This Week In Property Podcast · 2025-05-26 · 1h 8m
Alan and Lynne met at the Scottish Property Meet and have since built both property businesses and a co-hosted podcast called Business Exposed that focuses on real entrepreneur journeys. Alan transitioned from a high-pressure motor trade manager role earning £70-80k annually by discovering serviced accommodation could replace his salary while reclaiming time for his young family. Lynne initially considered becoming a funeral director before pivoting to property with her partner Grant, drawn by the flexibility to manage school runs and family life. Their podcast deliberately features guests with difficult backstories to normalize the struggle entrepreneurs face, rejecting the polished social media narrative. Both emphasize the importance of communication skills, respecting differing opinions, and understanding personal values versus imposing standards on others. They discuss broader cultural attitudes in Scotland and the UK around money, ambition, and success - suggesting there's a limiting cultural narrative that holds people back compared to other countries.
Alan earned £70-80k annually as a senior manager in the motor trade but was commuting to Dundee, leaving at 6am and not returning until 10pm, meaning he rarely saw his two young children grow up.
They met in a queue at the Scottish Property Meet at Grand Central about 18 months prior and had a conversation about their property journeys. Alan later reached out to Lynne to co-host a podcast because he valued having different perspectives and opinions represented, and felt her male-female dynamic would create natural healthy conflict.
Lynne wanted to become a funeral director as a way to give back to people experiencing trauma and loss, drawing from her own life experiences with tragic events that had deeply affected her and her family.
The podcast aims to showcase authentic entrepreneur stories that reveal the real struggles, pain, and difficult backgrounds behind business success, rather than presenting the polished social media version that can discourage potential entrepreneurs.
Alan argues there is a pervasive culture in Scotland and the UK where discussing money and ambition is taboo, programmed from a young age, which causes limiting mindsets and is driving successful people to emigrate to countries like Dubai.
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
Today, on This Week In Property , Richard is joined by Lynne McMaster and Alan McDonald - two entrepreneurs with very different backstories but a shared mission to build meaningful, values-driven businesses in the world of property. Lynne opens up about her path from customer service and family life to what was nearly a career in funeral care. After facing some deeply personal tragedies, she found herself seeking not just a business, but a way to give back. What began as a search for premises for a funeral home eventually shifted into property investment after attending a Jumpstart event with her partner Grant. That detour turned into a full-on career change, one that's now giving her both purpose and flexibility around her family. Alan's story contrasts but complements Lynne's. From being a chef and a senior manager in the motor trade to discovering the power of serviced accommodation, he talks candidly about the burnout that came with a "good salary" and the realisation that time - not money - was the most valuable thing he could reclaim. His move into property was motivated by a desire for a better life, one where he could actually see his kids grow up.
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Speaker A: Hello, and, uh, welcome to this Week in Property. I'm, um, your host, Richard Swan. And in today's show, we've brought not one, but two people into the Property Pros Spotlight. Better start. Ladies first. We have the lovely Lynn McMaster and equally lovely Bernard Selen McMillan. Hello, folks. Good to have you.
Speaker B: Good to be here.
Speaker C: It's good to be here.
Speaker A: I can't wait for this chat. We've already been chatting. We're getting, uh, a row off our media m Guru about. Ah, we need to record this. We need to record this. It's just a chat, which is brilliant. Now, I need full disclosure. I always do this if I do know guests. Yes. These two beautiful people, I already know them through Paul McFadden's property protege program. So you're like, wait a minute, do you know these guys? Yes, I do. They're fabulous people and they're just phenomenal to bring into the spotlight because what they're doing, how they've expanded their lives, I think it's going to be great for you to hear about, which is brilliant. And we've even get fellow podcast people with us. Yes. Another podcast for you to follow. We'll put the links underneath Business Exposed. Business Exposed as the official title. But the tags for Instagram and stuff's a different thing. What's that one?
Speaker B: Instagram is the reality of business.
Speaker A: The reality of business. There you go. But don't worry in the show notes, whenever it's safe to do so, you follow that. So we're going to chat about the podcast. We're going to chat about the individual, uh, businesses and projects and their goals and stuff. But let's go, people first. Lind, I know you, but what's your background for coming into this crazy world of property? You know, what's the twists and turns if someone had to ask you a little career summary, if you like, a quick career summary.
Speaker C: It's been customer based all the time. So, um, predominantly in the travel industry, which is great for one to ones and speaking to people and meeting different people and finding out about while you're looking for their holiday, you're asking them wee bits about their family and places that they've been before and places that they're still wanting to go. So that's always been, always been my kind of bag, if you want. And started at a really young age in a, like a small supermarket in the town that I lived in, inkinross, the sans supermarket at the time. Um, and yet that kind of pushed me into the kind of customer based Industry. Um, I've worked in a bar before in a hotel bar. Um, and I've done the car auctions. Car auctions, Kinross car auctions. So that was good. I've always been a worker and I've always liked dealing with different types of people, you know.
Speaker A: And then the decision about property, the thoughts about property. Where did those seeds start to drop?
Speaker C: The thoughts about property came from, um, my partner, Grant. Because, um, after we had family, I became mostly a housewife, mother taking care of the kids and all that kind of stuff. Um, and then things that happened in our early life, um, tragic kind of things, um, put me down a path of wanting, um, to start a business with Grant. He's been mostly offshore and is bored with that kind of lifestyle now. Always been away for the family, but provided a great lifestyle for us up until that point. So this was, ah, a decision to have an exit for him and something that we could move forward with. So I had decided first and foremost to be a funeral director.
Speaker A: Whoa. That's a left turn.
Speaker C: That was a left turn. That was where I wanted to go originally. Um, and again, that's just based on experiences we've had in our life. Something that I thought I would be able to give back to people that were going through a similar. Well, those experiences which are traumatic, um, life changing, um, hard to deal with. And I've walked that path quite a few times.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: So you can empathize.
Speaker C: So I could empathize. I could come from a place of, I've been where you are and things will get better. So it was a way that I could have kind of given back. Um, so we looked at properties for that for a while. I went and done a little bit of training on it. Um, and as time went on, Grant had decided, look, that's definitely not for me. He didn't want to be involved in that side of things. And I said, well, if I was to do it on my own, I would try and make it a really successful business. So he could still manage to come home.
Speaker A: Sure.
Speaker C: Um, however, uh, the trials of that were finding a suitable premises because obviously he's still offshore. I was still going to have to be doing the school run, so I needed somewhere close to where the kids were at school that they could maybe walk from school afterwards, come and meet me at the office.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker C: And then do a bit m of school work and then we'll all go home together at five. That was the, that was the plan. However, a year of trying, uh, maybe a year and a half Maybe actually trying to find a uh, suitable premises for that. It was just dragging on and on.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker C: Grant then found the um, jumpstart advert for property and he went, do you want to have. Well we're going to have a wee look at this. So we did and from that moment on we have just gone right down that rabbit hole, um, property and goes for it.
Speaker A: Grant paid his part, he's played his part. Good man, Grant. I like that.
Speaker C: Absolutely.
Speaker A: Stuff. Right, Alan, beat that. Come on. All those different careers, all those twists and turns out.
Speaker B: I mean, come on, how, how long have you got, Richard? How long have you got?
Speaker A: This is going super edition.
Speaker B: So a wee bit about my background is prior to property I was in the motor trade.
Speaker A: Yes.
Speaker B: And prior to that I'm a chef to trade and I had a couple of low paid jobs and I don't know, I didn't know what. I've just always had that uh, like most of us around the table all have that uh, like that be better and you. That burning desire. Right. There's, there's something there but I just, I didn't know what it was. You've always heard the property thing is that's a good investment. But I don't know anybody who's in property has a property portfolio. So I kind of put it to bed for a wee while. Cut a long story short, uh, a property then became available. Somebody then referred me on to this person, says, do you want to buy this? It was a uh, holiday home. I didn't want to buy it because I knew nothing about how much m. How can I. I've got this job. It was a senior manager position in the motor trade. It's high pressure. Uh, it was deemed as a good salary. People were saying you've got a good job, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Deemed as you've m. Made it to the outside world.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: So the long and short is it then came to fruition that uh, I didn't, I did end up buying this property.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: And that was kind of where the property journey really started because I then I got to the point where I didn't enjoy the job in the motor trade. I loved it at the start when I was a salesman selling. Like I'm a salesman. They were all selling just now. So that is, that is my forte. But when I got to a manager's position I realized this, this isn't for me. The company I was working with, they were starting to have different or um, I would say our values were not aligned. So it became a wee bit hairy in the end, so I thought, I need, I need an exit here.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: When I've then got this one property and then I've seen how much revenue you can drive from one very well run serviced accommodation, then that was the bat. I went, hold on, I only need a couple of these, uh, to then replace my salary. M And at the time it was like 70, 80 grand that I was making.
Speaker A: So.
Speaker B: And then my lifestyles then became accustomed to it with a nicer house, the nicer car. The truth be told, I had no money. Uh, that is the truth be told of it. People think, oh, if you're on 780 grand, you must have money. None. Um, so that, that was where. That was really where that was the start of the journey was with that one serviced accommodation.
Speaker A: And then you're seeing. It's funny that you're seeing that, you're seeing it work and then your brain's going, multiply. Wait a minute. If I multiply that just two, three, four times. Holy shit. That replaces that, you've made it salary.
Speaker B: Yes.
Speaker A: Wait a minute. This is a different way of doing things.
Speaker B: Yeah, that's brilliant. Yeah. I think the main thing was as well is, yeah, there was a right, I can replace the salary. But then the light bulb moment came. It was actually my time I was replacing because I went, right. I mean, for the most of my time in the motor trade, I never worked in a branch. It was local to my house. A lot of the time I was commuting to Dundee, that was most of my career. So leaving the house at like 6 o' clock in the morning, not going home to 10 o' clock at night. So it was mainly the appointment. And if I can release my time back now, what can I do with that time, then I can use the time to then start to build a business off of the back of what most would you say say was like a wee side hustle.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: You know, from having that serviced accommodation. So it was more for the time.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: That I could get back. Now, what can I do with the time? I've got two young kids as well. I've never seen them, you know, growing up when I was in that previous job. So, yes, money's important. Yes. You want to strive for a better life, but also, see, take my kids to the park.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: Try and put a price tag on it.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: It's priceless. Priceless. See, that's why I love these charts, because your stories are already hitting with people, listening, resonating with People listening, and even me personally, I'm actually pulling two threads away for you, my life. Because I'm hearing you say I, uh, had a job I actually really loved. And then it changed. I had that, uh, I had a job that I just loved to miss. And I was never going to believe in it, but I wanted to manage my money. I wanted to learn how to be an investor, blah, blah, blah. So I did it part time. I built up property part time. So at that angle, and then just what you were saying, Lyn, about the family and try to design a life for him, then I had that scenario because I had to be a tragic situation in my family life. And then I was like, holy shit, I need a. How am I going to wrap around these three girls, these three young girls and my daughter. Oh, my God. I need more time. I need more space. So now my brain is calculating how to, how to re. Kind of purpose my life around them.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: You know, and the property thankfully brings up and then jump back to island. Then my job changed. I don't like doing that anymore, actually. I want more time with these girls.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: And I don't really care about them. I was flying about and all business cards and lounges and down to London. La dee da. Uh, I don't care. I want to be up the road with those lassies. And there's no price tag you can put in that. There's nothing in the bank that is any zeros around that. So it's amazing how we kind of. We overlap and share all these things. I think that's why it's great to have these kind of stories told. And I see you doing that with your podcast, which is brilliant. So how did the podcast come about? How did that part come about?
Speaker B: So. Not at all. Not at all. And this is. Suppose there's a couple of different things you can take off of this story, how the podcast started. Right. And it shows you the importance of having the social skills and the ability to speak to people. So I'd been wanting to start a podcast for a while. Uh, I thought I wanted to do something to give back. Because think of the people listening to this just now. Right? It's not going to cost them anything to listen to and they're going to take value from this that will have impact in their life. So I thought if I can do something, it's my way of giving back. Because a lot of people think giving back is financial. But when you've just started a business, you're under the most amount of financial Strains you've not got finances to give back. So I always thought if I can give back in some other way by putting business owners who most of them have struggling stories from the early days in front of people who learn, um, and educate. So that, that was where the kind of idea came from, where the story with me and Lynn came from was about, I think, was it maybe, I don't know, 18 months ago or something like that? Uh, wasn't that long ago. I didn't know Lynn, she didn't know me. We're in the queue at the Scottish property meet. M. See when it was in the, the, the Grand Central.
Speaker A: Oh, yes, yes.
Speaker B: And the queue was massive and Lynn was behind me in the queue. So we just, I just turned around, the two started talking. What you up to? What's your journey in property? And then we just had a conversation, we exchanged numbers and then that was kind of it.
Speaker C: Yeah, we didn't really touch base again after that because I kind of followed you on Facebook, wondered what you were doing. It interested me, the fact that he was in, um, the serviced accommodation kind of style market. And I was, that's something that Grant and I were thinking about. So I was like, you just, you know, you just keep those wee tags open. You go, yeah, might be useful. And you know, later down the road I can maybe, you know, extract a bit of information or work together or jv, you just don't know where it's going to go.
Speaker A: You really don't.
Speaker C: So that's kind of where that came from.
Speaker B: The point of it then, listen, I want to do the podcast and I was trying to think, think of people that I thought I want to co host this with someday. I want it to be someday that we can have different opinions and it's not always, it's not always one sided. Um, and then there was a couple of people I did think of, but then I reached out to Lynn. I thought, I think Lynn would be a great co host because the obvious thing is male and female, we're going to naturally have conflicting opinions.
Speaker A: And of course Lyn's always right.
Speaker B: Yeah, exactly, exactly. I'm not going to argue, I'm not going to argue that fact, but it works really, really well. The podcast. You know, even we were, uh, discussing yesterday, um, I don't know if you know Ajmal, the CEO of Boss Pizza, we had him on yesterday. It was cracks. We had a really good conversation and it, right. Diverts back to this conversation of that. If you have the ability to understand that somebody else can have the complete opposite opinion of you, but you respect that opinion and still be friends. And still be friends.
Speaker C: Don't have to be at war with them.
Speaker B: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A: That's right.
Speaker B: Um, whereas we say, I think it's a kind of Glasgow type thing, as you eat your backup. That's just like, I think, a Glaswegian thing. Whereas music goes back to it. Yeah. We will have slight differences in opinions on the podcast, but that's good for people to hear. It's also good for people to hear different opinions and respect different opinions on certain matters.
Speaker A: Yeah, I love that. And funnily enough, I was watching hisby socials about being on your podcast just recently. It's brilliant. I love all the stuff that he puts out. And that's cool that somebody was speaking to me recently about that. Uh, something about your standards, your values. Right. And that's sometimes when we fall into that trap of, I don't agree with you, I don't like that. And we get defensive. It's because we're trying to put our standards on somebody else. It's not for them. And they put it really, really nice. It was something like, your standards are for yourself and your tolerance is for other people. I thought that's beautiful. Aye. Of course. My own standards, my m own values, they're important and I should stick to them and I should give myself a boot up the arse if I'm not following my standards. But they're not for somebody else. You should be tolerant of someone else and understand it. How do you think? Oh, is that how you're seeing that? That's fascinating. That's fascinating. Just, you don't have to agree with it. You can empathize with it, you know, I love that. Uh, and you can learn from it as well because it opens a wee box. Oh, that's quite cool. I never realized that's how you think that way. You think that way because of this value, this belief, this whatever it is. Know I love that. And you're finding that a lot with people's stories.
Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, opening up. I am. In all honesty, I don't know if it's because I have been part of this journey for me is learning a lot about yourself. I think you find out a lot about yourself when you're doing something new. Um, and I think because I was quite, um. I wasn't even insul. Insular. But because I was a mum, you know, your circles are smaller, your days are planned out quite well because they're all around the children it's all about the children. It's not about you. It's never been about you. It's all about the kids. Um, so this journey for me has opened up a lot of, uh, new things for me to think about. And I think the important thing is that I've learned the art of communication is so important.
Speaker A: Yes.
Speaker C: And values are so important. But each guest that comes on to our podcast, I sit in awe of them. I'm just like that. You are actually amazing, man. You know, they'll say something, they'll just kind of blow you away. Yeah, yeah. It's a nugget. And I think, again, because I've not been in huge circles for that length of time as being a mum, because you're predominantly a mum, um, housewife, you're cooking, cleaning, washing up. You're not seeing and interacting with a, um, vast amount of people. Being in this environment, you are thrust into that environment again. And it woke up a younger version of me when I was in the travel industry, really, where I had no qualms about speaking to anybody. I was, like, full of confidence. Not confidence in an arrogant way. I had no fear of speaking to anybody. I was comfortable speaking to anybody on any level. Rich, poor.
Speaker A: Because it's not about you.
Speaker C: You want. It's not about me. Yeah. I'm just interested in other people. So the podcast has. I just sit in awe, everybody. Every time I come here, I'm like, everything. I listen to you guys, Sean, yourself, Richard Dixon, Paul McFadden. I'm just like that. Oh, my God.
Speaker A: Because you're now hearing more voices, more voices than you never had at that bubble. Just taking care of the kids.
Speaker C: Exactly. You're in the house bubble, aren't you? So, um, so the good thing for me, I think, is it's going to maybe awaken other young mothers who just go, you're not just a mum, you know.
Speaker A: Correct.
Speaker C: And there's nothing wrong with being a mum.
Speaker A: There's nothing wrong with being a mum. God. One of the hardest jobs in the world.
Speaker C: And I absolutely love being a mum.
Speaker A: Dad's hard, aren't they?
Speaker C: But, you know, there's more. There's more out there. I love that. And don't keep yourself boxed in.
Speaker A: You know, another part you mentioned, Alan, um, which I think is really important, when you were talking about the reason for the podcast and sharing stuff, it was actually the struggles, the pain, the discomfort behind the business.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: Because a lot of folks who might want to start a business or think about it, or they want to start Investing or they want to change career, whatever it is. They put other people up my pedestal because they see the finished article.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: They see the front end on social media. Look at, uh, that. See, they must be clever. I even don't get that. I don't get the cleverness. I look at the confidence of. No, they've got the same bloody insecurities behind it. And you actually bring that out and share that, don't you?
Speaker B: Yeah, 100%. I think that what I've, or we've realized, um, and you hear the stories all the time, but it is different when somebody's sitting right in front of you telling the story, is that most entrepreneurs have had really, really tough backgrounds. Right. And that is what's made them entrepreneurs because they've had. They've came from a background. They've had no option but fight, ask for help, struggle. And that is the job of an entrepreneur. But let's be straight today, we've not had anybody who came from a background. My silver spoon. Yeah, right.
Speaker A: You know, and even they have their different troubles.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: The money was fine for me. Oh, my God. This thing happened in my life and that thing happened.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: Every single person struggles.
Speaker B: I've learned and will continue to learn a lot about myself doing, doing these podcasts because you sometimes realize, like, your situation, you're saying about the, the mom and almost pigeonholed into that kind of mentality of where you. At that point in time, I've also been the same in, in different reasons. And sometimes I feel. I'll be honest with you. See, when you're interviewing someday, I sometimes actually feel a little bit emotional because you're listening to their story and then it resonates when you go, hold on, I remember that. Yeah, I've been there.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: And it hits you.
Speaker A: It's a flashback sometimes.
Speaker B: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A: You're right.
Speaker B: It does hit you. And then some of the things that the guests are talking about, I'm still there at that point in time. I'm still living it. And you're going, wow, that's hard hitting. And then you go, hold on. See if they can pull through this and have the fire in their belly. We can all do it.
Speaker C: We can all do it.
Speaker B: We can all do it.
Speaker C: I think we're all capable of so much more and we keep ourselves, like, boxed in.
Speaker A: Yeah. Let me ask you about actually your kind of take on this. Is there something in our country that does that? Whether it's Scotland?
Speaker B: I love this subject. I love this subject.
Speaker A: Is it Scotland? Is it the uk? Is it British? Is it a thing? Uh, is it a, uh, class system? What is it that limits us? Is that a real thing, do you think? It looks, if you do think something,
Speaker B: this is right up my street. This is something quite passionate, right?
Speaker A: Oh, my God, what have I done?
Speaker B: It's 100% a culture thing, right? Right. It's 100% a culture. The example that I've used several times, right. Is here's a live example. You're on the motorway and a guy in a Ferrari drives by you. Right. Chris, we're in this podcast. Most people think wank, right? Wank, Right.
Speaker A: Not one.
Speaker B: I know, right?
Speaker C: No, that's not what.
Speaker B: That's what they think, right. And that is how their mentality is programmed. Because we are programmed in this country. You don't talk about money, right? Like, we don't talk about it. That's for. That's for behind closed. Behind closed doors. Look at the amount of people just now that are exiting the uk. The amount of millionaires that are exiting the UK and are moving to. A lot of them are moving to Dubai in these type countries, right? Yes. There is a lifestyle part over there. Right. Let's be honest. Scotland is just as much a beautiful country as other countries.
Speaker C: Uh, it has as much to offer.
Speaker A: Especially just now with this weather.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.
Speaker B: Exactly. I was up at Loch Lomond the other day. Peaceful. It's absolutely beautiful. You can't beat it. But going back to the mentality and the culture thing, see if that exact same example happened in somewhere like Dubai, the guy goes by with Ferrari, the people are saying, well done. Right, Exactly. Well done, big man. They'll be stopping you. What did you do?
Speaker A: Yeah, right.
Speaker B: What can I learn from you? Ah, that I can be the guy with the Ferrari. We are here. It's frowned upon. It's success, for whatever reason. And I can only see my opinion. It's a cultural thing. I don't know why it's frowned. Why would you not want to see somebody doing well, I don't know. Why would you not want. Because it's like, it's not keeping up with the Joneses thing. People just for whatever reason, don't like. It's like, oh, your neighbor gets a new car. I need to get one. Well, why do you need to get one just because your neighbor's got one? It's embedded in culture. It's embedded right from the start in the schooling system we talk about all the time. The education, schooling system. This is something that we write up, Lynn. Street. Right. It's not changed. Right. It's programmed. It's programmed to go back to what you said with your job and even in my corporate job. It's programmed to tell you that when you've got that corporate job and you're away from your family and you're in a hotel in London eating shit for the hotel, you know, restaurant, etcetera, you have made it. You're the man. Because the salary dictates that you made it. Right. But see all the other parts that are in there, you're absolutely destroying your own life and your family's life. You're not there for your children. You know, there's a lot of stuff to unpack there.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: But for me, it's 100%. It's 100% culture.
Speaker A: Yeah. And I've heard that. I've heard someone say it's, uh, it's the class system thing to try and keep people in their places. Yeah. It's like, oh, no, no, we. We are the, you know, the landing gentry. We are the elite. We have the folks with the money in the silver spin. So, see all these factory people? See these people? We are training through our school system. I'll get your input on the schooling system. That'll keep them in their place. Don't. Don't think above your level. That's our level you're talking about. Remember your place. Is that a thing? And is the school system part of the puzzle?
Speaker C: I think it is a thing. And I do think that education's a lot to blame because, um, Katherine was a prime example of that back, uh, in the day. We didn't know about dyslexia back in the day. It was just that you were unruly. And that unruliness was from frustration, not because you were a bad person, but you were forgotten about and pushed away to the side and, you know, that was you forgotten. Um, and I think the system's still the same now that, uh, whilst school has its place of teaching you social standards how to behave in certain environments. Um, good communication skills. Good social skills.
Speaker A: Yes.
Speaker C: That, uh, you can hold your court in any situation. They've lost that. I think it's so dictarian now that, uh, they don't get the chance to be themselves. I think they keep children quite so
Speaker A: they're kept in a box as well, are they?
Speaker C: In my opinion, yeah.
Speaker B: It has changed on the forefront in terms of the fluffy stuff, in terms of the support, the autism, the adhd, etc, but the actual pillars, the foundations are still the same. They were 100 years ago. We were talking about this other day against only my opinion. I don't have statistics to back it up. However, 100% believe there is a direct correlation, right, between there is more entrepreneurs than there's ever been. Right, right, right. But there's also more children with the autism adhd. There's more people, even as adults who are now getting diagnosed with autism ADHD they didn't know that they had. Right. Now think about this, right? You go back to the schooling system, the subject we're keeping on here, that when you're the child. My brother, for example, right. He's a straight A student. Um. Exactly. He's went to, he's been to university. I'm not university educated. Right. My opinion, he's capped at where he is. Right. Because from a young age, right, uh, the schooling system is saying that you need to be the grade A student. Right. And then see the grade A students, they don't know how to ask for help. Right. So how can then they become entrepreneurs? When the job of the entrepreneur is to ask for help, you can't do it. You can't do it on your own. But from a young age, the schooling system is basically pigeonholed. You don't ask for help. That scene is a failure.
Speaker A: Yes, that's right. Fear of failure is a big thing as well. But carry on.
Speaker B: Here's an example. My son, oldest son, he's only five years old. He's in primary one. It was his parents night two weeks ago and they gave you a report card beforehand and it said he was struggling in a couple of areas. Right. M. That was seen as. It was frowned upon. Uh, that. That's great. Right. I don't want my son even in primary one. Right. Because that's the pillars, the foundations getting built. I don't want him to be the smartest guy in the room because he's not going to grow. He's not out of his comfort zone. Right?
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker B: You, you want to be in the circle of people that are more knowledgeable you. Right. That you can absorb that information and, and drive forward. You're the smartest guy in the room. How can you learn anything? Yeah, I, I see, I see him even at primary one. I see that as an advantage because he's then going to be able to, from a young age be able to ask for help, ask for support, and that is the job of an entrepreneur.
Speaker A: And also follow his strengths and follow the things that he's interested in because if they do that kind of checklist thing. Or he's at this level for reading and that level for this level for math and this. Then all you've got is the same. You've just got this boring vanilla thing and, oh, you fell down. Oh, you're a failure. No, you're not. And again, to borrow someone else, there was a cracking thing of. You don't ask, especially kids, you don't, ah, ask how clever are you? As in, here's your exam results. You ask, how are, uh, you clever? What do you mean? He says, well, this guy here might feel your math thing, but did you see what he did with the mechanical stuff? He's outstanding. Because that's his thing, that's why he's here. That's his purpose, that's his passion. So how are you. Not how clever are you? How are you clever? Or you're brilliant at presenting, you're brilliant at communicating, you're brilliant at design, you're brilliant at. Or whatever, and that's what you're. We're all bloody different.
Speaker C: That's it.
Speaker A: Stop this suppression and stuff.
Speaker B: You know, Jimmy Carr has a great quote which is, um, if your child gets an A in maths and a C in physics, get my math tutor. Because nobody needs somebody that in physics to become average at physics, you know, Whereas the schooling system would say, get my physics, double down on what you're good at and run with it. Because that is in your thing. And they're all going to have different things. But that's our thing.
Speaker C: Yeah, it's like you said at the beginning, you know, you'll. You'll pick and choose what weaknesses you'll want to, um, make progress on. Some of them aren't going to be super important. Some of, um, them you can outsource and that's fine. That takes pressure off of you to go and do your thing. Even the good. The thing that you're really good at, going do more of it. And then again, back to the schooling thing, it's where I think a lot of the children that are maybe unruly, I mean, what's happening in some schools just now with the children's behaviour is actually ridiculous. I mean, we just would not have different age group from yourself, but we would just not have gotten away with that at all in our schooling. What on earth is going wrong that absolutely needs addressed now? I think part of the education, if you want to call it education, then part of that education should be we don't just wait until the child turns up at school and let them kick off at 9 o' clock in the morning. Let's go back. What's made you kick off at 9 o' clock in the morning? What's happening at home?
Speaker B: That's a box of matches.
Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. Where is it all starting from? Unravel it and go back to the beginning. And then that, I think should be part of the education system's plan for going forward, is to actually get to the source of the problem and make that part of their plan to improve it.
Speaker A: And you're right now it's educating. It's everything. It's not this but a paper that you need to get 45%. No, no, no, no. It's educating. What? The stuff you were talking about. Social skills, bond with other people.
Speaker C: And that should be at nursery. Nursery level. I mean, uh, the nursery that Megan was going to, they were getting taught, like, how to count and how to spell and how to recognize their letters. I'm like, you're 2 and 3 years old. Wait a minute. Can we just maybe teach you how that child shouldn't be throwing bricks at, uh, another child because they're not getting a toy they want. Let's, let's double down on that kind of situation and then maybe by the time they get to primary one, we'll have a nice controlled bunch of people that we can do something with on the higher education side.
Speaker A: Yeah, totally, totally. I thought it was a brilliant thing you shared about the Ferrari angle. That's class. We do need that, we need that self awareness thing. What is in your brain? Just catch yourself. Because I used to have that when I was younger. Or, uh, crook, criminal, drug dealer.
Speaker B: It's always a drug deal. Safe. In Glasgow, a guy's got a nice jar, right? If you've got a black raindrop over in Glasgow, you're a drug dealer.
Speaker A: You know that trained, didn't you?
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: And it's like immediate. It's like, oh, yeah, wait a minute, why am I doing that? You don't have a clue how that guy got that. Uh, exactly. So I had to learn that. But funnily enough, there was then another lesson. Sorry. So I learned how to stop myself for doing that and then change to what you said. Oh, that's a really cool car. What do you do? How did you achieve that? Blah, blah, blah. But then just your thing about keep up with the Joneses. Then also to learn the other thing, right? That guy's got the Ferrari. You don't have to get one. Do you want one? Cool, go and get it. But you don't have to match him. What do you like? Who's the guy that taught me that? Ramit Sethi. Have you heard of that guy? I'll teach you how to be rich. Ramit Sethi, absolutely brilliant guy. Wrote all these books and stuff. So he teaches people how to be financially educated, grow businesses, blah blah, blah. But he talks about designing your. That's the emphasized word. Rich life. So not become a billionaire, get 15 Ferraris. Do say no. No, no, no. Who are you, Lyn? What is rich to you? Oh, let me think. Is it a villa? Is it a car? No, it's not cars. No, it's not that. It's this thing here. Right. Well, you designed that rich life.
Speaker C: Mhm.
Speaker A: Alan, it's the car. So let him choose his rich life with a Ferrari. And you can compliment him with a Ferrari. You've got a Mini Metro. He doesn't. You don't give a crap about cars, so design your rich. That's fascinating. And then he takes it further. He goes into life and says, right, what I want you to think about is all the things that really float your boat. So what is it? Because rather than saying, um, cut back in your Starbucks. If you cut back in your Starbucks, you will become a millionaire. No, you bloody won't. You won't. So what is it about you? Are you interested in coffee or not? Yeah, I'm fascinated by it. Right, That's. Now your rich life. Spend money and don't be guilty about it. On that. What have you got at home? I've got, uh, a four grand espresso macho such and such maker. Have you I. Because it floats my boat and it lights me up. What about this area? Clothes. There's clothes? No, I couldn't give a crap. Right, we'll go to Primark.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: Focus on that. Build up your rich life and cut back. And then another guy could. Oh, it's closed for me. Brilliant. You do that. Uh, but you don't need the fancy. That's fucking brilliant.
Speaker C: I think that's. People have forgotten is how to think for themselves.
Speaker A: Correct.
Speaker C: They're too busy looking at. Looking at their, you know, looking at their life and then, you know, comparing it to everybody else's idea. The comparison trap. And you just think, you know that. So that's great for you, but that's. That isn't my thing. Absolutely.
Speaker A: And to learn those two jumps. The first jump. Stop. Just insulting everybody. You don't have a clue how they got that Ferrari. Right, Cool. And then the next jump. Do you. If you don't Want if you don't know fascinating with Ferraris, then don't get one. Chill out and just look at it as a thing of beauty. That's a beautiful car, that's a beautiful Loch Lomond, you know, that's a beautiful clothes or whatever it is. But just look at it as a thing. Take the attachment away from it. I don't need that. I don't need the Ferrari, I don't need the car. I'm doing my thing. I'm going up to a lock London with the kids for a weekend and I've got the time. Getting back to your thing, you wanted the time. There's my rich life, there's my priceless thing. I think we've got to learn ourselves. You have both commented on that. Self awareness, it's a big, big thing.
Speaker C: I think, um, as I said at the beginning, this journey that I'm on has given me a lot of that. It's highlighted a lot of things, weaknesses, strengths, things that I want to work on, things that I'm not really going to work on.
Speaker A: Leave them, Alan.
Speaker C: Uh, and, yeah, just I think how important it is to be out there. I think isolation is a very lonely place to be.
Speaker A: Yes.
Speaker C: And it can, it can damage you.
Speaker A: Oh, definitely, quite definitely.
Speaker C: Quite heftily. Yeah.
Speaker A: Because I remember that feeling of loneliness when I started investing because I was doing it myself and looking at spreadsheets myself and panicking. Oh, my God. And then the more I started to let other people in, it was like, that's just so much easier.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: We're just chit chatting and stuff. And then get back to what you were saying about society. Fear of failure is massive. You know, you're like, oh, God, I lost that deal. Oh, um, my business failed. We've got this thing. You should never have started that. Yeah, I see. You're a loser, you're a failure. And over in America, it's like night and day.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: M to liquidate my business. Oh, did you. What you doing now? Uh. Wow. This is different. It's a totally different psychology.
Speaker B: Exactly. And I mean, I can only talk from, from, you know, my experience. But go back to what you said about the people wanting a nice car, the nice house. Right. And they probably actually can't. They've maybe got enough income to cover the cost of them. They don't have a lot of surplus. Right. I've been there.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: As I said, I had a decent job, a decent pay and had no money in the bank.
Speaker A: Yeah. Just living on that edge.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: It looks brilliant. Up front.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker C: Very stressful.
Speaker B: Exactly right. And I'll tell you something, she. The best thing that's ever happened to me was losing it all.
Speaker A: Is that right?
Speaker B: Right? Because she. At 30, I don't know, these are about 32. She's 32. When your relationship ends, right, you lose everything and you're back at your mom and dad's house.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: Guess what? See me, you've got all. Yeah, you. All. You lose. Exactly right.
Speaker A: All those attachments have been ripped away. Right?
Speaker B: Um, so I know to only talk from my own experience, M. I would categorically not be sitting around this table with you guys right now had I not had the experience, because I would have been still in that other job trying to keep up that lifestyle that was getting me nowhere, right? Because I wouldn't be able to risk taking on a financial commitments because I had this bloody Land Rover in the driveway, right? And we were doing this and that. So you can take risks. So for anybody that's listening that would say, hold on, well, how can I start? How could I maybe move forward, go back and look at your own personal expenditure and go, what can I cut? What can I cut out there? Treat it like a business. What can I cut? Do I really need this car at 600 quid a month? Get it out the way, right? There you go. There's £600 I can now invest. People do have more money than they actually think they do. Uh, even in this cost of living crisis, if they actually just get rid of some of their expenses, then try to impress their neighbours and social media,
Speaker A: who actually doesn't care anyway, too busy their own life. Exactly,
Speaker B: exactly. I think that's what I point to note, by the way, nobody actually really cares, right, what anybody else is getting on. Yes, we need to sell ourselves, right, for various different reasons, but you also need to be true to yourself, especially in the world with social media, you need to show everything. And that's not what a lot of people are doing. A lot of people are just showing the best of themselves. And I said, yes, uh, that is important. You also need to be true to yourself. Listen, we've all made mistakes, right? I've made mistakes in my life. You learn, you grow, right? But you need to hold yourself to account and especially when you're putting out in social media for the world to see, unless you have the substance to back up what you're saying, you can walk the walk and not just talk the talk, then people will buy into you more and especially if you're in the World that we're in is where trust is a big part. Whether you're seeking investment, whether it's want a joint venture in projects. Right. Trust is all down to that. You can throw that corporate head out the window. Right. You can be the best at presenting spreadsheets and presentations. But if you want to work with me and you don't trust me, there's nothing there.
Speaker A: Correct.
Speaker B: Nothing there.
Speaker A: It always comes back to the people, doesn't it? People to people, which is what you love.
Speaker C: And um, I think emotions are like the world, the word vulnerable. I think you become very vulnerable in a new space because you're uh, scared of making a mistake but also understanding that you're trying to tell yourself, like if I make a mistake, it's fine, um, I'm learning and it'll be fine. It's not going to be life altering. But I think all the um, profoundness attached to words like emotions, like being vulnerable, making a mistake, being out your comfort zone, all those things help keep people also boxed in.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker C: Because they're like that. Well, I don't want to be feeling vulnerable, I don't want to be making a mistake and I don't want to be looking stupid in front of anybody. So I'm m just going to stay here in my corporate job and um, do my 95 and stay limited. Have nothing and stay limited.
Speaker A: Yeah. Unfulfilled.
Speaker C: It's a big leap. It's a big leap you're taking.
Speaker A: But then the more folk that you hear talking about it. Uh. Yeah, then the more folk can do it.
Speaker C: Exactly. It's not such a big thing.
Speaker A: Absolutely it's not. I think the fear comes from fear and death. It's a fear of the death of your identity. Oh, I'm the guy with a Land Rover and a bike house.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: If I lose that, who am I? I've died. No you haven't. And then life took it away from you. You're like, actually, I'm still alright, what do you want to do now? And then you build back up 100%.
Speaker B: I think it's also quite important to know. I know, I'm sorry, I'm bouncing up quite a few subjects here.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: But go back to what? Go top of the schooling system, the jobs, etc. Right. See if you're somebody who, let's be honest, what, what we do for a living, right, does become, becomes with a lot of stress, a lot of drama. Mainly 99% of the time it's financial stress because you've taken on a lot of Big commitments. Right.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: It's also important to know that life isn't for everybody. So see, see if your life is. Just listen, um, I don't know, you work in Tesco or whatever it may be right then.
Speaker C: And you like to go home and.
Speaker B: Exactly. Xbox or whatever, you can use down tools at 5 o'. Clock, you don't have to think of that job and you can go home. That is also completely fine because bear in mind, we need those people as well. We need those people because those people work for the entrepreneurs. So it's also that for anybody that's sitting, feeling there might be people sitting listening to this just now that maybe feel the pressure because they think that all the three years are doing well or whatever. Let's be straight here. None of these ever get our shit figured out. We're all just flying by the seat of your pad.
Speaker C: Exactly, exactly.
Speaker B: So it's also fine to. You don't need to look at somebody on a pedestal. Cause I tell you, my life is not together. Right. And it probably never will be together.
Speaker C: I think there'll be a lot of people out there that lives are never together. You know, it looks that way to other people. You know, I think you always think the grass is always greener on the other side. Or I bet you're looking at another house and going, I bet they've got everything worked out. They're not sitting, trying to, you know, wonder where their next dinner's coming from. Um, but, you know, you don't know. You do not know what's going on behind closed doors.
Speaker B: She see what I think is really, really good. And it was something I learned very quickly with the property world. So the first ever event I went to. So behind I've got a couple of, I think a couple of holiday homes by this point.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: I've then went to the, to the Scottish property meet. Right. Because I thought I need to kind of figure out here very early on, am I going down the right path here, Right. Am I going to get hit with a tax bill that I didn't obviously pay or whatever.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: So I need to now start, educate myself. I hope you can edit this because I've just lost my train of thought,
Speaker A: by the way, because you've took action and now you're kind, uh, of. Maybe I should do this back to
Speaker C: the schooling system, which is brilliant.
Speaker B: No, that's what's going on.
Speaker A: He had a golden.
Speaker B: Honestly, it was a belt in his belt. I shouldn't have went down. Oh, no, sorry. I know where it Was, I've got it, I've got it. Right, back to the point.
Speaker C: Bring it home.
Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. We don't need edit, we're all good, right.
Speaker A: This is vulnerable.
Speaker B: Exactly. Back to the point of what is so good about the world? The property. So I then went to the Scottish property meet, right, And I'm not going to lie, I was dripping in sweat, right, Because I'm going, I'm going to go in a room here, right, and these are all going to be multi millionaire property investors, right, and they're going to have like 500 properties to their name and they're going to ask me what I'm doing and I've got like two or three or something at this point, right. And I've not got a million quid in the bank. I was dripping in sweat. I can honestly, my T shirt was stuck to me. Right. But see, the second I got there, uh, I realized you met me. Exactly. I met Linda. Exactly. I met Lindsey. But you realize especially in the world of property, because when you mention the word property, right, it has a million different subcategories, right? But people just ultimately think, oh, you're in property, oh, you're a multi millionaire, right. You don't see the multi millions of debt they come along with, right? But what I mean is everybody in the property world, they're all just the same. We're all just normal people, we're all just trying to put food on the table for our families and we're just using property, uh, as a means to. Not means to an end. But it's a vehicle. Yeah, it's a vehicle to drive. Just like whether you worked in the Tesco or in employment, that's just your vehicle. This is just our vehicle. So if there's anybody that is thinking about getting property and they're not taking the leap because, oh, I think I'll be out of my comfort zone, right? You'll be completely fine. Most of us start with nothing. Most of us starting jobs or low paid jobs, most of us start with zero cash in the bank and then work with people in joint ventures to try and get, you know, get traction and get investment. So for anybody that's in that position, just go for it. Because we all start with nothing.
Speaker C: Yeah, that's why I think, uh, I think as well we talked about this yesterday about young people getting jobs. So I was trying to get a wee job for my daughter the other day there. As you know, I work in Scotland part time. Um, and I thought this would be quite a good wee Job for my daughter, you know, but she's only 15. And I said, is there any chance that she'd come in? We were needing people for stacking shelves and whatnot and she didn't have to be behind the counter about alcohol and cigarettes and all that. I get that. But absolutely no. I started my jobs when I was like 14 and I got a job because it was my mum and dad's 25th wedding anniversary coming up and I wanted to buy them a present that I had earned for my own money and not have to get money off my sister. Yeah. So I went to the wee supermarket in Kinross Sands and, um, I got a job there and I was, it was filling bags. I was through the back preparing big sacks of potatoes. You got a big sack of potatoes and you had to put it into smaller bags to go out to the shop front to sell. So I wasn't involved with customers. But it got me interacting with m adults, it got me understanding the processes that this is your boss. You do as your boss asks you to do. You speak to him respectfully, he should be respectful back and all that process starts. And that's why going to the Scottish property meet, I wasn't dripping in sweat, I was like sauntered in there thinking, I'll just speak and if I say something stupid, I'm not going to see you again. So it doesn't really matter.
Speaker B: Then you probably end up working with some of the people you never thought you were.
Speaker C: Exactly, exactly. But that's why I think young people in jobs, you know, getting that experience and it prepares them, it prepares them for going into higher paid jobs and it gives them an idea on money management at an early age. Um, just, ah, the skill sets that you can hone in on, you can just take them into any situation and I think it's important that they get that exposure early on.
Speaker A: It's part of self development. I was taking my, um, youngest to high school this morning. Ah, Evie's 12 just now. She's been doing jobs for me for years and just learning stuff. And I can't remember when there's a certain age you can get the bank account with a card, then she's got the mobile app and then she's got another account that's saving. So she has to learn to move stuff there to there. And then she learns that Dad's company sends money to her but she has to do a task for it. And then we were chatting in the base of what's my next task going to be? She's well, there's an event coming up. I'll probably get you to do this video editing for me. Much will I get paid for it? Well, we'll need to negotiate that.
Speaker B: See, the thing is though, right there is the problem though, right. Because what is education meant to be about? See what you're, what you're teaching on there, how to manage money. Uh, right. That is real life. You're setting her up for real life skills. Right?
Speaker C: Absolutely.
Speaker B: But that's not getting taught in education.
Speaker C: You're getting children coming to you and asking you, what's a mortgage?
Speaker B: What's a mortgage?
Speaker C: They have no idea. That, that house that we're paying for that every month, uh, you know, and no clue. And this is the skill sets that they need. And then they might actually open their eyes and tune in a little bit more and go, right, wait a minute, correct. What is actually out there for me if I've not got my shit together back here? And that's what they need to be learning.
Speaker A: I know, it's funny that actually you're right. All the key things in life, managing money, healthy nutrition, relationships and people.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: And none of it's taught.
Speaker C: None of it.
Speaker A: None of it's really taught or leading. We're going to bring in somebody feed the bank to tell you about a credit card and stuff. These are the banks who screwed the economy, by the way.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: So they're not going to teach you. Oh, brilliant. That's a great idea.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: Oh my God.
Speaker B: See when they bring the bank in though, right? They're not bringing the bank in for the angle of take. We're going to look after you as an individual. They're bringing you back in off to put you into, ah, that process, it goes back to the matrix, right. That you will get a job, you will then come to us, right? Give us your money and then you give us all your money and we'll invest it m. Make money and then you'll take a mortgage with us. Right. And then you'll have the mortgage for 25 years and then you'll collect your pension because that's a good life. Maybe I, maybe I.
Speaker C: At this rate, that's dubious.
Speaker B: Exactly. So the bank's coming in, they're not coming into education at you. They're coming, this is the products that we can, you know.
Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely. They want you to save your money. Because I'll tell you something else. When you're an old age pensioner, uh, and you're needing care.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker C: By the holy Joes, that's When you see why they need you to be saving. Because they don't want to have to be paying for your care when they're older.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker C: Yet the person that hasn't saved a bean and the person that has saved all their money and has got a house behind them.
Speaker B: Yep.
Speaker C: Same level of care, but this one's getting paid by your council and this one, they're stripping everything that you've ever earned, every bank account you've ever owned, every house you've ever had, and it is all going to pay for all the other ones that haven't had anything. So that's another reason why they're wanting
Speaker A: you to save, take your pill and join the matrix.
Speaker C: Absolutely.
Speaker A: That's a deep, deep chat. I had no idea what was going to go. Let's say, let me shift you into the property world itself, because I think I was watching one of your shows, in fact, it was Lynn who spoke about how big property is, how many different things you can do.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker A: You know, and you mentioned, uh, the kind of service, accommodation angle, etc. Just chat about your story, what kind of things you focused on just now, what's your projects, ventures, what do you want to do, what do you not like, etc.
Speaker B: So I've got quite a few different ventures on the go just now. The main one I'm focusing on is the. The management business, uh, which is Saltire Stays. We have been working the background for probably the last year.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: Um, trying to integrate a lot of systems and processes because when we're going for this, I want to absolutely go for it. So I'm probably about six weeks away from, like, the proper hard. From the proper hard launch. Yeah, we've got a lot. We've got a team in the background just now, um, developing a website, developing a lot of different moving parts which we can talk about in the future. Right. But, um, that's my main focus just now and I think it's important to note. Why is that my focus? Because I get into. When I've then got into the property space, then I've then got into the service accommodation space. Right. Then I've realized, hold on, Alan, what you're going to do is you're going to set up a website, right, for the service accommodation. Right. And then you're going to then direct traffic to the website and then you're going to cut out the middleman, the commissioners and the Airbnbs, the booking dot com. Right. I'm starting to build my portfolio and then I realize that doesn't work. It doesn't work, right, because you're just a wee guy, you're playing too small, right? You've only got a couple of properties, right? You need a lot of competition, right, because give an example, you go on my website and my properties are all two bedroom apartments, right, and you're looking for a converted church, right, that houses 20 people, right? I don't have that. So I slowly realized that, yeah, I was very, very busy. The service accommodations, they still are very successful. Occupancy is great, revenue is great. Between the systems and processes we've put in. However, you need to be on a platform that has a lot of healthy competition, right, in order to give people options. Because you go into your site and you're a wee guy, small time player and you've got a couple options. See, if you don't have something, where are they going? They're going to somebody that does have a lot of options, right? So I need to be the guy with the allotted options. So I realized that strategy will work if you want to be a wee small time player and that's fine and drive a good income. But if you want, if you want to excel, you've got two options. Or uh, my two options were if I want to grow this business, I either need to pass it to a management company or I need to set one up myself. Because if I can then drive revenue from my own portfolio in there and everybody else's that I'm in that I'm um, um listing, yeah, then I've then got a thriving successful business. So that's my main focus just now. We do have a couple of joint ventures on the go. I like to hold stock. Um, um, I think, I'll be honest with you, if I flipped a property, I think I would regret it in 20 years time and go, I made 40 grand, but I could have made 200 grand one off.
Speaker A: Uh, the longer term strategies you're interested in.
Speaker B: For me it's a longer term. I don't have a pension, I don't believe in pensions. The property is my pension. I want access to my cash at any point in time. So if I decide I want to sell a bit of stock and I can take the cash out and do what I want with it, that's my concern. So for me, the property as a long term gain. Yes, there's a lot of gains in it. Short term. I'm not saying by I wouldn't do a flip. No, I would. I've got something else in the pipeline just now. But my preferred strategy Is for the reason of if I can turn it in Nac. Uh, as Ian Briley would say, rinse the asset. I am absolutely rinsing the asset financially on a monthly basis. Uh, and if I'm holding the stock then I'm going to rinse in terms of the gain that it's going to take over a period of time.
Speaker A: Yeah, that appreciation.
Speaker B: The appreciation actually that's my main focus in the property.
Speaker A: And when we are seeing management, any kind of beginners and stuff, listening, we're talking about short term lets accommodation and you've got to have a turnover, you got to have someone, whether it's you or somebody else managing the payments, changing the laundry, blah, all this kind of stuff. Your company can do that.
Speaker B: We'll deal, we'll deal with all of uh, that.
Speaker A: Brilliant.
Speaker B: We'll deal.
Speaker A: Certain geography, you know, central Scotland, Glasgow. What will it be able to offer to.
Speaker B: So Scotland, Scottish based. Predominantly the tourist market. Predominantly Highlands and Islands.
Speaker A: Ah, really?
Speaker B: Right.
Speaker A: Okay, brilliant.
Speaker B: Mainly. So mainly there is, there is clients that we're dealing with that are in the contractor market.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker B: Um, so we can deal with both ends. But the main driver uh, is the. I mean you got to look. I know, I'm going back to it. You look over Scotland, right. There is so many beautiful places, beautiful properties. But again a lot of these people who are in the serviced accommodation space, right, they're not like us, they're not professionals. They're people who, especially in the. The main reason for targeting the tourist market is because a lot of people who own their properties, a lot of them have been inherited. M. Right.
Speaker A: That's right.
Speaker B: Maybe the big ran used to go up to, I don't know, um, or Mackay. That's where my main business is. Used to go there in the 50s and 60s. The grand retires there.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: The property passes away. The, the, you know, the, the children of family don't want to use it. So they'll say well we may as well. So a lot of the people who do have their properties are just one man bands.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: And they need, they need a professional as they step in to drive that revenue, level it up. Yeah. Because some of these guys I'm looking at and they're saying I will, I don't know if I need you. Right. Because um, I mean, you know, I'm making a couple hundred quid uh, and I'm showing them well here's some of the results and the comparables that we are managing. Right. Trust me, we can absolutely rinse this.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: For you through the systems, the processes, quality of ads, quality descriptions, quality of photography. See, if you try to do that alone, and trust me, I've been there. Right, you've seen it much harder. I'm not saying it's impossible, but you're going to focus all your time and energy into that when you could just get somebody else to do it and that space. Get us to do it.
Speaker A: That's that strength and weaknesses thing again.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: It's all these key elements.
Speaker B: Exactly. That's brilliant.
Speaker A: I love you. It's a beautiful area as well. And for yourself, Lyn, specific strategies, things you've always kind of focused on or want to focus on or grow into, etc.
Speaker C: Ours will be again, portfolios. So we've got our first portfolio that we've added to the two properties that we had before. So 7 now M. Which is good. We just want to keep building on that if we can.
Speaker A: And that within buy to lay. Or is it short? It's Bytele.
Speaker C: Um, also looking at SAS this year, we're in the process of a flip at the minute. So that's. We lost a little bit of time there. But we're, you know, we've made up on that with the nice weather. So we're. We're kind of kicking on quite well there.
Speaker A: Is it quite a big refurb.
Speaker C: Yeah. Back to brick.
Speaker A: It's a bite to break. Job. Fantastic.
Speaker C: Um, and there's, you know, there's a. Something's come off the side of that that we're pursuing at the minute. Wee bit of land. So we're looking into that at the minute.
Speaker A: Okay.
Speaker C: Um, and we've got a wee project that we're. We're going to go and visit on Saturday that we're hoping is going to be our nessie. If we can strike up, negotiate, uh, a good deal with the owner. We'll see how that goes on Saturday.
Speaker A: And if you're doing sa, I know a management company.
Speaker C: Yes, absolutely. Because I'm not one to do that, I'll tell you that.
Speaker B: Exactly. Give it to us. We'll look after you.
Speaker A: That's the funny thing. There's so many things you can do. I bloody love it. And some folk do love doing their own thing and they love getting in and creating it on. The new cushions are fine. Go for it. Do what you want, do what you fancy.
Speaker C: Yeah. The flip, I think is good. Quite exciting. It was, um, it was, you know, touch and go there for a wee bit. You just be funding issues and whatnot. But we were we're all right, we're on track and it's, you know, lessons learned and you move forward. But it's going to be quite good. I'm excited to see it finished in kind of July, August time, hopefully.
Speaker A: Right.
Speaker C: And then the, um. Predominantly we want to have like a legacy to hold to hand on the kids and obviously, um, a way to structure that, that gets grant home from offshore.
Speaker A: Going back to that, which is our main concern. It was our main thing we were chasing. Yeah, brilliant. It's all exciting thoughts in the market in general. I mean, the naysayers will say, uh, oh, Alan, property's gone, man, forget it. You know, the wee guy and girl kind of get into it, you know, stamp duty, EDS is through 8%. It's. Oh, my God, AC, you mad? The licensing, the regulations, planning, I mean, it's all gone, you know. What's your thoughts?
Speaker B: Listen, there is, if you're just talking about this, the SA market, right, that's marking the main bag.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: Right, let's be straight here. There is a lot of, uh, barriers that are getting put in our place, right, but that's just down to your mentality, right? You know what, See if they see last year when they stamped you even up, right, you know, it's 2%, right? And again, I could probably get actually quite passionate about this, right, because I've seen a lot of what we call a crap social media, right, and there was people, and a lot of people we know, by the way, Right, yeah. Putting up posts saying, oh, that doesn't affect us, right, because we, we'll just, we'll just further negotiate, blah, blah. Somebody's at a detriment, right? Somebody's at a detriment, right? So we'll just further negotiate the deal, make it even better. We'll see if you could do that. Why don't you do it in the first place? Right, so, but, so there's no doubt, right? The barriers to entry are becoming slightly tougher, especially with a licensing scheme. Especially. There's a lot of different complications involved. Council regions, done. We're not all signing off at 1 m m sheet, right? But it's just down to get the information. You should know what you're talking about before you enter into that project. So nothing really should be a problem, see, as long as you've done your due diligence, you've worked in numbers, right? Who cares if it's going up another 2%? Listen, I don't want to give the government any of my money, but I can't Control it. So what's the other option? Down tools and say I'm not going to build a legacy for my kids or whatever because they're 2% or because I need to apply for this or this needs planning permission and this. Yes. The barriers to entry are becoming higher. The financials are becoming higher. But in dramatic justice. I mean about a margin. Well, so be it because there's the highs and the lows but overall, overall
Speaker C: you're still on a winner.
Speaker B: You're still a winner.
Speaker A: Makes sense to be an investor. It's just a number. It's just you factor any of the numbers.
Speaker B: Exactly. I think that's really important point to note is that people say oh hold on, this refurb is going to cost X, Y and Z. Who cares? Does it go back to do the numbers work? Yeah, it's a simple yes or no. If it works, great, I'm in. If it's no, it doesn't. It's no ideal.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: So it's kind of m. I know. I'm saying it's pretty simple. It's not really. Right. You know, there's a lot of nuts
Speaker A: and bolts in the background but simple. It's not easy.
Speaker B: Yes.
Speaker A: I like that approach that it's actually simplistic. No effect of the numbers.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker A: It's not easy. It's a challenge. You need to get through it and sometimes a refurb slips behind. You need to catch up. There's a lot of stress. That's just the stress of life. You have to face it. If you going to be doing anything, you know, I want you all my cafe. Well, guess what, there's health and safety, there's a food certificate, there's six. There are these obstacles everywhere. That's really going to do.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: Going to deal with it.
Speaker C: Navigate around them.
Speaker B: Exactly. And. And see otherwise they don't grow. Exactly.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: See, see the ones who are saying oh um, especially expanse. There is people, there is landlords in the market who are. Who are exiting.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: Yesterday maybe they bought in a different time period and they were told personal names and now can't do. Etc. So let's be honest, there is people exiting. Right.
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: But that's an advantage to us.
Speaker A: Correct.
Speaker B: That's an advantage to us. It's an advantage to them as well because there's a reason why they'll be exiting. So they'll get their part, we'll get our part. Everybody's a win win.
Speaker A: That's business.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: 100% family comes into that home and they've Got a beautiful home. It's great.
Speaker B: Exactly. And if you go back to the original question, see if you can't handle the challenges at the start of the project, right, as in the I don't want to pay the government money, I don't want to pay this, I need to pay the plan permission. Right. That's the point. You should probably stop. Right? Yeah. Pick something else. Every single. Exactly. Pick something else. Right.
Speaker C: But move on.
Speaker B: But whether it's property or whether it's anything else, right, you're going to come, as you say with the cafe, you're going to come across the same struggles. Right. And that is the job of an entrepreneur is to handle objections, overcome struggles, solve problems. Exactly. Unless you don't want to deal with problems, um, and you don't want to, you know, deal with grief and financial pain etc, and probably an entrepreneur, isn't it for you. See, if you handle that right, well, you're in the right place regardless of what business.
Speaker A: Correct.
Speaker B: What business is.
Speaker C: I think it makes you feel alive a wee bit. Do you know something new?
Speaker A: So what's going to happen this week?
Speaker B: Where am I going to get sucker punched in this week? Right?
Speaker A: Oh, totally, yeah. And it's that mindset of approaching that. In fact, after this, later on today, I'm heading out to, to some development sites. Ball and Ian are out there already and I'm like, I wonder what's going to come up today. I wonder what Ian's going to say about the concrete getting poured. I wonder what Paul's going to tell me about the thunder. Etc. You never know. And it does, it keeps it exciting.
Speaker C: It keeps it exciting and I think, um, what else would you be doing? Yeah, yeah, you know, hoovering.
Speaker B: Oh, no, please, no, that's where you just outsource and get the cleaner.
Speaker A: Absolutely. I've got my robotic key. Oh, I tell you, don't start me in my gadgets. But you're right. And funnily enough, you talking about that and saying about challenges, what you're going to do. You've brought me back to your, uh, Tesco story. The guy in Tesco. It's actually okay being Tesco, you know, it's about what's your life, what you're happy with. Because that's almost similar to the Ferrari thing. If you are in Tesco and that's your life and you're quite. And you love your job and the people you work with and you put your heart and soul in. And you, you enjoy putting a display on, in the shelves, whatever the Hell it is. Don't look at the other Ferrari. Oh, that Al MacMillan guy's got a service accommodation business. Oh, he's got a Ferrari. I should do that. Well, if you want to.
Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. No one's pushing you.
Speaker A: You don't have to. And maybe, maybe your contribution to your whole community is doing your job well, being a great employee, being a great team member, serving the public with a smile because you do actually enjoy it. Don't stay there if you hate it, but if you do enjoy it, stay there on the side, do other stuff on the side. Maybe you will invest in some stocks and shares, become clever with your money. You do that as well. Maybe you're doing some kind of volunteer work for the local food bank. You've contribute your community. Just see what you love and see how you can contribute. Don't chase other folks Ferraris if you don't want a Ferrari.
Speaker C: That's right.
Speaker B: I think that goes back to what is your purpose? See, when you're getting out of bed in the morning, what is your purpose? It doesn't need to be about anybody else's purposes. What is yours? Because being straight, right, property isn't my passion. I'm m. Not, I'm, um, not. I'm not passionate about bricks and mortar within that property circle. I am passionate about if you take a run down home, right, you renovate it and then you're providing a nice home for somebody to stay, a nice family who can't do that themselves. I'm passionate about that part of property. But, uh, the properties is fulfilling my purpose as Alan McMillan, as an individual, what are my requirements in my life?
Speaker A: Yeah.
Speaker B: So again, if anybody's feeling any kind of pressures, go back to forget what Lynn's doing, forget what Richard's doing, forget anybody else in the room, what are you doing it for? Because I think that's maybe some people will resonate going, yeah, I'm doing this for the wrong reasons.
Speaker A: Exactly.
Speaker C: Exactly.
Speaker B: I'm doing it for the wrong reasons to keep up with the Joneses or whatever it may be. Ah, forget what you're doing, just, you do what you're doing, I'll do what I'm doing. I'll respect what you're doing. You respect what I'm doing. We all have a good life because
Speaker A: we've only got one of them.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker A: So, you know, why waste it?
Speaker B: There's a good quote I heard. I don't know if you've heard it. Every man has two lives. They only realize they have a second. When you have One. And when you realize that you've only got one life, see that moment you've just said there, realize, I've only got one life. But until that point, you're just, you're just flying through it, right? Seeing you realize, hold on, I've only got, I've only got one life, right? Are we going for this?
Speaker A: Right? And then that, uh, wakes you up to the same.
Speaker B: We going for it? Are we fucking about here? What are we doing here?
Speaker A: Whatever it is, whatever it is we're doing, this has been a, um, bloody brilliant conversation. I love it. Let's go back to how I explained you've got a podcast yourselves. What's the plans for that? What do you see in the future? Is it going to continue? Is it going to take a different turn? What's the thoughts? Have you discussed it even? Or are you just flowing with it?
Speaker B: Yeah, well, I'll go first then. My plans are we're at the very early stages with the podcast, so we are looking to sponsorship so we can then continue the podcast for as long as we possibly can.
Speaker A: Brilliant.
Speaker B: But suppose it all goes back to the purposes the day that we stop the podcast, the days we're stopping, providing valuable content to our viewers and anybody that's engaging with us. So for me, I want to just keep going. There's two things that are happening. There's number one, we're providing valuable content. And there's number two is I'm learning, I'm growing. You know, take the selfish part of this year, I'm sitting right, business people, successful individuals right in front of me and absolutely grilling them for information. So what's that going to do to me? Uh, that's growing me, that's grown my business, that's growing my kids future. So I'll continue to do that for as long as we possibly can. Because through that journey, we're all learning. And even the guests are learning as well. A lot of the guests have said to us, I can't believe you've resonated with, uh, that because remember, entrepreneurship is a very lonely place. Right. And see, the second that you engage with other business people, other like minded people, other entrepreneurs, then you will engage with each other. Because most of us, as much as you know that you are in a lonely space, so you're getting help, you're helping others, and for me, the longer that goes on, the better.
Speaker A: Would you echo that? You happy to stay on board with that one?
Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely. Like I say, I'm in awe of every guest that comes in Because I think, um, I like to listen to people's stories, and I like to hear that there's successes and challenges and wins and all sorts going on in there. Um, and I'd quite like to open people's eyes to thinking that, you know, this is one life that you've got. It goes super fast, faster than you think. Um, sitting at, you know, 55 now. Um, and I also try to teach my children that, you know, don't be scared of things that are new. Just. Just grab every opportunity that's coming your way and go for it. Some of them will work out, some of them won't. It doesn't really matter. It's the journey that you're. You're on, and that's how you learn and how you grow. So, um, if I can do that and help anybody feel better about that, then that's good.
Speaker A: There we go. That's how you end that conversation. I'm annoyed these two. So remember, whenever it's safe to do so, get in the show notes, see all the links and stuff there. Number one, head off to the podcast, subscribe and listen to these amazing conversations. Then we'll have their other businesses, links and social media and all that kind of stuff. Remember, someone's got a, uh, management business coming out soon, so keep in touch with this man, because that's maybe a service that you can use as well. But, Alan Lynn, thanks a million for today.
Speaker C: Thanks for having us.
Speaker B: Pleasure. Thanks very much for having us. I appreciate it.
Speaker A: And, uh, that's.
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