Friday was one of those days that reminded me of the pure thrill of seeing something new – something that, in an instant, rekindled the sense of wonder I had as a child.
While most of the estate agency industry gathered in London for The Negotiator Awards – reconnecting with the usual suppliers and customers – I was on a Zoom call that caught me completely by surprise.
It took me back to a time when I was a schoolboy growing up in Norfolk, lying in the grass on summer days, watching the skies filled with aircraft.
Some days, it was the familiar roar of Spitfires and Hurricanes filming The Battle of Britain. For a young boy, it was a school holiday thrill to see these iconic, vintage planes perform high above. But one morning, something completely unexpected appeared.
SLEEK AND ALIEN-LIKE
It wasn’t like any fighter or bomber I’d ever seen before. It was sleek, alien-like, and moved with an elegance and speed that made me freeze in place, mesmerised.
I didn’t know what I was looking at – just that it was extraordinary. I didn’t realise it at the time, but years later I would learn that what I’d seen was the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird – a top-secret, high-tech aircraft far ahead of its time. At that moment, it was simply an awe-inspiring sight. It was like a glimpse into a future I didn’t yet understand.
TOP-SECRET
What I didn’t know then was that the SR-71, despite its incredible speed and height, was flying in a way that disguised its top-secret nature. The slower, more conventional aircraft escorting it were keeping its presence low-key, ensuring its high-tech capabilities remained under wraps.
Fast forward to Friday. I was on a Zoom call, prepared to look at another typical land-banking or prospecting tool, expecting to see something familiar. But as I dug into the company’s offering, I quickly realised that what I thought I was going to see wasn’t what I found at all. This wasn’t just another tool—it was something better.
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
In that moment, I felt like I was watching something just as unexpected and impressive as the SR-71 soaring above Norfolk all those years ago. I hadn’t expected this company’s product to be so much more advanced than anything I had seen before. It wasn’t groundbreaking – it was simply better.
This company’s offering stood out from everything else on the market, in the same way that the SR-71 stood apart from the more conventional aircraft I’d seen in the sky. It was more sophisticated, more refined, and better in almost every way.
WHOLE NEW LIGHT
After all the research I’d done, what I found didn’t match my expectations – but in the best way possible. This product is now on my list of companies that I believe truly deliver something exceptional.
Companies like Moneypenny, Van Mildert, Fixflo, and Yomdel. They’re the ones doing things differently, offering something better for estate agents, and this company’s product belongs right alongside them.
I won’t spoil the surprise for you – connect with Tom Neall at @Addland, take a look at what they’ve created and experience what I did. You’ll see what I mean. It’s something that makes you look at the industry in a whole new light.
Robert May is Advocate for Agents at MySSTC
