What 6,500 Homes Have Taught Us About Business, People, and Progress

After nine years and more than 6,500 staged homes, we’ve learnt a lot – not just about styling, but about what it takes to build a business that lasts.

We’ve had the highs, the hard days, and everything in between. And the biggest lessons? They haven’t come from success alone, but from the challenges that forced us to think differently.

Whether you’re an agent, a seller, or someone building your own business, these lessons might sound familiar.

When Foxy first started, it was just Phoebe and Jake doing it all – styling, admin, loading trucks, you name it. But as the business grew, they couldn’t be across every detail. That’s when the biggest realisation hit: if you want to grow, you need to build leaders, not followers.

Train people to set standards in your absence. Document the ‘Foxy way,’ hand ownership over, and review outcomes – not minutes.

It’s easy to underestimate someone’s potential. But giving people the space to grow is how you find your real stars.

Some will surprise you, stepping up when you least expect it. Not everyone will – and that’s okay. What matters is creating an environment where people feel capable, trusted, and backed. That’s when they do their best work.

Start with trust, add clear expectations, then coach. If it’s still not a fit, decide quickly.

Here’s the less glamorous side of scaling: it costs money.

More jobs = more furniture, trucks, wages, and warehousing before you’re paid. Cashflow plans beat “busy”. Even if the workload doubles, the numbers still need to stack up. Planning ahead, staying disciplined, and knowing when to say no are what keep a business growing sustainably.

At one stage, Foxy tried to launch an online store. On paper, it made perfect sense – same suppliers, same warehouse, same clients.

In practice? Completely different business model. The lesson was clear: focus matters. When you double down on what you do best, you deliver better results. Spreading yourself too thin only dilutes your strengths.

In a small service business, one person being sick – or leaving – can create chaos unless you’re ready for it.

We learnt this the hard way. Now, every role at Foxy has a backup. It’s not about redundancy; it’s about resilience. Shared systems and cross-training mean clients never feel the gaps.

People are both your greatest strength and your toughest challenge. No one will ever care about your business quite like you do, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care deeply.

That’s where culture comes in. Strong values and clear systems create consistency – the kind that lasts long after individuals move on.

Being the leader sometimes means being the bad guy. Letting someone go, saying no to a job, or protecting culture – not every call will be popular.

But leadership is about protecting the bigger picture: the business, the clients, and the people who rely on it. It’s not easy, but it’s essential for stability and growth.

Culture doesn’t stick after one team meeting or workshop. It’s built through repetition – saying and showing the same things over and over again. How we solve problems. How we communicate. How we show up.

Over time, that repetition becomes identity. It’s what turns a group of people into a true team.

There’s no such thing as a perfect day in business. Problems never stop – they just change.

Leaders get the hardest ones because they’re the only ones who can fix them. The goal isn’t to avoid the fires; it’s to stay calm while you put them out.

Even after nearly a decade in business, we’re still learning – about leadership, people, and ourselves. Mistakes will always happen, but the difference between growth and standing still is how you reflect, learn, and adjust.

Staging homes might be where it started, but the lessons run far deeper. Focus on what matters most, invest in your people, stay curious, and keep showing up – even on the messy days. That’s where real progress happens.