Francesca
Starkey

Finding her way through relationships
Francesca's story so far...

Francesca Starkey came straight from the airport to her Project & Co interview, suitcase still in hand. After two redundancies, she was ready for a new direction. In November 2024, she joined the valuation and surveying firm as its sole business development manager, new to both the role and specialist property finance.

She started with fewer than 10 industry connections on LinkedIn. Getting out to meet people helped her learn the market and build a network that now includes more than 6,000 professionals. During the same period, the firm's revenue grew by 90% and secured lending valuation instructions by 400%, results she is clear belong to the team.

Francesca has found her own approach to bringing people together. Alongside more than six joint client events, she has organised karaoke, a theme park networking day and Between the Bridging, an industry social group. The group attracted over 500 LinkedIn followers in its first month. She was also a Rising Star finalist at the Financial Reporter Awards 2026.

Inside the firm, she worked with an external party to give business development meetings more structure, avoid overlap and understand their value. She is still building her sector knowledge through conversations with experienced colleagues and contacts. As her confidence grows, she wants her contribution to reflect both the relationships she enjoys and what she has learned about the industry.