30/07/2026
What a session last night! π
We had Jack Gaddes on the call and I'm so happy with everything he shared. Here are the main points:
π‘ Raising finance is not asking for a favour. It's offering an opportunity. Such a simple mindset shift but it changes everything about how you approach investors.
π‘ Start with people close to you. Friends and family get written off too fast, but Β£5k to Β£10k from people who already trust you can fund a deposit or a refurb.
π‘ Forget the generic pitch. Understand what the investor actually wants first (Jack talked us through the six human needs: certainty, uncertainty, significance, connection, growth, contribution) and match the opportunity to that.
π‘ JVs vs fixed term loans. Profit split JVs mean uncapped upside but more complexity (SPVs, shared control). Fixed term is simpler and more predictable, but you carry all the risk if the deal underperforms.
π‘ Contracts matter, not just for security but for exit clauses, delay clauses, cost overrun clauses. Jack structures his contracts to protect the investor first, and that's exactly why people trust him with their money.
One thing that really stuck with me: Jack's first inbound investor enquiry came 4 months ago, after 2.5 years of showing up consistently. That's the real story behind every "overnight success."
I also just want to say how grateful I am for this whole series of calls. We've had around 30 people join every single time, consistently. That tells me there is real demand for this kind of straight talking, genuinely useful property education.
So thank you Jack for your time and for being so open about the numbers, the mistakes and the wins. And thank you to everyone who keeps showing up and asking great questions. You're the reason we keep doing this.
More to come! π