James Withall
Since catching the property bug, James Withall has been grabbing opportunities left, right and centre – and is now facing his toughest challenge yet.
James initially studied Civil Engineering, but soon realised there was only one aspect of the course which really interested him - property. Seeking out the best surveying courses, he was drawn back to his home town, Bristol. "I didn't mind coming back at all," James explains. "My parents had moved away by then, which probably helped!"
A balanced diet
For James, the best thing about the course itself was the way it encouraged interaction with other disciplines, such as architecture. "Using all these skills is a part of everyday working life in this sector," James argues, suggesting that more courses should try to include such a range of approaches.
But his education didn't begin and end in the classroom. Bristol's famous nightlife makes it hard not to lead a sociable student life, and James looks back on this as another building block for his current success. "Property is a people profession," he explains, "and good relationships are key to success. I really think my social life helped hone my networking skills."
Immediately after graduating, James joined Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) as a Graduate Building Surveyor - and set his sights on becoming a Chartered Surveyor. He passed the exam first time, although isn't quick to take the credit: "I maintained the company's 100% success rate, thanks largely to the experience and guidance of the directors". Those very same directors are now his competitors!
Big business blues
After four years with LSH, James spent a couple of years helping to establish the building consultancy department for a large organisation setting up a new office in Bristol. "I got my teeth into a new challenge, but soon got frustrated with corporate politics." So rather than grin and bear it, James and a colleague went one better - and set up their own real-estate venture.
"3SIXTY has been going for some 15 months, at a time when the global financial crisis has paralysed various sectors of the property market. But we've managed to stay flexible, and are now Bristol's fastest growing building consultancy."
It's not been a smooth ride - "in the world of self employment, you eat what you catch" - but clearly an exciting one. And what about future challenges? "I'm hoping to run the Bristol half marathon, but we'll see." You can hardly blame James for wanting a bit of a breather...
Page last updated 1 November 2011