Meet Clare Coe and Nina Zeilerbauer, co-founders of Madison Berkeley
In October 2017 35 year old Clare Coe and 45 year old Nina Zeilerbauer left top roles at one of London’s leading real estate recruiters to set up Madison Berkeley. Their aim was to change the face of real estate, to offer something different, more current and with diversity and inclusion at the fore. From just the two of them they have grown to 12 and have new central London offices.
Tell us about the founders behind the company.
Clare: I have worked in real estate recruitment for over 10 years and during that time climbed the ladder successfully. I was very happy working for one of the largest real estate recruiters in London but I felt that there were things that could be done differently. Nina was a good friend and recruiter within the same team. She had a vast amount of experience within the real estate and built environment sector and I had a huge amount of respect for the way she worked. I also felt our work values and goals were aligned. Ultimately we both realised that we wanted to change the face of real estate. We knew that we wanted to build a recruitment business which ensured diversity and inclusion wasn’t just a tick box exercise when it came to real estate recruitment. We knew that unless we started educating some of the big real estate companies on why D + I is so important not just on a human level but also a fiscal one, then the real estate sector would not be able to reflect the society it is meant to serve.
There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?
Nina: One day we went for a glass of wine after work. We started talking about how we saw real estate recruitment going in the future and what changes should be made to ensure the real estate recruitment sector kept up with a changing society and environment. It dawned on us that the changes we would want to make to the sector could only really be achieved if we set up on our own. That was the moment that our idea became more than just an idea. It was then we started seriously thinking about making Madison Berkeley a reality and we started planning.
How do you prepare for all the unknown obstacles when running your business?
Clare: It is impossible to prepare for unknown obstacles but we built the business on a solid foundation and planned its conception carefully. I think that means we have been able to weather some pretty big storms so far including covid. Our business was impacted by covid just as many others were. However, it doesn’t seem to have affected our growth trajectory at all which we are very thankful for. Last year we recorded 245% growth and have a 145% projected 2023 growth despite recession concerns.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
Nina: Our plans for our business started out fairly conservatively. The main motivation was to run a business that reflected our morals, values and ethics as well as potentially modernise the industry. When that became a reality, word spread and clients came knocking on our door. That saw us needing to expand. I don’t think we thought it would happen so quickly. Our aim is to keep spreading the word and recruiting in the Madison Berkeley way. We hope that means we continue to expand. We would like to break into the US market.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
Clare: I have a 2 year old son. He ensures my morning ritual is more ‘The Wheels on The Bus’ whilst making sure he’s not throwing food all over the floor! He very much grounds me and to be honest there isn’t much time for anything else.
How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?
Nina: I think it is very natural to have self doubt and I think if you channel it in the right way it can actually be turned into a positive for any entrepreneur. With anything like self doubt I think you have to compartmentalise it and try and remove yourself from it to then look at it objectively. Very often, by distancing yourself, you see that it doesn’t have much foundation to it. It becomes less important then and you can move on. Another technique is thinking of what advice you would give someone who came to you with that self doubt. What would you tell them? Then apply it to yourself!
How did you fund the business in the early stages?
Clare: We funded our business entirely ourselves and from our own pockets. When we decided to set up Madison Berkeley we started saving because we knew that we would have to both work out a 6 month period where we couldn’t operate in the London real estate recruitment sector due to contractual obligations surrounding competition. We saved enough to cover our wages for 6 months. We hired a workspace and used that time to plan and ensure we could hit the ground running as soon as we could operate as Madison Berkeley. Once that 6 month period finished, we were off the starting blocks and were lucky that contracts started coming through immediately. We were able to recoup those start up losses relatively quickly. That happened because of our long term experience within the sector and the contacts we had made during that time. We now have a team of 12 and brand new central London offices.
With all the success stories around entrepreneurship and how innovative people have to be to take the leap. How do you think you’ve innovated your sector and why?
Nina: We took a risk because our sector is traditionally male. As two young females we wanted to change the face of real estate but we knew we had to approach it in the right way. To positively discriminate would have been a bad move. To alienate clients would have stopped change. Our way of working is to advise and educate on why hiring with diversity and inclusion in mind is imperative for our industry to exist and develop both socially and fiscally. In the first two years of trading Madison Berkeley managed a 50% female placement ratio. This feels incredibly important when you consider that the real estate industry has an overall female representation of just 14%. We knew then that we were changing the face of real estate and innovating and helping to grow our clients businesses through strategic recruitment.
What are your top three tips to hire and develop new talent?
Good employers get to know their employees beyond the surface level and truly understand what is best for each individual’s mental health. It’s not one size fits all - it could be spending time with family, a gym class, a glass of wine with friend, live music, sport matches or having some quiet time to read a good book. If their individual need is consistently met it leads to a happy and productive work force and more importantly improved mental health.
Ensuring employees feel their ideas, presence and contributions are truly valued and taken seriously whatever level they are in the business, otherwise they will eventually leave
Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, D&I is more than policies, programs or headcounts. It's about respecting the unique needs and perspectives of employees from a range of backgrounds and making sure everyone in the business feel equally valued and integrated into the workplace environment
Thinking about the future, do you have any strategic partnerships or upgrades in the pipeline?
Clare: We are heavily involved with supporting the group Black Women in Real Estate which is a community of black professional women working in real estate. We recently partnered with them in creating the #IAMWOMAN campaign to attract more black females into the real estate sector and retain those who are already working within it. That campaign remains ongoing and we continue to try and spread the word. As a business we always want to connect with real estate clients who see diversity and inclusion as key recruitment factors. We will continue to seek out opportunities within our sector where we can highlight those without voices and give them a platform.
What routines have you got in place to ensure that you don’t ignore your mental health?
Nina: I go to the gym and do high intensity spin classes. The classes are so hard you literally can’t think about anything else. I always come out feeling energised and high on endorphins. Exercise gives me the break from work and my thoughts that I need. Socialising with my husband and friends is also really important for my well being and being able to have conversations which don’t involve work. I try to be as kind to myself as possible.
