KENTWOMENINBUSINESS
KENT WOMEN IN BUSINESS :
TINA BLAXILL
DIRECTOR , KINGS , AN INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENCY , SEVENOAKS , BOROUGH GREEN AND MEOPHAM
Having worked in London for over 35 years with renowned companies and running her own consultancy business , Tina Blaxill found her core purpose working with independent estate agents Kings , which was initially established in 1985 and became a rare Employee-Owned Trust ( EOT ) company in 2019 following the previous owner ’ s retirement .
I joined Kings in late 2019 on a short interim role as maternity cover for the only female member of the management team during my daughter ’ s GCSEs , to give me the time to focus on her education and needs while still playing an important part in the running of the company .
Although Kings enjoyed continued success , it became apparent that the company needed management support , financial and operational guidance with the EOT posing challenges and a need to update the business for the 21st century . Caveats and constraints within the new structure meant the continued running of Kings was incredibly restrictive . However , having worked with numerous companies with a variety of formal structures , along with my experience helping directors make sense of , analyse and utilise financial information in complex commercial environments via my own consultancy , this meant I was able to bring a new level of knowledge and operational experience to Kings .
Once the benefits and the more complicated details had been shared with the wider team , it was obvious that they understood the ethos of the business in a far more positive way . I genuinely believe that to create and have the support of a great team , knowledge should be shared .
I became a director of Kings in 2021 , joining the all-male board who had worked for the company between 15 and 25 years ; unusual in an industry which often sees regular staff turnover and continued movement between branches . Understandably , their attention had been on the more operational aspects of Kings , so my appointment allowed me to focus on the future of the business , strategic planning and leading on important projects , one of which was the rebranding project with Curious London . Kings had retained the same
image , logo and colours since its inception 27 years ago , which was outdated . Our new brand was launched in May 2023 and has promoted the business to the forefront allowing Kings to stand out in a crowded market with style , exuding professionalism , knowledge and above all , experience .
We are now a brand that is as good as our reputation .
Having lived in Sevenoaks and the neighbouring villages for nearly 38 years , I believe it ’ s important for local independent businesses to give back to the community , and Kings have sponsored numerous local events , especially with the surrounding schools . I am very proud that , given the recognition of the importance of women in sport , Kings have sponsored the first girls ’ football team in Borough Green to play in the Kent Girls / Ladies Football League and our wonderful new logo showcasing the brand is emblazoned across the shirts – watch out for the team at your local football pitch
We also recognise the importance of observing national occasions and regularly change our window displays from properties available to those supporting national causes such as Remembrance Day and the ‘ Wear it Pink ’ initiative supporting women with Breast Cancer , an image we have also used across social media and our annual calendar , which is distributed to houses in our local areas .
kings-estate-agents . co . uk
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