Sam Crooks has promoted his way through the sales team, having started out as an Account Manager and now excelling in his role as Business Development Manager. His previous experience within the company means that he knows his way around our systems and can advise and assist whenever needed. He is always willing to go the extra mile for his recommenders.
Stephen.
What is your working history?
I had a wide range of jobs through higher education, highlights of which include packing bananas and invigilating exams. I then spent a few years in hospitality before joining My Home Move. I celebrated 10 years with the company in January and I am looking forward to the next chapter.
What is your proudest moment at My Home Move?
It has to be the promotion to my role as Business Development Manager in 2015; the well wishes and congratulations from colleagues and industry partners was very humbling and blew me away.
Before working at My Home Move, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I’ve had some very uninteresting jobs in my time, but a role I have been involved in since I was a child is as a volunteer in the technical department at The Little Theatre in Leicester. My parents first met there and the family are all still involved today.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself before starting your career?
Set goals and follow your instincts. It took me a number of years to recognise the importance of setting goals to work towards; I would urge everyone to take the time to do so if you haven’t already. There have also been a few professional decisions where my instincts told me that I was doing the wrong thing, and as it turned out my instincts were right, however “experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”
What is your favourite film/book and favourite quote from it?
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell – “I wrote to the zoo to send me a pet, they sent me a snake… he was too scary, I sent him back!” It’s from my son’s favourite book, with added hissing noises!
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you?
Maybe Ryan Reynolds, crossed with Mr Bean. They both seem like clever, funny men and I am sure they could play a young, banana packing me – and make it seem a lot more fun!
Do you have a motto or personal mantra?
Don’t take life too seriously. There is always a positive to take out of a situation, a lesson to be learnt. I also think humour helps you to engage and relate with all walks of life.
What is on your bucket list?
To travel and snowboard on every continent – just one down so far, so I have some work to do.
What is your biggest pet peeve about the property industry?
Negativity. The success of our industry is largely based on consumer confidence and all too often, the mainstream press stories around the housing industry are negative. There are many initiatives, businesses and products that exist to help change and challenge this perception.
What are your hopes for the future of the property industry?
The adoption of technology across the sector. We see first hand the role technology plays alongside traditional values of customer service and delivery. If more businesses in the industry adopted a fraction of the technology available today, we would see benefits for all, including quicker completion times and falling fall-through rates, more completions and higher mover numbers.