The Growth & Scale Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by Natasha Collins who is the founder of NC Real Estate, Property Investor, Chartered Surveyor & University Lecturer.

In this episode, we will be discussing: 

• Natasha's introduction to the property
• Natasha's  transition from a surveyor to an educator 
• Natasha's  thoughts of the importance of female representation in the property sector
  

In this episode, I’m joined by Ashley Dawn who is the founder of Dawn & Co. A number of years ago, Ashley made the decision to take back control of her life. She decided to pack in her day job & venture into the world of entrepreneurship. Why, we hear you ask? Because Ashley believes there is something greater out there for her and she believes the same can be done for others too. Ashley wanted to find out exactly how far she could push herself and as a result, her businesses & personal journey have continued to grow ever since.

After graduating with a First-Class degree from Huddersfield University, Ashley then embarked upon a career as a soil health specialist in Agriculture. Ashley was responsible for understanding the impacts modern farming was having on soil health. In addition to her role she was asked by senior management & soil specialists across the country to develop a robust trial to aid further investigations into the impact cover crops have on heavy farming soils. Having thoroughly enjoyed a career at Frontier Agriculture, Ashley felt it was time to move on and took a position at the UK’s leading property deal sourcing firm, MySourcingHub. Every other week Ashley was responsible for presenting to international property investors at Richmond and providing them with the necessary information they needed in order to kick start their investment journeys here in the UK.

It’s fair to say Ashley hasn’t followed a straight-line path in terms of her career. Having never bought a house before and beginning her property investment journey with no money to her name, Ashley joined forces with JMPI, a property sourcing business, in an attempt to raise capital as well as boost her profile along the way too. With several successful deals sourced, Ashley was then able to begin investing in property and now has South Yorkshire well under her wing. In 2019, Ashley made a bit of a name for herself on Social Media and as a result, she was featured in The Negotiator magazine sharing her views about the online auction buying process.

So, what can be learned from Ashley’s journey? There is no such thing as a straight-line trajectory in property or in business, but with sheer termination, passion & a sprinkling of flare, anything in life can be achieved… business owner, property investor, property sourcing agent, public speaker, writer/blogger/vlogger & absolute boss babe when it comes to the kitchen!

In this episode we will be discussing:

- Ashley's introduction to property sourcing for professional investors

- Ashley's thoughts on investing in your education 

- What she is most excited about this year.

In this episode, I’m joined by Susannah Cole who is the founder of The Good Property Company. Susannah is one of the UK’s most successful self made property investors. Starting her first business at the age of 22 she knew she had an entrepreneurial spirit which could not be constrained by a J.O.B (Just over broke). Breaking out of the corporate lifestyle she followed her dreams and took the risk to set up the Good Property Company which she has now been running for over ten years.

With determination and the right knowledge, Susannah believes anyone can make millions from property. It is possible to succeed even with very little money starting out. It only took Susannah 3 ½ years to become a property millionaire, and in her first 3 months as a deal packager, she made £12k as a kitchen table start up with a phone, a kettle and computer. Susannah went on to source, buy or let out more than 200 properties with a value of £45million and an agreed purchase price of £30million (before refurb). She then invested her capital to develop her multi million pound property portfolio consisting of HMO’s, single lets and serviced accommodation.

Susannah has made a huge impact within the property community and her success is unprecedented. She has been featured in well known property magazines such as Property Investor News and Your Property Network and has provided advice on podcasts such as Property Hub, Inside Property Investing and Tej Talks. Susannah's passion for property is infectious and she loves to give back and share her knowledge through her live workshops and group mentoring programme. Susannah's top priority is to help others to achieve (and hopefully surpass) her own successes! Susannah has already taught hundreds of mentees, many of whom have gone on to become very successful in property.

In this episode we will be discussing:

• Susannah's introduction to property/real estate investing
•  Susannah's thoughts on the importance of investing systems.
• What she believes investors should be doing post-COVID 19
  

In this episode, I’m joined by the Partner & Office Head of Knight Frank Mayfair & St James, Simon Burgoyne, with almost 10 years of residential sales experience behind him. Having dealt in residential development also, Simon has acquired a broad spectrum of skills within the central London market. His previous experience includes managing the sale for a range of properties; from small pieds-a-terre right through to super-prime penthouses. 

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Simon's illustrious career within real estate
• The opportunity and challenges today's prime London property market
• Simon's feelings on Co-Vid 19 and what his branch is doing to position themselves as market leaders.

In this episode, I’m joined by the Director of Dacha Real Estate, Alessia Sheglova, who reluctantly entered into the real estate market after her international studies, to becoming the Director of one of the most trusted Real Estate brokerages in Dubai. Having worked in the industry for many years, Alessia brings a balance of class and grit which has set her firm apart from competing for brokerages. 

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Alessia's extraordinary journey within real estate
• Alessia's success within the competitive Dubai market
• How she is navigating her business in this new normal.
  

In this episode, I’m joined by the Managing director of Jive Property, Will Bailey, who stumbled into the real estate sector to now provides turnkey investment portfolios for private clients globally. Having worked in the industry for many years, Will brings a balance of analytical prowess and transaction speed which has set him apart from competing advisors. Will has managed to evolve within the sector by consistently adapting to change.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Will's introduction to property/real estate investing
• Will's thoughts on the importance of establishing the right network
• Where he believes are the next potential property investment opportunities for private and retail investors post-co-vid.

For our next episode, we have the community focused Tiffany & Theo, who are the founders of Rene House CIC, who are a Community Interest Company (CIC) Providing Supported Accommodation for Vulnerable Adults in the Nottinghamshire area. In this episode we will be discussing their introduction into property and social housing; the importance of giving back to their local community and how they are using their resources to house and accommodate vulnerable people post lockdown.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about:

• Theo & Tiffany’s introduction to the real estate sector and his current success.
• Their transition to social housing and tenant success stories
• What their organization is doing to position themselves in these unprecedented times.

In this episode, I’m joined by the founder of Etica Leaders and Commercial Director of Made Architecture & Everest Property, Abdul Shakur, who has been providing marketing and consulting services to the real estate sector for many years. 

Having worked with large scale developers and individual property investors, Abdul brings a balance of marketing, investment, and project management knowledge which has set him apart from his peers. Abdul has managed to evolve within the marketing sector by shifting his client's focus and resources to community management. 

In Today’s Episode, We talk about: 

• Abdul's extensive involvement in the real estate sector and his current client success stories. 
• Abdul’s passion for building successful communities for his client's customers and improving their bottom line. 
• The opportunity and challenges he foresees for the industry.

In this episode, I’m joined by the founder of Art of Buying, Keri Mahmoud, who stumbled into the real estate sector to now representing buyers across the globe with a focus on the middle east. Having worked in the industry for over 14 years, Keri brings a balance of innovation and tradition which has set her apart from competing buyer agents. Keri has managed to evolve within the sector by increasing awareness of buyer representation to the mass market, as a way to ensure buyers are looked after in the purchase process.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Keri's introduction to the real estate sector and her current success.
• Keri’s passion for building awareness about buyer representation in London.
• What Keri firm is doing to position themselves in these unprecedented times.
• The opportunity and challenges for buyers in today's market.

In this episode, I’m joined by Benjamin Teper, Luxury Realtor at Douglas Elliman Florida, who adapted his wealth of experience in hospitality, advertising and film, to now represent HNWI and UHNWI in the ultra-competitive real estate market of Miami and New York. Known for his excellent communication skills and ability to build lasting and meaningful relationships, Benjamin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that can only be gained in a demanding market. Jessica works with buyers, sellers, and investors on various property types with an affinity for the modern homes and new developments across Brickell, Downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Edgewater, Miami Beach, Bal Harbor, Bay Harbor and Surfside. Benjamin's knowledge of the international market is second-to-none.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about:

• Ben's passion for the real estate sector and his journey
• Ben’s view on the importance of cross border and cross agent collaboration
• How Ben feels about Co-Vid 19 and what his business is doing to position himself to benefit from the potential opportunities post lockdown
• The opportunity that excellent communication skills and building lasting relationships provide.

In this episode, I’m joined by Aaron Knightley, Founder of Knightley Investment who started in the Real Estate Sector as a logistics contractor to work exclusively with HNWI and Family Offices. 

Aaron has managed to evolve within the sector by providing acquisition assistance, construction, and project management for his institutional investors. Aaron prides himself on being self-taught and encourages property enthusiasts and season professionals to invest more in there self-education.  

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Aaron's introduction to the real estate sector and his current success.
  
• Aaron's transition into property investment on behalf of HNWI and Institutional Investors.

• Where Aaron feels the opportunities may materialize post-CO-VID
  
• The importance of self-education for real success in the sector.
  

In this episode, I’m joined by Jake Knotman, Founder of Assets We Build in Manchester,  who applied his entrepreneurial acumen in real estate to become a well-respected Developer and Real Estate consultant in the North of England. Having founded several successful ventures from a property management mobile application to successfully exiting on a few medium-sized real estate developments; Jake's brings an industrious and competitive flair that has set him apart from SME Real Estate developers in his region. 

Jake has managed to evolve within the sector by providing an end to end solutions to his clients and investors, which has previously resulted in his firm beating established companies for development contracts. Jake prides himself in seeing a project through from beginning to end and providing everything needed from inception to the eventual exit of the project.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Jake's introduction to the real estate sector and his current success.
• Real Estate economics in the North of England and the potential opportunities for Real Estate developers.
• How Jake feels about Co-Vid 19 and what his firm is doing to position themselves in these unprecedented times.
• The change in investor profile for large and medium-sized development schemes
  

In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Bishop, Associate at Knight Franks Kensington Branch,  who took an unconventional route into the real estate sector to now represent HNWI and UHNWI. Having risen through the ranks rapidly, Jessica's brings a balance of tenacity and professionalism which has set her apart from her peers in the industry. Jessica has managed to evolve within the sector by increasing collaboration among her firm's different divisions and external agencies.  Jessica now represents vendors and buyers who have an interest in homes priced at £4.5M+ in the London of Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

In Today’s Episode, We talk about;

• Jessica's introduction to the real estate sector and her current success.  
• Jessica’s passion for collaboration via her company and external stakeholders. 
• How Jessica feels about Co-Vid 19 and what his firm is doing to position themselves in these unprecedented times.  
• The opportunity that WFH (Work From Home) will provide for women in the Real Estate Sector. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Grant J Bates, a Luxury Realtor and Associate Director at Hamptons International who has taken the real estate job he started at 18 and evolved it into a multi-faceted, dynamic and successful career. Having worked in many different market conditions, Grant brings a lot of expertise to the table, but it’s not just the experience that sets him apart. Grant has managed to evolve with the use of social media, whilst many real estate agents failed to make the transition. By remaining on the pulse of change and being observant of trends, he’s built an incredible career. Grant is the Associate Director at Hamptons International’s Islington. His office is Hamptons #1 top producing office. Grant’s innovative approach to social media and business coming from repeat clients and referrals, has helped him sell £1.5 billion of Real Estate.  To date, Grant has been featured as a superstar agent, in the telegraph. 

In Today’s Episode, We talk about; 

• Grant’s introduction to the real estate sector and his success over the last decade. 
• Grant’s passion for transparency and adopting social media to drive business. 
• How Grant feels about Co-Vid 19 and what his firm is doing to position themselves in these unprecedented times. 
• Tips for working from home 
• The importance of having a mentor in the business.