5 minutes with… Owen Matchett of The Agent NI
After being inspired by his mother’s love of houses, ‘The Agent’, Owen Matchett has built an incredibly successful property agency based out of Portadown.
Launched during the Covid Pandemic – many said he was mad – but he made the business work. For Owen, it’s about making dreams come true and he does that with the help of his very own dream team of colleagues/friends.
Nowadays, as his own boss, he enjoys a little more free time which he spends with the people (and pets!) he loves most.
Why did you choose being an entrepreneur as a career/business?
Being an entrepreneur came by chance. I remember from an early age I wanted to go as far as possible in education. That wasn’t to be as I performed poorly academically at school and left at age 17.
A lot of where I am today is down to my mum and dad as they encouraged me to get an apprenticeship with an estate agents. This was because my mum always had a huge interest in houses when I was growing up.
Someone asked me recently what it was like being so successful. I thanked them for the compliment, but my reply was not what they expected. With age I’ve come to measure success very differently. I’m extremely lucky to have my wife Dawn and my close friends and doggies. For me that’s success.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
Starting again from scratch, but starting again from scratch with my wife as business partner. No doubt it was a chance to start a new company during a pandemic but for some reason the timing was right for me.
It was down to quality of life and I guess I really wanted to take a chance and bring a unique and fresh approach to selling property, not just in Northern Ireland but the UK.
People came to expect the stiff suit and corporate approach. Our business plan for The Agent NI was to go the exact opposite direction of that and keep it real. True to ourselves. It worked and worked truly beyond our wildest dreams. I’m so lucky that the people I work with at The Agent have all become great friends. I’ve always said that there is no such thing as an employer and employee at The Agents. We are colleagues and friends. All on the one level.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
This really does sound corny but we do make so many dreams come true. The amount of people that would say to us that we have helped them find their dream home. Seeing the smile on first time buyers really is the sweetest thing.
What has been the biggest challenge in your job?
It was definitely launching a new business during Covid. Something inside, said to me I just had to do it. Going into the unknown but yet I felt confident and for some reason it felt right. Some said to me afterwards they genuinely thought I was mad. Can’t argue that as I am a bit mad. I did what’s called a calculated risk.
What is the most helpful advice that you have been given?
The advice came from Dawn my wife. Always stick to our game plan and that plan is very simple. Be me and stay true to myself. Don’t care what other people are doing in their business. Remain unique.
We all know what the saying is about marmite. We have so many students come to us on work experience who want to do real estate at university. I give them all the same advice. You have to stand out. Everyone must find their very own unique selling point.
If you could choose anything else to do, what would it be?
Oh I would definitely work in a doggie sanctuary. I would make sure every dog found a happy, loving home.
What do you think your best quality is?
Kindness. You never know what’s going on in someone’s life and one kind word can maybe change someone’s day. I say so many many times The Agent is nothing without our customers so we like where possible to support local schools and sports clubs. It’s important to give back to those that are good to you.
Name three things that you like doing outside of work…
Spending time with my wife, fur babies and shopping. I’m afraid yes, I love shopping. Sorry.
Tell us about a secret skill that we don’t know you have.
I like to think I have a very creative mind. Many think we have employed a social media expert to do our marketing but I actually really enjoy doing it. I call it my wee hobby.
What is your most prized possession?
Snickers and Bounty my Cocker Spaniels are our world. Believe it or not, they were one of many reasons why I started the new business. To say spend more time with them.
What is your favourite food?
Obviously steak, chips, onion rings with pepper sauce. Posh food wasted on me. I enjoy a good feed.
What is your favourite book?
I can’t sit still never mind read a book.
What are you currently watching?
Emmerdale. Belle’s husband has to go. lol
If you were to watch a band/singer live, who would it be?
It would have to be AC/DC. All these years and still trucking.
Dead or alive, who would you most want to meet and why?
Einstein of course. Joke! For me I’d love to meet Tom Cruise. Love Mission Impossible movies and he does his own stunts. Always has plenty of time for his fans. Appears to be a nice guy.