If every week was like this one – I’d be unbearable.

£13 million worth of completions at Fine & Country, new podcasts launched, big client wins… and no children in the house. I’m long enough in the tooth to know weeks like this are rarer than a seller who “just wants a quick sale” and actually means it.

Monday – Lights, Camera, Podcast

Launched a new podcast for a very well-known agent who’s sold up and is now stepping into a new chapter. First guest nailed it, filming was flawless.

She’s back in September for more, and we’ll be running her digital presence. In short: she’s sorted, we’re smug.

Tuesday – PR Bombshells & Squeezing the Lemon

Great call with a CRM partner about a potentially genius commercial deal with Digital Sparks (translation: could support my coffee habit).

Then The Boys Club went live with a PR heavyweight who shared a brutally honest childhood story. The kind most people would bury, he just put on a Facebook Live. Brave bloke.

Finished the day hunting new lead gen angles for Fine & Country because, frankly, we’ve squeezed our current lemon down to the pips.

Wednesday – No More Waffle

Filmed the first three episodes of No More Waffle, the rebrand of my old Pass the Syrup podcast. Less silly, more substance, important conversations for both property professionals and consumers. Not about the market. About estate agency itself. Think “lifting the lid” rather than “selling the dream.”

Thursday – Football Boots & Fruit Shoots

Strategy day with the MD of Next Generation Active, our small children’s sports and care business. Mid-summer camp season = chaos. Imagine herding cats, but the cats are wearing shin pads and demanding biscuits.

Friday – Highs, Lows & Paperwork

Regular Friday morning business meeting, then took my dad to the doctor. He’s in the early stages of what we think is dementia. Seeing him go from the life of the pub to quiet and withdrawn is hard. Time with him is now top priority.

The rest was the usual Friday admin shuffle… and the realisation it was our F&C businesses best week in six years. £13 million in completions for a team of seven. Some had been delayed completions, so yes, the cash flow relief was very real.

Life Without the Girls

My wife and three daughters are in Germany for two and a half weeks. The house is quiet, workouts are up, the “later” list is shrinking… and I’m this close to buying a dog just to disrupt the peace again.

My quote of the Week: “Cash flow solves a lot of problems. So does perspective.”

Same time next week. Probably after bedtime.

Ben Madden is founder of Digital Sparks and a director at Fine & Country Chiswick