Name: Hannah Grievson
Job title: Property director, Sloane Stanley Estate
Why I got into the property industry: It is a bit of a family business, quite a few of my relatives are in the industry. Funnily enough, it was the one job I didn’t want to do growing up due to my father, who is also a surveyor, dragging me around dreary industrial estates as a child every time we went anywhere by car. However, it has proved to be an excellent choice of a career and I am one of the lucky people who loves their job.
How I did it: I took the standard route of doing a real estate degree and studied urban estate management at the University of Glamorgan, which is now part of the University of South Wales.
My first proper job: My first proper surveying job was with Chesterton where I joined as a graduate. I was there for over five years, and it was a great start into the industry and world of property, and I am still in contact with many of my colleagues from those days.
My first big break: This was when I joined the Portman Estate. It was where I discovered that I particularly enjoy working in an estate environment and being client side where I can engage with lots of different people, and feel as though I’m making a significant difference.
My inspiration(s): The Sloane Stanley tenants inspire me. We specialise in creative, independent start-up businesses and as a result, have a lot of entrepreneurs. I admire their dedication and creativity. People like Brora and Designers Guild opened their first shops on the estate and more recently we have people like Jenny Matthews from Love My Human who started a dog grooming business approximately 10 years ago and recently opened her second shop/dog café on the King’s Road. She also organised the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel parade on the King’s Road for the king’s coronation. I am surrounded by talented people on a daily basis, which is another reason why I love my job so much.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Covid was very challenging. However, with our help, most of the Sloane Stanley tenants were able to weather the storm. Not only did we help our tenants with short-term financial assistance, but we regeared leases and introduced turnover rents to help support our tenants throughout the pandemic. This not only ensured businesses on the Estate survived successive lockdowns, but it also cultivated a real sense of community in the area that has continued to emulate.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: I would say all the work I have done at Sloane Stanley but, specifically, two moments stand out for me. Firstly, is the decision we made several years ago to move towards a leasing strategy centred on pop-up shops and short-term flexible leases, which is called ‘shop-on demand’. We can be flexible, which is a good thing for London at the moment, and as an estate, we can respond to changing consumer preferences and create a more relevant offer of independent and established retailers for our community. Secondly, I would say our introduction of turnover rents to help support our tenants throughout the pandemic.
My biggest screw-up: I did once measure the wrong property! Luckily, I spotted my mistake before I issued the valuation report. The worst bit was going back the next day to measure the right building and hoping I did not get spotted by any of the occupants of the first building! I think you have to be quite philosophical in this business. Things do go wrong, but the important thing is to acknowledge the mistake, own up, brainstorm solutions and record what you have learnt for future reference and always keep perspective.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That all landlords are bad. Landlords are perceived as greedy, privileged and money-grabbing. However, most landlords try hard to offer a good service while adhering to increasing regulatory and legal requirements.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The length of time it takes to complete a letting or a purchase. This is one of the reasons why I like our ‘shop on demand’ strategy so much, as it removes lengthy paperwork and allows brands to get in quickly and efficiently.
When I became interested in ESG: I have been interested in ESG ever since joining Sloane Stanley. I have been inspired by many of our brands, such as The Sustainable Pop-Up, which place sustainability at the heart of their offer. At Sloane Stanley we embrace this approach; we have been ISO 14001 accredited for a couple of years and we encourage our tenants to adopt this ethos.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: When I joined Sloane Stanley, I became aware of how much more diverse retail is to the property business. It is substantially more equal and inclusive. We have many female entrepreneurs on the estate with over 35% of our shops on the King’s Road owned by women. However, there is always room for improvement, and we believe one of these ways is through mentoring and encouraging women to create business networks.
We regularly hold events for our tenants to meet each other and we try to support our entrepreneurs by creating groups such as the Design Collective where the design retailers can meet and exchange ideas and come up with suggestions to encourage business in the area. We see this same gender balance translated within the Sloane Stanley management team, with women being the majority force – this is something we are very proud of, and actively nurture with our more junior staff to enable them to reach senior positions.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I have recently been promoted to the board of Sloane Stanley and see my future very much here in Chelsea. I have worked for a number of inspiring people over the years, and I would like one day to be as supportive and inspiring as them.
My main career goals right now: To continue to build on the success of the estate. It has been a difficult few years for the property industry, but I am proud to say Sloane Stanley has managed to buck the trend. Despite many hurdles – Brexit, internet shopping and Covid to name a few – we have continued to improve the quality of our retailers and F&B operators.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook – I am addicted to The Rest is History podcast and could listen to these two discuss history for days.
What I do in my downtime: I love shopping and culture. My perfect day is pottering around the shops on the King’s Road, followed by a visit to the Saatchi Gallery and a show at the Royal Court.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I would probably be developing property. I enjoy having a project and tend to always be doing something to my home or surfing property websites.
My advice for someone just starting out: Be enthusiastic and never be afraid to fail. You learn more from failure than from success and if you never fail it means you never tried.
My motto/mantra: Perseverance is my motto. I believe everyone can achieve anything with patience and hard work.
