As an award-winning and well-known thought leader in the real estate recruitment space, Madison Berkeley has always done things differently. Their team’s expertise comes from years of real estate recruitment experience. However, what sets them apart is their genuine interest in building relationships and supporting other organisations that are also on a journey to change the face of real estate. For our latest Catching Up With feature, we sat down with Dale Johnstone, Equity Partner at Allsop. With nearly two decades at the firm, Dale reflects on his route into property, the lessons learned along the way, and why building honest, straightforward relationships is the cornerstone of a successful career in real estate.
Lehman Brothers collapse:
I’ve been with Allsop for seventeen years now, having joined as a graduate in 2008, on the very same day Lehman Brothers collapsed. Not the easiest moment to step into the world of work, but in some ways, a good grounding in resilience. Allsop is unusual in today’s market because we’re still an equity partnership. Many others have been bought out or corporatised, but our 21 equity partners collectively own the business. That ownership structure shapes the way we work: it’s very open, very flat, and genuinely collaborative. We operate from an open-plan office, which means there’s constant day-to-day interaction between partners and graduates. From the moment you join, you’re encouraged to take on responsibility and get involved at the coalface of transactions. It’s a culture that promotes trust, accountability and a family-business feel.
The built environment is fascinating:
I studied History of Art and had a strong interest in architecture, but I realised early on that the art world wasn’t where I wanted to be. It was actually my university housemates who pointed me in the right direction. They were both going to do real estate master’s degrees, and both came from families in property. Hearing them talk about the sector, I realised there was this whole world of chartered surveying and property advisory work that I hadn’t previously considered. I knew I wanted to work with buildings in some way, and property felt like the right avenue to combine my interests with a professional career.
No family ties to the industry:
The biggest one was the lack of connections. Many people in property come from families already in the industry; they have a parent, relative, or friend who can open doors. I didn’t have that. Early on, I found it daunting at open days when others would casually reference their family links with the firms they were meeting. I didn’t know anyone in real estate, so I was starting completely from scratch, with a non-cognate degree. That said, I had a fortunate break. On a holiday, I met one of Allsop’s partners. I mentioned I was starting a property master’s and he offered me some work experience. That chance encounter gave me a foot in the door, but from there it was about working hard and proving myself.
Property is a long game:
Relationships, reputation, and integrity matter more than any single transaction. I’ve learnt that being genuine, honest, and transparent is essential. The moment you try to be someone you’re not, or push too hard for a short-term win, it will catch up with you. Whereas if you consistently do the right thing, even if it means walking away from a deal, it pays dividends over the course of a career.
Don’t overcomplicate things:
I believe my straightforward approach sets me apart from my competitors. For me, it’s about working constructively with everyone involved, clients, solicitors, buyers, sellers, to get a deal done fairly.
At the end of the day, we’re all trying to reach the same outcome. If you can keep that in mind, the process becomes smoother and far more collaborative.
Seeing both sides of the coin:
One of the best things I ever did was a 2–3 month client-side secondment when I was an associate. It gave me a completely different perspective, seeing how clients analyse deals, what they value, how investment committees think, and crucially, how not to present opportunities. That short experience accelerated my development by years. It taught me the importance of prioritising high quality advice and presenting myself as an advisor as opposed to a broker. I’d also tell myself not to get discouraged by market cycles. When things are tough, remember it’s just a blip in a much longer career. Keep perspective, work hard, and continue doing the right things. In sporting parlance – ‘trust the process’.
Diversity remains a huge challenge:
We’ve made progress, but there’s still a long way to go, both in terms of gender balance and broader representation. At Allsop, one of the things we are most proud of is our apprenticeship programme. We were one of the first to really push this route, and now our first crop of apprentices are rising through the ranks to more senior positions. It’s brought fresh perspectives and greater diversity into the firm, and it’s encouraging to see competitors following suit. But the industry as a whole is only at the start of this journey. We all need to keep pushing much harder to ensure that property becomes more inclusive.
