I was very sad to hear the news of Douglas and Gordon’s passing last week. To me, D&G was an example of not having to run a business for ruthless profit, but to benefit all stakeholders, staff and clients, not just shareholders and owners.
I was joking with my colleague, office manager Pete Rawlings. The number of former employees now running much larger businesses is staggering, and the common wisdom that profit is everything has become a mantra and methodology for many of them. In the business of relationships, I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing.
D&G was the product of one talented MD, Ivor Dickinson, and a supportive owner. [often literally] By the wonderfully old school chairman, Michael Hodgson. A fun and caring atmosphere was created, and the fact that it started from its inception in 1958 led Lettings to create real value for the business, and ironically he hoped Foxtons would buy it. connected to
Ivor has created a business that exceeds its weight in terms of PR and especially marketing.A Google search may reveal some of the great annual campaigns, many featured employees, and/or avant-garde images designed to generate discussion in ways no one in the industry has ever done before. In particular, his impersonation documentary series [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-DOISzue0] It was so close to the bone that one of our conservative rivals advised his manager to send a link to a potential client.
The confidence of a business that can laugh at itself is at odds with an industry that, like politics, is suffering from radical and increasingly outspoken criticism of anyone trying to do something different. The ongoing criticism directed at them is an example of this, with lower standards and lower fees blaming them all. Despite the current problems, it’s easy to forget that there is clearly demand for such businesses, and change will come as a new generation of buyers and sellers emerges who are accustomed to click-to-buy. You know, sitting there and screaming won’t do you any good.
Personally, Foxtons have always had a tough request to pull off the sales side of their newly purchased D&G, with some commentators arguing it was the best deal since sliced bread, but the writing reveals It was on the wall.
For me, it was a golden age of working with some great people. Many of them have gone on to more successful careers than ever before.to ivar [RIP]Michael, Vague, George, Eileen, Patrick, Nick, Nikki, Zandra, Emma and many others for all the wonderful memories and for sharing so much.
Ed Mead is the founder of Viewber.
iNews Flash!Douglas and Gordon believed to have taken managerial positions
