As CEO of IMS Property Group, you wear several hats, from being an entrepreneur, a mortgage broker and an estate agent to a property investor and insurance. Which of those identities do you lead with?
Entrepreneur, definitely. If I hadn’t started in property, I would have built something elsewhere.
When I was a teenager, we nearly lost our home, and that experience shaped how I thought about money and independence – financial security became a powerful driver for me. Working multiple jobs, I was able to buy my first home at 18, and it was during that process that I realised how unnecessarily complicated property and finance could be, and I became – and am still – hugely excited about the industry and adding value within it.
That experience became the starting point for all that followed. From the mortgage brokerage through to lettings, estate agency, insurance and my own property portfolio, each venture came from spotting opportunities within the property world at the right time, and building around them.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Give to Gain’. What does that mean to you?
For me, it’s about sharing knowledge, supporting others and recognising that success – particularly for women building careers in traditionally male-dominated sectors – is rarely built alone.
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In property and finance, expertise is often kept quite close. I’ve always taken the opposite approach by focusing on transparency, sharing and teamwork. Our team is female and we invest in continuous learning and support each other’s growth. That openness within the business helps build a strong, resilient team with trusted, long-term client relationships.
Beyond the business, sharing knowledge with others, such as mentoring, is hugely satisfying. Through my work supporting Homeless Oxfordshire, I’ve met incredible people, built lasting friendships and gained a deeper understanding of the challenges many people face around housing security.
You’ve launched the Childcare Counts campaign, calling for childcare to be tax-deductible for the self-employed. Why is this an issue you care about?
I know first-hand how hard it is to juggle childcare and work, and for many women, paid work competes with unpaid responsibilities such as childcare at home. Women are most negatively impacted when they start a family.
Childcare Counts is something I’m championing alongside a group of brilliant women, all raising their voices on this issue. Recognising childcare as a legitimate, tax-deductible cost for the self-employed, would be a practical step towards supporting parents to thrive, rather than struggle, and be of huge benefit to the economy.
What do you think people often misunderstand about buying property today?
One of the biggest misconceptions I am seeing today is that homeownership is simply out of reach.
It’s definitely harder than it was – I won’t pretend otherwise – but what I see most often isn’t a market that’s closed, it’s a door that needs opening.
The foundations matter enormously: understanding your credit profile and affordability, saving consistently and getting proper advice before you even begin viewing properties. Those early steps change what’s available to you. People often come to me after months of searching, and the first conversation isn’t about properties at all – it’s about getting them into the strongest position to move when the right one appears.
You were fired from The Apprentice in the first episode. What did that experience teach you?
It was one of those moments that made me even more determined, and I used the setback as fuel.
I was already running my business when I filmed the show, and I went straight back to work the day after filming ended. There was no pause button – I had clients, staff and decisions waiting for me.
The Apprentice was one chapter in a much longer journey. What it did reinforce is that other people’s judgement of your potential doesn’t define what you do next – and this is often what I talk about when I share my journey on resilience.
What’s the one thing you’d tell someone starting out in the property industry today?
Clients trust people who understand the realities of life – building a business, raising a family and managing the same financial decisions they face themselves.
Be generous with knowledge, ask for opportunities and make yourself visible. Surround yourself with people who will say your name in a room when you’re not there – and do the same for others. That kind of support doesn’t go unnoticed and can make a huge difference in any career.
