When I first returned to our family business in 2011, I had every intention of selling property.
In fact, I managed to sell two properties before quickly realising something important: my passion and strengths lay elsewhere.
More significantly, I recognised that if we were going to grow the business, it needed my full attention in a different capacity.
This early realisation set me on the path to becoming a non-selling principal—a decision that has fundamentally shaped our business philosophy and growth trajectory over the past decade.
Breaking from tradition
In an industry where many agency owners continue to sell (often topping the leaderboards in their own businesses), choosing to step away from active selling can seem counterintuitive.
After all, many of us entered real estate because we love the thrill of closing deals and delivering results for clients.
But there’s a fundamental tension that exists when a principal competes with their team members for listings.
No matter how you frame it, when you’re selling alongside your team, you’re essentially competing for the same pool of business. Is that really the best foundation for building a cohesive, supportive team culture?
My old man always believed in separating these roles, and that wisdom has proven invaluable.
What began as a practical decision has evolved into a core belief of mine: if you’re going to scale a business and develop a team of salespeople, it simply doesn’t feel right to be “selling against them.”
Focusing on team development
Instead of directing my energy toward personal sales targets, I’ve redirected it toward supporting and developing our team members. This shift in focus provides several distinct advantages:
- Alignment of interests: When I’m not competing for listings, there’s never a question about where my priorities lie. My success is directly tied to the team’s success.
- Time for leadership: Running a successful agency of 60+ staff requires focused leadership and strategic direction. Being a non-selling principal allows me the bandwidth to work on the business rather than constantly in it.
- Individual development: I can dedicate proper time to coaching and developing individuals, helping them reach their full potential rather than focusing on my own sales targets.
- Cultural cohesion: It sends a clear message about our values—we truly are a team-first organisation where the success of the collective takes precedence over individual achievement.
The practical reality
Of course, this approach isn’t without its challenges.
The most obvious is financial—you’re effectively removing one potentially high-performing salesperson (yourself) from the equation.
This means you need to be confident in your team’s ability to generate sufficient revenue to sustain the business while also funding your role.
For smaller agencies or those in challenging markets, this can be a significant barrier.
If you’re considering this approach, it requires honest assessment of your financial position and the calibre of your team.
There’s also the question of staying relevant and connected to market realities.
When you’re not actively selling, you need to work harder to stay abreast of market conditions, buyer sentiment, and evolving sales techniques.
I address this by maintaining close relationships with our team, being involved in strategy sessions, and regularly attending open homes and auctions.
The outcomes
For us, this approach has been instrumental in scaling our business.
We’ve grown to a substantial team with strong retention rates and high levels of staff engagement.
Our salespeople know they’re not competing with the boss for listings, which removes a significant potential source of conflict and frustration.
Some of our top performers are doing 50-60 sales annually without personal assistants (with support from our admin team).
I believe this efficiency partly stems from the clarity of purpose and support they receive in an environment where they’re not competing with management.
The non-selling principal model has also allowed us to be more innovative and forward-thinking.
The time I’ve been able to dedicate to business improvement, including our recent office redevelopment, MBA studies, and exploration of new technologies, simply wouldn’t have been possible if I were juggling an active sales role.
Is this approach right for your agency?
This model isn’t necessarily right for everyone. If you’re passionate about selling, and that’s where your skills lie, forcing yourself into a purely management role might leave you unfulfilled.
Similarly, if you’ve built your agency around your personal brand and client relationships, transitioning away from an active sales role requires careful management.
However, if you’re serious about scaling your business beyond your personal production capacity, considering a non-selling principal model might be worthwhile.
It creates space for your team to flourish without feeling like they’re competing with you for business.
The true measure of success as a principal isn’t in how many properties you personally sell, but in how effectively you build and lead a team that delivers exceptional results for your clients and community.
In our case, stepping back from selling has allowed me to step up as a leader, creating an environment where our team can thrive.
And that, for me, has been infinitely more rewarding than any commission cheque.
