Career success story - Elijah Johnson

Jesse Bonsu (Lettings Branch Director, Kennington) was recently promoted, a milestone that marked significant turning point in their career.

He reflects on his journey at KFH from initial hesitation, to discovering a deep passion for lettings. Jesse shares how a supportive environment, personal drive, and a commitment to growth helped shape his success. 

Initially, I reluctantly accepted a job offer to work in the KFH Kennington branch, an area I wasn’t too familiar with other than the odd journey through on my way East from where I lived at the time in Battersea. 

When I joined KFH as a senior lettings negotiator, I already had a few years of experience working with agencies in central London. I had relative success in those companies and they had helped me build a strong foundation in lettings. but I was looking for more than just a job. I wanted to be part of something that would challenge me, support me, and allow me to grow and that’s exactly what I found at KFH. 

Very early on, I realised how much I loved what I do. Lettings isn’t just about numbers or deals, it’s about people, trust, and creating opportunities. I threw myself into the role. I remember my first week being given my targets and I quietly said to myself, “these are the bare minimum, I’ll aim to double these.” I stayed late most days solely to learn the systems inside out, and made sure I wasn’t behind those who had been working there longer.

That early investment in myself paid off more than I could have imagined.  My manager at the time, Caroline Duvergier, created an environment and culture that truly values hard work and initiative and thanks to her support and the incredible team around me, I was promoted to Assistant Lettings Manager. 

One of the highlights of that time was helping our office move from 6th to 2nd place company-wide, based on revenue - a huge team effort that I’m incredibly proud of. Along the way, I was lucky enough to receive some amazing recognition, including “Lettings Rising Star” in my first full year at the KFH Annual Awards. A year later I was awarded Top Negotiator across the company for both number of lets and initial revenue. 

But beyond the awards, what really stands out to me is the environment KFH has created. I’ve always felt empowered to be myself, take risks, and push boundaries. That freedom has been a game changer, not just for my career, but for my confidence and personal growth too. 

This journey has also brought personal milestones, like being able to buy my first home - something that felt like a distant dream not too long ago. 

Now, I’m incredibly proud to step into my new role as Lettings Branch Director. It’s a new chapter, and I’m more motivated than ever to lead, support others, and keep doing what I love every single day. 

To anyone starting out or feeling stuck - keep showing up, stay passionate and surround yourself with people who believe in you. The right environment can make all the difference, especially if you are anything like me, the self proclaimed “sales athlete”.