UK’s Most Unexpected Real Estate Success Story: From Council Flat to CEO | Wole Olusola –DOSI S1 E5

Coming into the UK as I would assume

maybe 10 year old or something like

that. What was it like moving from

>> it was it was very different.

>> Okay.

>> Like it was completely different. So

when I came to Le there weren't that

many black people in there that many

Nigerians. So all my friends at the time

were either Caribbean or or Zimbabwe.

>> So what was the biggest like the first

cultural shock that you experienced

coming into?

>> The biggest thing was just how calm

everything was coming to your

businesses. Which one came first? Is it

property, healthcare, digital technology

or oil and gas?

>> Property came first.

>> Property came first. How did you stumble

on property and how did it pick up for

you?

>> Yeah, I used to watch a show called

Homes Under the Armor. Religiously, I

watched that show. So, I knew like I

wanted to do property. My dad did

property in Nigeria. So, I knew I wanted

to do that.

>> The process of buying your first house?

Was it based on savings or how did you

buy the first?

>> So, my whole thinking at the time was

buy a house, how could it pay you off,

right? Pay off your mortgage and

everything. So, my first property was a

right to buy property. My first home

that I lived in was a council flat. That

was really great. It helped a lot of

people. It helps me. If I didn't have

that, I wouldn't be where I am today.

>> This is Diary of Successful Immigrants.

Diary of Successful Immigrants.

Hello there. Thank you so much for your

support on this podcast. Please like,

subscribe, comment, share. Share this to

inspire somebody and if you're

interested in sharing your story, please

get across to us just by using the

contact details you can see on the

screen at the moment. This is diary of

successful immigrants and the aim is to

continue to share success story. It's

not about the politics, it's about the

journey to success.

This is Diary of Successful Immigrants.

>> So when I thought about this podcast,

let me be honest with you. When this the

idea of like diary of successful

immigrant came to my head,

>> the first person that came to my mind I

must interview is you was you actually

or is you. And how it came to my mind is

I don't know if you remember the first

time we met. Uh we went to play football

>> and then I was going back home. Um then

I used to stay um in the same area with

you and you had to drop me off.

>> Yes.

>> So in the car we just started talking.

What do you do? So you said you did

this, you do that and you are into

property a bit into uh digital things

and all those stuff

>> but then you didn't say much. Uh one of

the funniest aspect is it was later

somebody mentioned your name and that

this is um have you met Wally this this

this I was like is it the same person?

>> Yeah.

>> But one thing that was actually like

amazing to me the time I actually met

you was I love your car like

>> but when you were driving that day I was

like wow if somebody is doing like this

you get what I mean it's so nice. So um

and um every time I've met you, you've

blown my mind. So when you sent me your

portfolio, you get it, and you were like

um you have company in UK, Nigeria, and

Zambia. I was like, I didn't even know

that.

>> Then I had to go check again. But let me

just allow you to talk. How did it all

start for you? Like how did you all

start the journey into like I know you

came in early, am I right? Yeah. So how

did it all start for you coming into a

new country at an early age? How did you

all start?

>> Well, first of all, thanks for the uh

almost compliment if I can say that. So

yeah, I appreciate that. Yeah, I

remember that day actually our football.

Yeah, and then we I dropped you off um

you know, we're living close in the same

state at the time. Yeah. So which is

quite good. Yeah. So I remember that

vividly. So thanks for that and thanks

for the compliment. I appreciate it.

>> So um I guess where did it all start?

Um, I don't know. It was just Yeah. Many

people ask me these questions like,

"Well,

>> no, no, no. Let's let's roll it back to

the basics. Your parent decided to

leave, am I right, to move to this

place?"

>> Yes. My my mom um is a nurse. Well,

she's retired now.

>> Okay.

>> Um, my dad um is a businessman, so he

did quite a lot of stuff. Um, you know,

he's very entrepreneurial.

>> Um, so they left. My mom came um in the

late ' 90s. Um in fact at the time uh my

dad and my uncle they had an agency.

>> Oh wow.

>> Where they uh they used to recruit

nurses um from Nigeria into the UK.

>> Wow.

>> So she was the first batch that came

>> and then since then quite a lot of

people came through them. So that's how

it all started. Right.

>> Wow.

>> Um and so yeah so that's

>> so coming into the UK as I would assume

maybe 10 year old or something like

that. It's not a must. you tell me your

age but um what what was it like moving

from

>> it was it was very different

>> okay

>> like it was completely different so when

I came to Le there weren't that many

black people elite there weren't even

that many Nigerians you can count how

Nigerians were elite at the time when

they came

>> so all my friends at the time were um

either Caribbean or or Zimbabwe

>> okay

>> even at the time I even spoke a little

bit of Shauna as well because that's all

my friends were from Zimbabwe

>> so all this unre B

>> rewriting. I knew a few words. I could

even almost converse in in in China at

the time.

>> So, it was very different, you know,

when it all started at the time compared

to what it is now. So, I didn't like it

at first. I wanted to go back.

>> Seriously?

>> Yeah. Cuz everything looked the same.

>> Oh, okay.

>> Everything looked the same.

>> Did you come in with your siblings or

just you alone?

>> I I So, my siblings actually came before

me, but they came few months before me.

>> So, when I came, I came on my own, just

me.

>> Okay. Um, I came I remember vividly. I

landed in London. My uncle came to pick

me up. We stayed there for a day and

then we came to Le the day with my other

siblings. Okay.

>> And it was just completely new. But they

they had a star. They had like a couple

of moms star. So they were already okay.

They were already making fun of me like

this Niger boy coming. But yeah, it was

different. So I I didn't like it at

first. I wanted to go back.

>> So what was the biggest like the first

cultural shock that you experienced

coming into the UK?

Um, that's a good question actually. I

think the the biggest thing was just how

calm everything was.

>> Oh,

>> yeah. Like just like the peace or

something.

>> Everything was just calm. Yeah. Like the

fact that and at the time I had a lot of

time in my hand. Yeah. Cuz I wasn't

doing anything. I just came. I was just

a a boy at a time. Um, and then

everything was just different. It was

calm. You know, like back home in

Nigeria, you play out. Everybody's

playing together.

>> Where were you living in Nigeria, by the

way? Legos.

>> I lived in Legos and Abuta.

>> Oh, okay. Wow. Yeah, I lived a bit in al

>> so my school was in but most

>> which school um Christ school.

>> No, I went to Patterson memory pattern

school.

>> Oh, okay.

>> No, it was part of the school with the

Baptist cuz we used to Baptist. So they

created a nice school there and that's

that's the

>> All right. So now um how did the all

start for you in terms of like so I I

was reading your this thing you

currently you have over 15 years driving

innovation growth across different

sectors. You have things in digital

technology. I knew you as like a real re

real estate person.

>> I didn't even know that you have like an

like a healthcare company and you're

also into oil and gas sector. I mean I

if if if it's possible I say what's your

what's your word but I won't go into

that but let's start. How did the law

start for you? Like what was what was

the what was the driving force when you

how did you start?

>> Yeah. So I I wanted to be a pilot.

>> Okay.

>> Uh like when I was growing up.

>> Funny enough I wanted to be a pilot.

Well there you go. We have so many

things in common. Um I wanted to be a

pilot. Uh, and I realized that I I don't

like heights. I'm scared of heights. All

right. So, that was really scary at

first. Um, and then my I remember my dad

sat us down one day when we were at

college and said, "Okay, so guys, it's

time to go to college. What we what you

going to do?" I told him, "I want to be

a pilot." He said, "Okay, what do you

want to do?"

>> And I said, "Okay, if I can't be a

pilot, I want to be aeronautic engineer

>> in in the UK."

>> In the UK. Yeah.

>> And he said, "Nah, you want to do Fosi

Care. go and be a nurse. Your mom's a

nurse at the time because we were a

>> lot of nurses were recruiting a lot of

nurses. Like what else to do? Just go

back. I didn't want to do that. So

anyway, I went to enroll myself. They

enrolled me into a different college but

took myself out that college. I went to

enroll myself somewhere else in a

different college to do

>> in leads or less. Yeah. Yeah.

>> In so I went to enroll myself to a

different college um to do it

>> techch national IT at the time.

>> Um so yeah that's how it all started.

But in terms of the entrepreneurial part

of it, I just knew that cuz my dad was

very entrepreneurial right growing up.

So I saw many things that he was

involved in. He was a farmer had he had

so many business going on in so I knew

that

>> potentially this is what I wanted to do

but I didn't know I wanted to do it. I

just knew that it was there in the

background.

>> Um so that was already in me knowing

that that's what I wanted to do.

>> Uh and property I stumbled into

property. Ju

>> just wait before we before you stumble

into that. So let me get this right. You

finished college I would assume. Did you

go to university or not?

>> Yeah. So you went to university. Was it

in university that you stumbled on on

property?

>> No no no.

>> So all of this came after after

>> after. So what was the first thing that

you started? What was the first business

that you did?

>> The first business that I did um was I

uh So the first business that I did was

I bought I had um it was like retail.

>> Okay. Yeah. So, you know when you go to

barber shop?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. And in a barber shop you can buy

drinks and and whatever. Yeah.

>> The first I did was I bought loads of

freezer fridge freezers.

>> Yes.

>> Into barber shops in leads.

>> Okay.

>> And I'll stock it up.

>> Oh.

>> With drinks.

>> With drinks. And people would just buy

it. So

>> that was that was before the days of

dispenser machine.

>> Well yeah they had dispenser but they

don't usually have it in barber shop.

Like you know most barber shop that you

go to black barber shop anyway they will

just have a fridge and and a price list

and then you just bake150p

drinks and you you just pay them. So

that's it.

>> So how did the idea come into your head?

>> I I just

>> and at what age let me just

>> so that at that point I was already I

was in my 20s. Yeah. I didn't start any

business like any earlier on and

anything like that. Like my years at uni

even when I left uni I still didn't know

what I wanted to do with my life. I was

still I was just messing around. I wish

I knew things that I know now back then,

but I wasn't I was just I was just

living life at the time.

>> So the first prop business that I did

was like um

>> yeah so I had fridge in in barber shop

>> barber shop and stuff. So how many years

did you run that for? How successful was

that?

>> It was it was it was okay when it was

okay when it started. I made a few

hundred pounds and and stuff but then

then I didn't have I didn't have time

cuz at the time I was working in London

>> and I come back to lead and then the

barbers would just give me some money or

or they start saying h well I need to

pay more I need to give them more

commission because it's more electricity

your fridge is taking low the power you

know all the so you worked okay for like

6 months after that it was just like you

just

>> I just got it I was like I need to move

on to the next thing.

>> Wow. So that means that you had the

first job before like before you started

business. So you were doing were you

like one of this kind of kids that did

what is it called? Macd donuts and all

the things. No.

>> So you didn't do all this?

>> I didn't do I didn't do any the job that

I did though which I loved right. I did

it for so long. In fact even when I got

a better job want to call it that I

still went back to do it just cuz I

really enjoyed it was catering.

catering.

>> Yeah, I was doing civil service, you

know, civil service. It's not not not

that like McDonald's kind of fast. No,

like

>> events.

>> Events like corporate events and stuff.

So, I used to work in the bar

>> and I used to do the I used to be like

the supervisor, you know, those one that

would stay by the table and everybody

else would bring the plane. I tell them,

put the plate.

>> Yeah. Yeah. So, that I love that job.

>> Okay.

>> That's my first job.

>> So, coming to your business now like all

your businesses, which one came first?

Is it property? Is it healthcare? Is it

digital technology or oil and gas?

>> Property came first.

>> Property came first because I actually

knew you about property first. And

there's somebody I respect very well

which is also still going to come on

this podcast um in person of pastor

Ralph. You know, every time you say you

say there was this just this small boy

that taught me like

this many years and when I just met that

guy just broke everything down for me

and since then I've never been the same.

So how did you how did you stumble on

property? Let me use your word. How did

you stumble on it and how did it pick up

for you?

>> Hello there. Thank you so much for your

support on this podcast. Please like,

subscribe, comment, share. Share this to

inspire somebody. And if you're

interested in sharing your story, please

get across to us just by using the

contact details you can see on the

screen at the moment. This is diary of

successful immigrants and the aim is to

continue to share success story. It's

not about the politics, it's about the

journey to success.

>> Yeah. So, um, I used to watch this show

called Homesama.

>> Yeah, I've watched it a bit. Yeah, I've

watched I've watched a couple of

>> episodes. I think you know what I think

what really kicked everything off for me

Yeah. was um when I when I finished uni

um I didn't still didn't know what I

wanted to do. I was still kind of

working in catering like doing the s

service and then most of the time in the

morning I'll be in my room in my mom's

house and then I'll be watching that

show and then one day she just comes to

my room like this guy what what are you

doing your life and all I ever did in

the morning was religiously I watch that

show

>> so I knew like I wanted to do property

my dad did property in Nigeria so I knew

I wanted to do that

>> and so that's why I thought property

right

>> now I want to roll you back you said you

reenrolled yourself in a school and I

know that we're from the same country,

home country also. Well, from the same

aspect. I would assume you're a bit

>> I would assume you're a bit stubborn to

be able to pull that off at the age of

16.

>> Yeah. But I mean, I just knew that I

didn't want to do what they told me to

do.

>> Yeah.

>> Like not obviously they were looking out

for me. Like it wasn't like they, you

know, it was a bad thing, but I just

didn't want to be in that field and I

couldn't be in that field. What what

what did your parents say when you told

them you

>> Well, when I came back the following

next day and I said, "Oh, I' I've

enrolled here." And then it's like, "Are

you sure?" Yeah. How much do we have to

pay? We don't have to pay.

>> Oh, okay.

>> I said, "Oh, okay. Right. That's fine.

As long as you're sure you're going to

do that, then I'm sure I'm going to do

it."

>> Yeah.

>> And that's the end of it.

>> All right. So, you were talking about

you always washing homes and stuff.

Yeah. And and that was that like that

was what created that test for

>> Yeah. So that was that was the trigger

for me. So that it was that uh because

then I'll see people buy a house for X

amount, spend X amount to do it and then

they sell it and they make this money. I

was like, "Oh, okay. Interesting, right?

If it's as easy as that, I want to do

that. That's what I wanted to do."

>> Um but yeah, so that that was what

piqued my interest in property. Do do

you know do you know actually one of the

things that also piqued my interest in

this place is the you know Diary of a

CEO.

>> Yes.

>> By Steve Butler. And I'm hoping one day

I'm going to interview him if this goes

well.

>> Yeah. Fingers crossed.

>> Fingers crossed you know we might get

there. So just talk to me the process of

buying your first house. Was it like

somebody loaned you money or because

you're like a just like an ordinary

child. I mean

>> you've gone through university. you're

working now. Was it based on savings or

how did you buy the first

>> property? So the first property um so at

the time you know we were all brought up

saying um you know you want to you know

grow up finish uni get a nice job get a

family get a mortgage pay off your

mortgage and that's the end end of it

right so my whole thinking at the time

was right buy a house how quickly can

you pay you off right pay off your

mortgage and everything

>> so the first house that that my first

property um it was it was a right to buy

um property

So, um, they've just taken it away now.

So, right to buy back then was

>> if you had a council house,

>> flat or house, whatever it might be,

>> after 3 years, you have a right to buy

it.

>> Oh, okay.

>> A discounted price. So, the longer you

live in a property, the more discount

you get, right? That's really great. It

helps a lot of people. It helps me.

>> If I didn't have that, I wouldn't be

where I am today.

>> So, that was the first thing. So, so my

first property, my first house, my first

home that I lived in was a council flat.

>> So, did you did you buy it in your 20s

or in your 30s?

>> In your 20ies?

>> In my 20s. Yeah.

>> Wow. Married or?

>> No. No. Single?

>> Yeah.

>> That's amazing. So, so talk us through

like then from the first one, what

prompted you to want to buy the second

one?

>> Yeah. So,

>> at that point, so there there's like a a

story to it. Yeah. So when I bought the

first one, I was luckily able to buy it

outright because I got so much discount

and I had saved up quite a lot of money

and I just took extra loan to balance it

off. Uh and I bought it because I was

brought up thinking

>> get a house, mortgage free, you're set

for life, that's it. So that was the

intention at the time. So I didn't even

know I was going to buy more properties.

That was just like okay, just buy the

house and it's all done. And that's what

happened with that property, right? Um

so that's the first one. And when I say

I stumbled into property, this is how I

stumbled into into it. Yeah.

>> So the second one, um I was at work one

day. I was working for a for a major

financial company at the time, right?

>> Uh and I got on a call with a mortgage

broker

>> which randomly came to me. Right.

>> So in our conversation and and I said to

this mortgage broker that, "Oh, by the

way, I've got a property." Yeah. which

is I should really be talking to you

about this because you came to me for

something else, but let me just ask you

anyway.

>> Yeah.

>> And and I said, "Oh, actually, can I

speak to you outside of work?"

>> Okay.

>> And the guy said, "Yeah, of course you

can. Yes, you can." All right, cool.

I'll take your number and I'll call you

>> after work.

>> And I was I couldn't wait.

>> I finished work. I jump in my car. I

called this guy up straight away. Um, as

I called him, I told him the situation

like, "Oh, I got this house. It's

mortgage free, but then it's a flat, two

bed flat. nice but I want to buy a

bigger house like you know what can I do

so I I've got property but I'm I'm I'm

asset rich but cash poor right so what

can I do

>> then he just told me oh it's simple just

put equity just take money out and use

that money to buy another house

>> okay

>> that's what he told me

>> so if I didn't speak to that guy that

day

>> I probably wouldn't have bought any more

property I wouldn't have done anything

>> okay

>> right so that's why I say I stumbled

into property what that guy said to me

that Okay. That changed

>> everything.

>> Everything.

>> So you So your strategy is you pull up

you pull out equity um then like when

you started and then you use it to buy

another property and put it on mortgage

I guess.

>> Yeah. That was literally it. So because

I had the property outright, there's no

mortgage on it. So I was able to just

>> get whatever money I want from the

property

>> and just pay a little mortgage. So I got

just enough to buy

>> another second house. I did that. bought

that house and then it just from there I

just kind of kept learning and learning

on job learning.

>> Yeah. So I know you're into shortlets um

Airbnb and all the likes. When you

started was it always about uh what was

it called? Did it start with you with

something about like you were always

wanting to do shortlets or it all

started with just renting it out per

month and things like that?

>> It just started with renting out per

month. So I think at the time this this

when when I started this I didn't really

know much about shortlet. I didn't

really know much about that strategy.

>> Um there wasn't there wasn't like many

people that I know at the time that was

doing properties that I could like go

and say oh this guy is doing this I want

to do that.

>> So I didn't really have any blueprint to

follow. It was just me just like

thinking oh I buy one. I just rent it

out. Then I didn't. So that's that's how

it started. So I didn't really know I

was going to do

>> service accommodation. service I could

>> until I bought the house.

>> Okay.

>> Until I bought the second one and I

realized, oh, okay, I could put this on

on Airbnb and I started looking at what

other people does it and then started

finding out and that's how

>> So you started um service accommodation

with your second house?

>> Second house.

>> The the one you bought after the council

one?

>> No, no, no. The third one, I guess.

>> The third one, I guess.

>> Yeah. So, so when you did that, was it

more like, yeah, this money is good. Let

me do more.

>> Yeah. It was literally that.

>> Seriously?

>> Yeah. It was it was literally sort of

like, oh, okay. So, that property um the

first one that I did service

accommodation with, it wasn't in the

best area um of leads and it wasn't the

biggest property. It was a two bed um

terrace house and it did so well. Yeah.

So, um now you're the MD CEO of Seats

Property. Yeah.

>> Um which is a limited company. Uh, can

you tell me was it more like when you

bought the second house that you already

start see property or how did they come

into being in terms of like going into

because I want to do property. Trust me,

I've been I've just been waiting like if

I could pull some cash together. Can't

wait to buy to actually have another

house and stuff and

>> something like that because I know it's

>> I've kind of made calculations in my

head and I feel the thing. So how did

you start seed property?

>> Yeah. So after the the the second house

I suppose.

>> Yeah.

>> Which is my home again?

>> Yeah.

>> Um before I bought the the one that I

used for se accommodation I already knew

at that point

>> that all right I'm going to do more.

>> I already knew straight away and I just

knew. No one told me that oh set up a

company or buy on your name right? I

just thought because I'm gonna do more,

I might as well just set up a company

and do it. In hindsight, that was the

right thing to do.

>> By the time I didn't really know,

>> right? So, I just assumed like, okay,

well, I'm going to buy more. Let me just

set up a company and do it.

>> So, you bought your first property. Can

you can you put a year to it? Um,

>> yeah.

>> Yeah. Which

>> 2015, I think.

>> 2015.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. So, 10 years on, how many

properties?

>> Oh, 10 years on.

>> Yeah. How many properties do you have

now? I can't say exactly how many is,

but it's a it's double digit.

>> Double digit. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. No,

because the double digit is more or less

of like it could be 20 something. It

could be. No. So, can you give an idea

of like is it more than 10, more than 20

or something like that? I can't tell you

exactly what it is. I mean, these things

are, you know, if you want to take it

off, you probably could take it off and

and find out.

>> But it's Yeah, it's double digit. It's

more than Yeah.

>> All right. No problem. So, why I'm

saying that is I just want people to

kind of learn from your journey that

within the space of 10 years,

>> how many properties have you been able

to actually acquire into seed

properties?

>> Yeah. I mean, there are people that can

go at even faster pace than I did.

>> Okay.

>> There are some that can go at lesser

pace than I did or just have a to do

whatever, right? Um, you know, if done

right with the right strategy, you can

buy you can add three properties into

your portfolio every year.

>> Wow. Yeah,

>> you could do that. Add more than that,

right? So, it's just knowing the right

strategy that you want to do, being able

to recycle your money, being able to

leverage your money as well. That would

take you a long way.

>> No, but what's the So, what's the what

are the different strategies that you

have in kind of this property business

>> and which one do you typically advise?

>> So, I think there are kind of like two

main strategies really that you can do

in property. Yeah. Um but those two main

ones they also have like so like

different things you can do with it.

Yeah. But the main one is literally a

standard by tolet which is right I've

got a pot of money right find a house I

want to buy go buy the house put your

25% deposit down buy it and rent it out

to a family

>> right but you can then rent out to a

family you can rent as an HMO or you can

rent it as a um you know service

accommodation. You can do whatever with

it. It's just a buy to property then you

do that right

>> that's standard easier way to go.

>> The second option is something called

BR.

>> So which is buy

>> okay

>> refurbish refinance and then repeat like

recycle that. So that that's my favorite

um strategy. That's what I do the most.

That's what if you've got the time and

the capability or or capacity rather I

should say uh and the uh the investment

cuz you do need more money to do that

right cuz you need money to buy it in

the first place a bit more money to do

the refurbishment

>> and then recycle your money right so

that's my favorite one that's my that's

what I re

>> so do you also do flipping like you buy

it you refurbish it and you sell it or

you buy it and refurbish it and just add

it to your property portfolio

>> no I I don't I don't flip I've never

sold a property

There's one on the market, but I've

never sold a property actually.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah. Just just cuz

>> now I understand what you mean by double

digits

>> because I know you've been to Also, can

you just share a bit about the auction

part of properties?

>> Yeah. Yeah. So, auction can be a bit

daunting. They don't actually do

physical auction anymore. Everything's

all done online these days, but you

still get the excitement, the buzz when

you're doing it. It's very easy to go,

you know, way over. But auction when

you're doing the BR strategy, it's

mostly auction property that you buy.

Um, so that's that's that's that's

>> okay. So this episode is proudly

sponsored by Kofa Juice, rooted in

culture, brewed in honor.

>> That is fine. So can you tell me how

your other strands of business actually

came joined the property business where

you because the time I met you you

literally told me that you were doing uh

what's it called now you were into

digital technology that that's what you

do the property is just managed here and

there and something like that. So can

you tell me how did maybe which one came

in first in addition to the property?

Yeah. So the um the digital came first.

Um so you know in my corporate world um

you know when I started doing different

different different things then then I

went into digital world. So I was a

product manager um for for um you know

>> for which company?

>> H

>> which company?

>> I don't know if I can say well actually

I can't say. Yeah. So the company I

currently um kind of consult for is

called Axialogic.

>> Okay. Um and and they they like they

consult for public sector like public

sector and private sector as well. So

they do that. So that was my digital

kind of world. So it's not um so I I do

that that was that was 9 to5 say if you

wanted to say that and then the property

came

>> in that right. Okay.

>> And then the other businesses came

>> in there as well. And that's that's the

>> So then you built the digital technology

business. Um how did you build it? No,

the DJ is the company that I work for. I

consult for you consult for them. All

right. Yeah. So then you have um because

I checked this one online. You have the

healthcare one. Was it more like because

of your family background that was why

you went back into

>> No, no, no, no. So I'm I'm an

entrepreneur, right? So I I don't

actually talk about the healthcare side

of business. Not even many people know

that.

>> Yeah. To be honest, I never expected it,

but when I saw it in your what was it

called in your um portfolio and I also

saw the website, I was quite amazed

>> at like the fact. So, what prompted

that?

>> Yeah. So, that was just again it was

just thinking right what's next? Uh what

do you do? How do you how do you spread

my fingers? How do you build an empire?

I suppose that's that's how that came.

>> Wow. It it was it because um obviously

I'm passionate about you know cuz I do a

lot of community work, a lot of stuff

like that which is quite great. My

family's always been in that sort of

business. My mom has been a nurse

>> since before I was born.

>> My dad was in the you know sort of like

the the recruitment business as well. So

it was already there. I knew a lot of

people in that field. So it was just it

was just a you know kind of like strife

off into getting into. Yeah.

>> That that's good. So um in which so

which of your businesses do you think um

I've still not talked about the oil and

gas sector actually for the oil and gas

sector do you do that within the UK or

in

>> I do that in Zambia.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah.

>> Oh okay. That's that's amazing. So can

you actually tell me how many hours do

you sleep?

Because I can imagine different time

zones a bit like plus minus 2 hours and

some of these things and then

>> I I get that a lot like a lot of people

just say that when you get the time to

do all these things, right?

>> You're married, am I right?

>> Yeah. Yeah. So when do you get the time

to do all these things? Right. So

>> how do you do that?

>> I do. I I I travel a lot. That's that's

my downtime.

>> Okay.

>> So I take time off like as as much as I

can. So when I'm back in the country,

I'm like, "Yeah, I'm I'm working. I'm

doing stuff, right?" Um, but then I go

away literally every maybe every maybe

two months or three months, I go away.

>> Yeah. I know you got away last weekend.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I do tend to

go away, just recharge and come back and

go away and recharge and come back.

That's that's what I tend to do. But

yeah, it's it's it's not easy. It's hard

work. Um but then, you know, if if you

really want something, then you've got

to put the work in. So um now it's it's

now very very interesting to me because

how are you able to build this

businesses in different places? Yeah.

>> You know um all the countries have

different landscape, different policies,

different people. So how do you kind of

go into to this countries and

>> you build something and sustain it?

>> Yeah.

>> So it's it's all leverage.

>> Okay. So you have to leverage on a lot

of is built on trust as well and

leveraging other people relationships

and and stuff because your network is

your network right. So you have to make

sure you are moving with the right type

of people that do what you want to do.

People that

>> what kind of people do you work with?

>> People that people that want to do what

they do people that are doing things

that right I like what you're doing to

get close. Not no I'm not like people

finding or something like that but it's

just you tend to navigate towards each

other right it's just you just do that

though yeah so that's people that

motivate you good people that make you

oh okay well that's where I want to be

or they see you like that as well as

vice versa so you got to bring something

to the table they bring some to the

table as well

>> oh so you kind of more like it's a

networking thing and then every time so

I would assume you have some business

kind of WhatsApp group a lot of them

>> I actually know about one yeah so okay

so how many business WhatsApp group do

you do you actually have I I put them I

put some of them in archive

>> but yeah I don't have a few I've got one

for property to be fair mostly my what

they probably mostly like property

related like WhatsApp

>> property because I know you have one

about property and I know a couple of

people in that WhatsApp I'm hoping when

I

>> when I start buying all the properties I

can WhatsApp

but um what does it take to actually be

somebody like you. So if you if somebody

want to be like you, what what will it

take the person?

>> So you've got to want it.

>> That's the first thing, right?

>> You've got to want it. You've got to

want like um you you have your goals.

You have what you aspire to or what you

want to do. Like I knew um even like

when I left uni and when I really didn't

know what I want to do, I just knew then

that I'm going to do well. I'm going to

be all right. I just I just knew it. I

don't know what food. I didn't know what

I was going to do. I didn't even like

say I stood in property. I didn't know I

was going to get into property. I just

knew that I was going to be good. Right.

So, you just have to have it in you. You

just have to be tenacious. You have to

be consistent and you have to be ready

for it.

>> So, I I' I'd bring you back into

something. You There was something that

that just popped in my head now. You

bought your first property outrightly,

then pulled money out from that equity

kind of out

>> to actually buy the next one.

>> Then down the line you started doing

buying outrightly and refurbishing and

then sending how were you able to now

raise the capital that we were using

subsequently.

>> Is it more like let me just let me allow

you to actually just share.

>> Yeah. Know it's very simple.

>> Yeah.

>> So cuz the hardest one is the first one.

Okay.

>> The highest capital to raise is the

first one.

>> Oh, seriously?

>> Once you get past that, it becomes

easier after that, right? So, remember

the strategy that I told you that I do.

I do BR strategy, which means you buy it

at below market value or you buy a

property that you can add value to.

That's your point. I never really buy I

think maybe I've bought two or three

that it doesn't need any work doing to

it. It's just like straight and straight

and there'll be a reason why I bought

them, right? Always a reason. So I

always buy below market value where I

add value to it and the property will go

up in value. So when it goes up in value

when I refinance it I'm already making

money. So when I buy it from day one

>> I've already made money from day one

because I already bought it below market

value.

>> Yeah. All right.

>> And I add value to it. So So that way

your money just grows.

>> Just keep growing too. Hello there.

Thank you so much for your support on

this podcast. Please like, subscribe,

comment, share. Share this to inspire

somebody. And if you're interested in

sharing your story, please get across to

us just by using the contact details you

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This is diary of successful immigrants

and the aim is to continue to share

success story. It's not about the

politics. It's about the journey to

success.

I still have a lot I want to learn from

you and I want to know a bit about your

consultancy work. Do you actually like

give classes in terms of property and

all this? Can you actually um tell us do

you actually teach people um about

property? Is it something you do?

>> Um yeah, so I well no I I don't do that

as a as a job or as a as a business. No,

I don't.

>> Okay. But you mentor a couple of

friends.

>> Yeah, I do I do mentor a couple of

people. um okay uh you know people that

come to me because he has mentorship is

like both ways right yeah you just don't

go to anybody and say mentor me so it

has to be right for the person it has to

be right for me as well right so um so I

do a couple of that um and also just

give out a lot of free stuff

>> okay

>> like on my show shows um a lot of the

renovations that I do I just sometimes

just document I just post it there I

don't post all of them I post some of it

>> so you have a show

>> my show shows um like is it on YouTube

or what

>> no no like on Instagram all the time.

Okay. Oh, all right.

>> Yes. I just post a lot of stuff on

there. A lot of like you know um stuff

that people can learn from and and do it

because like I said when I started out

and I know there's so many online

there's so many people that do that post

a lot of stuff but when I started out

there weren't that many um so I just

decided I just do.

>> You're just going to give out as much as

possible. So if I want to or maybe

somebody is watching right now and then

the person just wants to be

>> the person wants to actually length off

you. Yeah.

>> Can you can you actually say because of

this podcast, you're going to kind of

mentor

>> two or three people?

Like maybe you just like the first three

people that write um I watched you from

Diary of a Podcast and sorry, Diary of

um successful immigrants.

>> I'm going to actually like

>> like mentor them.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if you're asking,

>> I I would like to because the why I

created this is for everybody to grow.

>> I'm passionate seeing people like

succeed.

>> Yeah. I mean, like I said, it has to be

right for both parties, right? But I

always I always help out. Any questions?

Any questions, just hit me up.

>> All right. So, you just add that um if

you subscribe and you comment on this

video, we're going to pick um I think

three random people. So keep you need to

comment, like, and share the video. And

we're going to pick three random people

and send them over to uh Mr. Wally of

Seed Property Limited for um I think we

would make it like just like a 3 weeks

or four weeks of online just WhatsApp,

what's it called? Um

>> yeah, we we'll have a catch up every

every week. They can ask questions. They

can ask questions. You get a one hour

session with him every week for I I

think minimum of four weeks and um that

would help you to start up. You would

also be able to learn from his pitfall.

Now going about that what pitfalls have

you learned from in kind of properties?

>> Yeah. So many actually. Um so many which

is like making sure you get your traders

right,

>> your traders, your builders, you know,

making sure the first one isn't going to

be your last one. M

>> um and uh your second or your third, you

just keep going until you find the right

type of buildings that you want.

>> Um and then also doing your numbers,

your due diligence,

>> that's really really important. All

right? So when I say due diligence, sort

of like when you're buying a house, like

say always buy from auction mostly most

of the time, right?

>> Um go view it, go see it. Just don't

rely on what you see online. uh because

and whatever you think you're going to

spend just have like an additional 10

15% to say okay because once you start

doing your renovation there's always

going to be something something

something else so just so those that not

budgeting right not having that that's

that's one of the pitfalls um and then

compliance or regulations even right

>> cuz I I mean I could go on for for hours

on that one how important it is to make

sure uh regulations like you know if you

need planning what sort of area you buy

in article 4 there's so many sort of

like regulations I need to be aware of

as well so that could be your big

pitfall so be aware of that

>> so have you had any like major and then

how did you bounce back

>> yeah so I I had um I'll tell I'll share

one story which was a property in leads

um we bought um a couple years ago now

uh this property was a two bed uh in a

nice part of less actually

>> um and then we wanted to make it bigger

had a third bedroom, but the third

bedroom will be a dumber, like a loft um

you know, extension at the top.

>> But what I didn't know was this property

was in a um reservation area.

>> Okay.

>> So, which means you just you can't just

make any changes.

>> Any change you want to make, you have to

get planning permission for it.

>> Oh,

>> okay. That's that's for number one.

>> Number two was okay, right? We bought

the property already.

>> So, then I went to, you know, I looked

at all the other houses on the street.

All of it, most of it, like 90% had

dumber. They had lot of extension. So I

was thinking if they all have it,

>> I can do it.

>> I can do it. Which is often the case

with the planners. Often the case is

once somebody has it, the president's

already there. You should be able to

leverage that.

>> Yeah.

>> So, and you remember I talk about, you

know, getting the right type of builder,

the right kind of people. The architect

that I spoke to at the time,

>> again, it wasn't from the area, it was

from far away. Okay. uh he probably

wasn't the right architect but you know

I I didn't know right it was one of

those pitfalls I went with him

>> he did all the planning he did

everything we had planning permission

three times all the client

>> wa

and the the biggest thing was the first

one the first planning right when we put

the planning through because everybody

had the the loft conversion right yeah

>> we assumed that we're going to get it

anyway

>> and then they were taking a long time to

reply

>> so we decided that okay let's just start

>> so we started the work Whoa.

>> We started to work. We build the DMA

already. We build the whole thing. We

spend a lot of money, like thousands of

money building DA. I don't know. I know.

They're not cheap.

>> Yeah.

>> I'm talking 30 40 grand.

>> Wo.

>> So, we built the DA already and then the

planning permission came back and guess

what?

>> It was rejected.

>> It was rejected.

>> Wow.

>> So, we went back free time cuz the first

one they said it was too big. We went

back with a different one. Anyway, cut

long story short, um, we had to take it

down. Seriously,

>> we had to take the Dmer down. But we

were lucky, we're fortunate enough that

um when we bought the property, it was

bought at such a good price that even

with the loss of the Dummer, um we were

still able to get a room there,

>> but just not as big on suite in there.

So the numbers still worked. We still

made money from the property. So it was

all it was almost win-win. But that was

only because we bought at a very good

price. All right. So buying at a good

price, it's actually important. Do your

due diligence.

>> Doing your due diligence is actually

very important. I want to pick up with

you on this because I've worked with a

couple of builders now and stuff. Do you

actually subscribe to this school of

thought of actually just employing

people to be full-time for you other

than just like um taking builders?

>> No. No. So cuz when you're starting out

um you know, you don't want to

overlever, right? Are you going to be

able to afford paying them? how how many

houses are you going to buy that you're

going to employ a builder full-time to

be doing that and you might not even get

a builder want to work for you full-time

because they make more money doing their

own thing working elsewhere they might

not want to do that in the first place

so I I don't know many build many

developers many investor that that would

employ a builder like permanently

full-time but what I would say though is

if you reach out to a builder and they

say oh we can start tomorrow

>> then

>> yeah run a mile

>> run a mile

>> hello there. Thank you so much for your

support on this podcast. Please like,

subscribe, comment, share. Share this to

inspire somebody. And if you're

interested in sharing your story, please

get across to us just by using the

contact details you can see on the

screen at the moment. This is diary of

successful immigrants and the aim is to

continue to share success story. It's

not about the politics. It's about the

journey to success.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Right about

>> Oh, so good builders are not

>> they're never available. They're never

available straight away. Like, you know,

they're never available straight away.

They might tell you we start next week.

Start that next might be a week after,

but that's all right because then

>> they're working. They're doing stuff,

right? Imagine they're doing your work

for you and somebody else approached

them and they go next day. So, yeah. So,

just make sure builders like whoever is

readily available is in your guy.

>> Is in your guy. Can you talk a bit about

your other business? Which uh which

other business apart from property

actually interest you?

>> Um

obviously the the oil and gas um you

know it's it's a good one. I I do have a

few business in Nigeria actually but the

business in Nigeria uh they they're

stressful man. Nigerian

especially when you're not there in

person as well more like um like retail

business.

>> So I have a logistic business and a

printing firm as well.

So which is which is quite good you know

one of them I run with my brother and

he's you know he's responsible guy so he

looks after everything

>> which is quite great um but I think the

the the healthcare business actually it

is really stressful

>> but it's almost rewarding as well

>> in a way and because I don't shout too

much about it

>> it's just kind of growing in the

background you know steadily and stuff

yeah so um now just to round of uh this

episode. I'm going to give you like five

quick fire questions.

>> Okay.

>> Just um just to kind of just wrap up

this episode

>> just to kind of

>> I don't know these questions.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. You didn't send it to me before,

>> so we just fly with it again.

>> No problem. Yeah. So, um

what were the early setbacks that tested

your resolve and how did you push

through in all your businesses?

>> Yeah. Um motivation.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> So what were the the setbacks?

>> Lack of motivation.

>> Lack of motivation.

>> Lack of motivation. Yes. Yeah. Like the

early days. Yeah.

>> Lack of motivation or um uh early

gratification when you feel like oh

you've done something all right cool

I've arrived. Yeah.

>> And then you just want to relax.

>> You just want to relax and and think

that. Yeah. So those were quite a bit of

setback and also um I don't want to say

not knowing what I wanted to do

>> like you know not being consistent, not

quite sure. Um so those were you know

cuz I feel like I could have gone you

know even further if I'd kind of know

what I wanted to do a lot sooner than

that. Um but yeah I think the lack of

motivation uh was sort of like a big

thing for me as well at the time. Um and

then one other thing was um

>> I would say is imposter syndrome as

well. So I I really do struggle with

that. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Can you can you share a bit about that?

Because a lot of successful people I I

do find that they struggle with that.

>> Yeah. Cuz you when when you're doing

stuff like looking from outside, you

think, "Oh, yeah. Oh, it's nice. This

property is doing that." Yeah. But then

you're from inside, you might often feel

like, "Well, I don't know if I'm doing

enough.

>> I don't know if I should be doing what

I'm doing. I don't know if it's real. I

don't know if I should or okay this um

networking event um you know then you

see people speaking on the panel and

you're thinking

>> half of those people on the panel don't

even

>> they've not even done achieved or what

you done and you're thinking like oh

okay you're you're in the panel and

you're thinking should I really be have

am I done enough to be yeah sort of

things

am I that good yeah why should that

person listen to me so

>> yeah why should that person listen to

I'm telling them because you know those

sort of thing like I struggle a little

bit

>> let me go The second question, what um

what strategies or habits help you stay

focused while you were building your

businesses? Do

>> you know what? Um being consistent. Um

and what I what I did was I'm not like

the most kind of educational guy ever.

Like I I went to event, but you know, I

just went cuz I everyone say you should

go to uni kind of thing, right? So I

struggled to to do stuff like that. So I

picked up reading. Um I started reading

books. I started reading about um

successful people. I started reading

about um learning new things. I started

reading about you know not even about

property. I don't really read property

books. I read books about like self like

motivation development selfdevelopment

self- discipline and stuff like that.

How to live a better life and kind of

things like that.

>> So you would have read a lot about

money, the cash quadrant. Wow.

>> Yeah. Psychology of money um stuff like

that. Um uh you know those are kind of

books that I tend to read now you know

richest man in Babylon. I add you those

sort of things that those are good books

that give you you can relate that to so

many things. So I struggled but building

consistency make sure able to do that

and put through kind of help me in other

places as well.

>> Yeah. So I know that your your uh family

background is a little different but how

do you actually manage demands from

people in terms of like help me with

this you know

>> um if you're from the side where you're

from there's a tendency of like you

getting a bit of um request for help

from different people how do you manage

some of these things such that it

doesn't actually affect your business

>> yeah so what I tend to do cuz anyone

that knows me would like say this and

partly like um I think I'm very

easygoing and I think I'm very generous

as well. I think I um you know people

even call me like oh you rather please

other people and leave yourself you know

I tend to that and not cuz I'm trying I

just do it naturally anyway. So

>> but when do you know like how to stop so

that it doesn't affect your business

growth? It's boundaries.

>> It's boundaries. Okay.

>> Yes. Yeah. I put boundaries in place.

Yeah. I always make sure I put

boundaries in place. So things that that

aren't supposed to come to me shouldn't

really come to me should go elsewhere.

So having boundaries, setting the

boundaries earlier on really does help

as well. So I I was able to set that as

early as possible.

>> As early as possible. So also I would

assume there's a boundary between your

business and your personal life.

>> Like you don't miss business with

personal life.

>> Well, that's good. What legacy are you

building for the future? What do you

want to be remembered for?

So, you know, you asked me a question

earlier um around

um you know, uh do I sell properties

flipping and and stuff and I said no, I

don't flip I don't sell properties at

all.

>> Uh because for me it's all about

generational wealth,

>> right? So, when I'm not here anymore,

>> then my kids and kids kids and kids kids

and kids,

>> they're well looked after, right? Cuz

family is important to me. Yeah. It's

really important to me. So,

>> that's that's Yeah. I just want to be

remembered for me.

>> For you.

>> Yeah. and remember that.

>> So you want to be like that the fourth

family that many years after the guy is

gone

still. Yeah, you get it. So to just be

like family of seed properties and then

just be like there was this man that

lived

>> and then he founded it and up to now

like

>> I mean you know if yeah if it goes as

far as start then it goes as far as

>> that's a good motivation actually

because if your motivation is making

>> Yeah. Mine's very longterm. It's not

very short term, but it's more long

term.

>> I'm going to add one more question. I

know it's meant to be the last question,

but what has when do you know how when

to stop?

>> I get asked that question a lot.

>> Yeah.

>> Like a lot. Like um

>> is it like your god feeling just say

like so it's more or less like if you

want to decide between some properties

and stuff or you're trying out a new

business,

>> when do you actually know? Yeah. Let's

stop. Do you know my mom used to call me

um uh jack of all trades? No, that's not

the word she used to use.

>> She used to call me something. When it

comes to my dad, I'll tell you like I

did my finger here. She's like, "No,

stay somewhere and do one thing rather

than just

>> but then that was then that was the one

before I even did any business at all."

Right. But now that I'm doing business,

I can see cuz I'm doing things. And also

you you know when you asked me about the

business that I did first and I said you

know the um the drink business the

barber shop that wasn't the first

business I did actually the one I did

was I bought um those bikes in Nigeria.

>> Okay.

>> I was here right but I bought you know

those um uh ke mic

>> tricycle. Yeah. Yeah. So I bought that

when money was still quite good. So I

bought a couple of those back home. So

they were making money. So that way

>> they would deliver to you.

>> Whenever I go to Nigeria, I don't have

to take any money with me cuz I've

already got

>> that. That was ages ago. That was even

before I knew anything.

>> Was that Were you in university then?

>> Yeah. I don't even think I was in

university then. Oh yeah, I was in

university then.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah. So this must have been like

>> I went to university in 2006. So it

would have been 2007

8

>> or something like that.

>> Yeah. So I could imagine around the time

I was in university.

>> Yeah. So that that's when that's when I

did that. So imagine like having load of

tricax although I knew guys then that

had taxis and stuff but

>> yeah but that's the first thing that I

did. Yeah. So um yeah like

>> what was your question?

>> So when do you know when to stop?

>> When to stop? Yeah. Yeah. I I don't and

and the answer that I always tell people

is like if I stop now Yeah. I haven't

done half of the things that I'm

supposed to. I would I wouldn't have

fulfilled my potential.

>> All right. And when it's time for me to

stop, I'll know exactly when it's time

for me to stop and I'll start. So,

>> no, no problem. Just the last question

and I wanted to because on this podcast,

I've gotten lot of good great answers to

this and I want you to beat it.

>> Okay?

>> I mean, I really want you to beat it.

So, if um if your life or if your story

is meant to be a headline,

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. Like a headline, what will it be?

did it my way. That sounds like a bit of

a cliche though.

>> That sounds It sounds a bit cliche, but

yeah, I would have done it like my way

like what to do.

>> Did it my way.

>> Yeah. Or succeed my way.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. So,

>> that sounds a bit

>> All right. Thank you very much uh for

coming in. But before you go, I want you

to look into the camera.

>> Yeah.

>> And just speaking to somebody out there

who is quite confused. You know, one of

the things I love is my assistant came

to pick you up and I think he stayed

with you in the car and just while you

were walking and I was just asking him

uh how fast and stuff he was like

>> he's so loaded. Yeah. I'm telling you

like just when you came he has this good

aura and stuff. I've learned a lot just

in 5 minutes from him. I was like whoa.

Yeah. And the same thing I would say the

day I actually rode with you in your car

>> by the way. Very nice car.

Yeah. So, I want you to look into the

camera and just finish up this by just

telling somebody out there that

>> somebody watching you and want to be

like you someday and just tell them

something that would stick with them

forever. Yeah. Anyway, what what I say

is yeah um you don't have to know what

you want

>> from day one

>> and you don't necessarily have to feel

like oh after certain time like okay I

don't know what I want now then I don't

want anything right. It's okay not to

know what you want

>> and when you do find what you want, you

will know that you found what you want

>> and just be ready for it.

>> And also as well um information and

people that you're surround yourself

with, those are the people that will

define you.

>> So when you know what you want, you have

to be ready to grab what it is that you

actually want at the time. So just be

ready for it and don't give up and be

consistent and stay true to yourself and

you do it.

>> Thank you very much, Mr. W of Seed

Properties.

>> Thank you for having me. Um, just to

tell you once again, uh, like this

video, share it, and also subscribe and

comment. We'll be checking all our

social media handles. And like I said,

we're going to pick three people at

random. Um, and if the likes and uh,

subscription actually goes um, a lot. We

might increase it to five. But those

people would have access I mean

exclusive 1 hour access of mentoring 1

hour free mentoring with um Wally of

Seed Properties and you would have that

for four weeks 1 hour of just asking him

question and getting direct mentoring

about property business and all that

kind of business. Yeah,

>> it's been a pleasure speaking with you

and uh one thing I hope is actually once

again I'm going to actually u what's it

called? I'm going to interview you and

the next time I want to interview you

maybe in few years what I want us to do

actually is to drive

around all your properties

>> and calculate the hours

>> that that it to take us actually to

cover all your properties. Okay. So,

we're going to kind of like set a

starting point, you get we set a

starting point like we're starting from

here and then we want to drive around

all the properties you have maybe across

um the UK and then we check the number

of hours or the number of days that it

take us to finish that and then we're

going to

>> I'll load you on to that.

>> Yeah. Thank you very much for coming

around and um thank you so much for

watching. This is Diary of Successful

Immigrants. Have a great day. God bless

you.