Manager celebrates decade with Harrison Murray

When Zara Laxman took her first tentative steps on the estate agency path, she admits to not knowing the difference between a semi-detached and detached property. However, that was a decade ago – and now Zara is celebrating success at the helm of Harrison Murray’s flagship Halford Street branch in Leicester.

Zara has notched up 10 years of service with the company, and continues to run the branch she first started work at as a Sunday assistant back in 1999.

“I had two young children and hadn’t worked for a while, let alone attended an interview,” said Zara. “Although I had worked as a manager in a shoe shop – I had no estate agency experience.”

“I wanted to get back into the workplace on a very temporary basis and Sunday working suited me fine. I wasn’t expecting much more than that.”

However, Zara’s Sunday hours soon turned into holiday cover for colleagues, and before long she took on a more substantial negotiator role, which fitted in with school hours.

Promotion to assistant manager followed, and Zara (38) has held the position of branch manager for the past four years.

“Harrison Murray have been so supportive and I can’t thank the company enough for all the training and their belief in me,” said Zara.

“No two days are the same. The team here is exceptional and I couldn’t see myself working anywhere else. Apart from spending a few weeks overseeing the opening of a sister branch I have been at Halford Street from day one.”

She added: “We have a lot of repeat business and I like to think of myself as a people person. Our customers are very loyal.”

Harrison Murray development director Jackie Scotten said: “I am immensely proud of Zara and what she has achieved during her time with Harrison Murray so far.

“She is an asset to the company, and the fact she has done this on her own merits – as a successful woman, and working mum in what is still a male-dominated industry – is commendable.”

For more information, visit Harrisonmurray.co.uk.