Property Solopreneur with Rachael Troughton Rachael Troughton

As I’m taking a small break to complete some big projects, I want to give you a selection of past episodes that offer nuggets of knowledge and wisdom on your property journey. I believe we should all look at the experiences that other people have had to give us an insight not just into how wealthy property can make us, but also what will happen if we don't have our businesses correctly set up and if we don’t have a strategy behind it. Because the business part of the property business is the backstage, the unsung hero of it all - it is what makes you or loses you the money. So I know you’ll find these nuggets as invaluable as I do, because they are your shortcuts to success.
Must-Listen Episodes: 
-Ep 136 - Inside the Mind of a Property Developer with John Howard 
-Ep 110 - The Long Game: 40 Years of Property Investing with Halstead Ottley
-Ep 098 - Demystifying Mortgage Lending with Simon Hodgson
-Ep 092 - A Legal Perspective on Property with the Biking Building Barrister Susan Francombe
-Ep 063 - How to Deal with a Diva
-Ep 062 - What is a Snag List, and Why Do I Need One?
-Ep 057 - A Personal View of Property Investing with Suzanne Smith
-Ep 017 - You're Never too Young to Start in Property with Arthur Dallimer

Whatever you do with these episodes, don’t forget to contact me via email, voice note, DM, or book a half hour call with me. Being a solopreneur doesn't mean we have to put up with being small. With modern technology, with VAs,or outsourced consultants, the business can be anything you want it to be. But first of all, your business does need a strategic plan.

Resources:
-Let's connect! Send me a VoiceMail
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Check out my Website
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram

Welcome to the last episode of this season, before I come back with Season 3 in the autumn. Until then, please revisit the catalogue of 137 episodes I released so far, and enjoy today’s interview with my fabulous guest, Ross McSkimming.  
Ross and Sophie McSkimming live and work in Edinburgh. In the past five years, they have gone full time into property to find financial and time freedom. Their company Nichol Smith Investments sources, develops, flips and holds investment property in Edinburgh. Ross has grown and scaled their business from doing one property at a time to working on several simultaneously and having a pipeline of projects across the HMO, single let and flip business models. The McSkimmings have two young children and two dogs, and are therefore very careful about how they network and use their time.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of being strategic in order to scale up your business, setting long-term goals and adapting to market changes. Ross shares his insights about setting up a pipeline of projects, managing finances, building relationships with high net worth investors, how to maintain work-life balance, the value of mentorship and much more. 
What is Covered: 
-Why strategy is key for success in property investing and development
-How to adapt to market volatility with diversified strategies
-The importance of financial management for scaling up a property business
-How to create enjoyable and mutually beneficial relationships with investors
-What it means to define your avatar and how to find the right investors for your business
-How rapid changes in government legislations can impact your business
-The importance of building a reliable tradesmen team
-How to transition to a hands-off role and focus on high-value tasks for business growth
-Strategic use of social media to build social proof and visibility in the industry
-How to balance work and time off in a family business to maintain a healthy lifestyle
Resources:
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-Nichol Smith Investments https://nicholsmithinvestments.com/
-Connect with Ross and Sophie McSkimming on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nicholsmithinvestments/
-Episode 40 Sophie McSkimming - Flipping in Edinburgh https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1cb52e1b-12e8-48f8-b7b9-85d90211624a
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Check out my Website
-Let's connect! Send me a VoiceMail
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Book a Discovery Call with me

This week’s guest is well known to many of you because you’ve seen him on Property TV. John Howard is one of the UK’s most experienced property consultants, developers, traders and investors, with over 40 years of experience within the industry. John has bought and sold nearly 4,500 properties in 87 different locations across the UK, from traditional houses to hotels and large scheme developments. One of his more recent projects is the £27 million construction of 150 apartments at Ipswich Waterfront. 

People like John, who’ve built big property businesses, have been through quite a number of boom and busts in the property market. The thing about boom and busts is there are key elements that are the same, and some that are different, but you've got to know what the difference is if you want to survive. That’s why I invited John onto the show to share little nuggets of his expertise that can make all the difference to us. 

What is Covered: 
-The importance of changing your strategy as the market changes
-Why you need to invest in the right team for your business
-What is a developer vs. what is an investor? 
-How a recovery fund supports developers who need some money to finish a project
-How to know what projects to prioritise when market changes
-Who are the people who can read the property market best
-John’s experience with various property TV shows 
-The art of planning and how politics affect it on the national scale
-John’s best deal to date 
-How things have changed in the last 30 years in the property industry 

Resources:
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-Connect with John Howard at https://www.johnhowardproperty.com/ 
-Listen to episode 084: Property Renovating and Developing Successfully with Tristan Gordon https://player.captivate.fm/episode/49991bbd-0bfb-42e9-8406-2ad7ffa3209b 
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Check out my Website
-Let's connect! Send me a VoiceMail
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Book a Discovery Call with me

This week my guest is Ed Fowkes, whom I first met over 10 years ago when he was the host of the biggest pin meeting in London. He was already a property veteran by then, enthusiastic and truly inspiring. Since then, he's gone on to create multiple businesses, and today he's still working in property, in new areas where he helps other entrepreneurs and property people.
Ed and I discuss the importance of treating property as a business, of looking after your finances, and the difference between being a business owner and an entrepreneur. We talk about the benefits of networking in the property world, the impact of interest rates and taxes on property investments, as well as why we all need time to step back and reflect on our business and life.
What is Covered: 
-Why networking with a giving mindset is crucial for business success
-How to treat property as a business and treat tenants as your best customers
-How to deal with fluctuating interest rates when making investment decisions
-Why understanding financial matrices is crucial for success in property investing
-The risk of relying solely on rent income to become a property millionaire
-Why tax is such an important consideration in property investing 
-The ABCD framework - Achievement, Benefit, Concerns, Discuss
-Why it’s crucial to take time to think and reflect for business success 
-How to measure your success beyond financial achievements
-What TableNetwork is and how it helps entrepreneurs and business owners

Resources:
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-Connect with Ed Fowkes https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfowkes/ 
-TableNetwork https://www.tablenetwork.co.uk/ 
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Check out my Website
-Let's connect! Send me a VoiceMail
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Book a Discovery Call with me

The buzz that goes around property sourcing is that it’s a fun and quick way into making big money; a way of property shopping when you're not actually paying the bills. 
But, there's always a ‘but’. In this case it’s that there are a lot of rules and regulations about it. That’s why I invited Tina Walsh, known as the Queen of Compliance, onto the show. Tina has been operating in the property investment sector since 2006, and since 2012, she operates a part-time sourcing business. She also has a training company and has set up the National Association for Professional Sourcing Agents. 
As someone who has a finger on the pulse of all things legal when it comes to property sourcing, what Tina talks about is probably going to horrify some listeners. Others will just see it as an easy system of rules and regs within which they can work. Either way, you’re going to learn a lot in this conversation!
What is Covered: 
-Common misconceptions about property sourcing
-The definition of a professional property sourcer
-The importance of compliance and the consequences of non-compliance
-What you need to know to be a professional property sourcer
-Why you need to educate investors on legal requirements of sourcing
-Understanding buyer due diligence
-How to avoid the risks of money laundering in property
-Available complaints procedures and redress schemes in property
-Upfront and refundable property sourcing fees 
-How to get insurance as a property sourcer
-Compliance renewal in property sourcing 
Resources:
-Connect with Tina Walsh at https://napsa.org.uk/ 
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-Check out my Website
-Let's connect! Send me a VoiceMail
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram
-The Property Ombudsman https://www.tpos.co.uk/ 
-Property Redress Scheme https://www.theprs.co.uk/ 
-Insurance-Desk Services https://www.insurance-desk.com/ 
-Blue Bricks Magazine https://bluebricksmagazine.com/ 
-Young Professionals Network https://ypn.realtor/ 
Mentioned in this episode:
Book a Discovery Call with me

When you’re a property investor, one of the most important things is to have your portfolio diversified, consisting of multiple different tenant and housing types. However, social housing is something I don't know much about, so I invited the best person onto the show to talk about it. 
Sue Sims has been in property for more than 30 years. She’s got a varied portfolio of properties with buy-to-lets, HMOs, social housing and SA apartments. She is a Director at the property management company Genie Homes, and the co-founder of Partners in Property network meetings. As a fan of social housing done the right way, in this episode Sue talks about the difference between social housing and other housing types. We discuss the importance of doing due diligence before going into this property niche, the benefits and risks of investing in social housing, as well as the correct mindset for doing it successfully and ethically. 
What is Covered: 
-The difference between social housing and LHA tenants
-Different types of social housing providers
-Misinformation and risks in social housing investment
-The importance of due diligence before investing in social housing
-Mortgages and insurance for this type of properties
-The challenges of rent-to-rent strategy for new landlords
-How to find the right letting agent for social housing
-Long-term considerations for social housing investment
-The importance of networking and knowing your business partners very well

Resources: 
-If you’d like to suggest a guest on the Property Solopreneur Podcast, send me a VoiceMail
-Book a 30-minute discovery call with me - the first step to finding the right way to help you succeed in property
-The Big Social Housing Debate Online Event, April 15th (FREE) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/big-debate-sue-sims-sarah-walker-lisa-brown-toby-wilde-simon-kerr-tickets-848444238557?keep_tld=1 
-The list of ongoing Partners in Property Events https://partners-property.com/event/social-housing-seminars-2024/ 
-Download my Property Business Checklist - The key building blocks for a sound and successful business
-Check out my Website
-Connect with me on LinkedIn
-Find me on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Book a Discovery Call with me