I decided to go it alone after 20 years in corporate estate agency, and launched Ronke Maye Ltd in spring 2025. It’s early days, but within six weeks of trading I’d already sold a property and built a portfolio in double figures – a great early milestone. I first got into the industry while studying for a law degree and working part-time for a mobile phone company. I was great at sales and loved talking to people, so I started thinking about how to increase my commission. In February 2005, I walked into Haart and never looked back. Over the years I worked my way up from Negotiator to Branch Manager, including opening a brand-new office from scratch in London SE6. That experience showed me what I was capable of, and planted the seed that I could one day do this for myself. Ten years ago I was winning awards, but I didn’t yet have the experience to go solo. Since then I’ve learned from every place I’ve worked. Today I have the confidence to do it under my own name, not on a corporate platform but through my personal brand and my own boards. I’m a single mum to two daughters, aged 10 and 15, and I help support my mum, who is guardian to my niece, who has ADHD. I needed a better work-life balance, and although launching solo was scary, it’s already made a big difference. I work from home and I’m up at 5am. I’ll go for a walk to get my steps in, then help my daughters over breakfast before seeing them off to school. By 7am they’re out the door, and I’ll do some meditation or watch a You Tube tutorial. I’m still getting to grips with the tech side of things, which the corporate back office used to handle. I’m at my computer by 9am. I still follow a corporate structure, so I rarely make appointments before 11. My mornings are spent doing follow-ups and vendorfeedback. I used to hand-post ads myself, but I now have a company that handles that for me. Right now my focus is on generating valuations. If I’m not uploading listings or on valuation calls, I’m canvassing and building the business. That corporate discipline still drives me. I offer sales, lettings, property management and consulting, with a network of solicitors, mortgage brokers and trades I can refer clients to.

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

I always keep an eye on Rightmove, and if a property’s been on the market for over eight weeks I might go knock on the door and introduce myself. Most of my leads are wordof-mouth, boosted by targeted social media campaigns. After my first sale I canvassed the whole street offering free valuations. People want that personal touch and that’s what I deliver. The light-bulb moment for me was when a client said, “I don’t like the agency but I’m going with you.” That day I saw how much the company made off a sale versus my cut. I realised I could be doing this for myself. Of course, setting up solo isn’t just about branding. There are serious compliance requirements: anti-money laundering checks, regulated bank accounts, redress schemes. That’s why I joined Propertymark. They update me daily on legislation, so when I’m sitting in front of a vendor I’m credible and confident. It’s also a great community. I make sure I take a proper lunch break, and I’ve set a rule to finish at 6pm. But if something urgent comes in I’ll reply. My evenings are spent with my children, or out at networking events. That’s what socialising looks like for me right now. I love music, cinema and travel. I’ve been to Nigeria and Miami this year, but now my focus is fully on building the business. That said, I still make time for myself for long walks, the occasional spa day and time with my amazing friends, who totally get the mission I’m on. I love matching people with homes and helping them move forward, and I love doing it for my kids. During lockdown I raised money for London youth, and eventually I want to sponsor local schools, especially SEN schools, which are close to my heart because of my niece, Faith. I’ve seen first-hand how under-resourced they are, and I want to give back to the schools that have been so good to my family. I’m local, and when people see my boards around the area they know I’m one of them.

THE LIGHT-BULB MOMENT FOR ME WAS WHEN A CLIENT SAID, ‘I DON’T LIKE THE AGENCY BUT l’M GOING WITH YOU.’ THAT DAY I SAW HOW MUCH THE COMPANY MADE OFF A SALE VERSUS MY CUT. I REALISED I COULD BE DOING THIS FORMYSELF