how societal attitudes towards renting and home ownership continue evolving. What makes this episode particularly interesting is that it never drifts into “tech for tech’s sake” territory. Sandra brings a hugely grounded perspective to the discussion, consistently bringing the conversation back to people, behaviour and communication rather than simply platforms and software. Because ultimately, this isn’t really a conversation about data alone. It’s about what happens when information becomes universally accessible. And why the future winners in property may not simply be the businesses with the best technology, but the ones most capable of building trust in a world where everyone can increasingly verify everything for themselves. Send us Fan Mail

  8. May 13

    Stress, Survival & the Cost of Trying to Be Everything to Everyone with Heather Foster

    There are some conversations that end up becoming far more personal, reflective and emotionally honest than either person expected when the microphones first switched on. This was one of those conversations. In this episode of The Viking Chats, I sit down with Heather Foster of Relocation Agent Network for what begins as a chat about career, agency and the evolution of the industry, before unfolding into something much deeper about pressure, identity, survival and the dangerous normality of modern life. Because over the last 18 months, Heather has been fighting breast cancer. Diagnosed at just 41 years old with invasive ductal carcinoma, she has since undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, targeted treatment and ongoing hormone therapy, all whilst continuing to work, parent, navigate family life and somehow hold onto a sense of self through the middle of it all. But what makes this conversation so powerful is that it is not simply about cancer itself. It’s about what cancer exposed. Heather speaks incredibly openly about the life she had built before her diagnosis. A life many people will instantly recognise. Working full-time, parenting, managing a home, trying to support everyone around her and carrying an ever-growing mental load that slowly became normal simply because there never seemed to be another option. Like so many high-performing people, particularly working parents, she had gradually become trapped inside a cycle of responsibility where being needed by everyone else quietly replaced taking care of herself. And then life forced everything to stop. We talk candidly about the brutal reality of chemotherapy, the emotional impact of losing her hair, the physical exhaustion that followed treatment and the strange psychological process of trying to maintain “normality” whilst simultaneously dealing with something deeply traumatic. But alongside all of that sits a much bigger conversation around stress, relationships and identity. Heather reflects on how illness forced her and her husband to completely reassess the way they operated as a couple and as parents. From learning to ask for help to rediscovering each other outside of work and family pressures, there’s an incredibly honest discussion around how easy it is for people to slowly lose themselves within modern life without even realising it’s happening. We also explore the idea that resilience is often misunderstood. That being “strong” does not necessarily mean carrying everything alone. That sometimes survival itself becomes the victory. And that difficult experiences, whilst never welcome, can still fundamentally reshape your perspective in ways that ultimately create growth, clarity and healthier boundaries moving forward. There are moments in this episode that are emotional, moments that are funny and moments that I suspect will hit uncomfortably close to home for a lot of listeners. Because, although not everyone will experience cancer, almost everyone will recognise some version of the pressure Heather describes. The endless balancing act. The feeling of being responsible for everything. The slow erosion of self underneath work, parenting, stress and expectation. And perhaps most importantly, the realisation that you cannot continue carrying all of that forever without eventually paying a price somewhere. This is ultimately a conversation about survival in every sense of the word. Not just physically, but emotionally too. And why, sometimes, the hardest thing any of us ever learns is that asking for help does not make us weak. It makes us human. Send us Fan Mail

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About

Welcome aboard The Viking Chats—the podcast where property, tech, and business collide in candid, no-fluff conversations. Hosted by Kristjan Byfield—lettings veteran, proptech pioneer, and co-founder of Base Property Specialists and The Depositary—this show dives deep into the real-world challenges and bold innovations shaping the future of the housing sector and beyond.Each episode, Kristjan drops anchor with industry leaders, disruptors, and entrepreneurs to unpack the messy, inspiring, and often chaotic reality of running a modern business in a rapidly evolving landscape. Expect sharp insights, honest stories, and the occasional Viking metaphor—all served with Kristjan’s trademark wit and big-hearted honesty.Whether you’re in lettings, launching a startup, or just love a good story about navigating change—this podcast is your compass in the storm.

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