Lewis

Rachel is from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and everything in her career led here. She spent her teens and twenties in hospitality running large rural estates and hotels, served in the police, then moved into property management as a private PA, managing fourteen tenancies for an investor who was turning his properties into Airbnbs. She has always wanted to be her own boss, run her own schedule and build a business she could eventually run from anywhere in the world. Her first deal of her own is a three bed in the upper rooms of a former Edwardian opera house, which she markets as The Stage Door. It came fully furnished with two bathrooms and smart TVs in every bedroom, and she even inherited the booking platforms. All she needed was some sheets and a coffee machine. Now she can keep her investor as a client while running things her own way.

Ben went from full time builder to running his own property business, and rent to rent changed his life. He scaled to 11 serviced accommodation deals and walked away from his 9 to 5 for good. He shares the mindset shifts that fuelled his growth, how mentorship and community sped up his success, and how rent to rent gave him the time, freedom and flexibility he never thought possible. Now a mentor in the SSO community, Ben helps others follow the same path.

Julie from West London is a masterclass in fast, focused action. Starting from zero, she grew her portfolio to four properties in her first year: two flats in Reading for the corporate market and two more in Acton. She shares the mindset shifts, the calculated risks and the smart moves that helped her scale quickly and confidently, all on strong foundations built to last.

Mia and her partner always wanted to get into property, and rent to rent was the way to build cashflow first, then invest in property they own. Mia had always wanted to run Airbnbs too. The support at Simon Smith Online made the difference: unlimited calls, everything personalised, and Harry keeping them going through every viewing. Around four months after joining, they opened a six bed, two bath house in Sheffield city centre. They listed it a few days early, enquiries came in straight away, and on opening day the photographer left at three o'clock and the first guests checked in fifteen minutes later. Those guests booked a week, then another, then a month, and are now talking about six months. That one booking cleared every doubt she had. They've chosen a long, secure booking that keeps the house hands off. Now they're looking for units two and three. Mia's verdict on the support: "Couldn't have been any better."