In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Adam Boyd — entrepreneur, Amazon FBA operator, and property investor. Adam shares his journey from experimenting with multiple failed business ideas to building and selling an Amazon business for a life-changing sum, before scaling into a portfolio of e-commerce brands and property investments.

From selling hand sanitiser during lockdown to spotting an opportunity in simple spray bottles, Adam’s story highlights the power of taking action, learning through failure, and recognising opportunities at the right time. He also opens up about transitioning into property, completing multiple flips, and acquiring a 13-property portfolio with minimal money left in the deal.

🎙️ Episode Highlights

🌟 Early Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Started young, constantly testing business ideas from his bedroom
• Tried multiple ventures including eBay selling and early Amazon attempts
• Learned through failure rather than formal education
• Strong drive to avoid a “normal” career and pursue business full-time

📦 Amazon Journey & First Breakthrough
• Initially failed with several Amazon product launches
• Took advantage of lockdown demand by selling hand sanitiser
• Pivoted quickly when restrictions hit and moved into cleaning products
• Identified a key opportunity in high-demand spray bottles during COVID

🚀 Scaling a Simple Product into a Real Business
• Invested £20k (bounce back loan) into bulk spray bottle stock
• Solved supply issues by going direct to the manufacturer
• Shifted to Amazon FBA to automate fulfilment and scale
• Grew sales rapidly, reaching consistent monthly revenue

💰 Selling the Business & Building Wealth
• Built the business in under a year before listing it for sale
• Sold for approximately £250,000 — a life-changing moment
• Retained equity and continued running the business post-sale
• Became part of a larger group acquiring multiple Amazon businesses

🌍 Scaling Through Acquisitions
• Transitioned from seller to buyer of online businesses
• Helped acquire and operate multiple e-commerce brands globally
• Portfolio now generating millions in annual revenue
• Focus shifted to systems, scalability, and long-term growth

🏡 Entering Property & First Flip
• Used business profits to enter property investing
• Completed first flip in East Kilbride with ~£30k profit
• Learned key lessons around costs, margins, and project timelines
• Built confidence to scale further in property

📈 Scaling Property & Portfolio Deal
• Completed multiple flips generating consistent profits
• Took on a 13-property portfolio worth £1.3M
• Negotiated purchase at £862k — significant discount
• Used bridging finance and refinancing strategy
• Left only ~£1,000 in the deal after refinancing

⚠️ Lessons, Mistakes & Realities
• Made early mistakes (no insurance, unnecessary certificates, compliance gaps)
• Learned importance of systems, due diligence, and planning
• Highlighted true costs of portfolio deals (fees, finance, legal)
• Emphasised that failures and mistakes are part of growth

✅ Key Takeaways
✔️ Taking action and learning through failure is key to success
✔️ Simple products can become highly profitable with the right timing
✔️ Amazon FBA allows scalability through automation and systems
✔️ Selling a business doesn’t always mean exiting — equity can multiply returns
✔️ Property flips require significant margins to be worthwhile
✔️ Portfolio deals can be powerful but come with high upfront costs
✔️ Bridging finance can unlock bigger opportunities when used correctly
✔️ Systems and outsourcing are essential for scaling both business and property
✔️ Long-term wealth comes from leveraging opportunities, not just saving money

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven sit down with Emily Henaghen — estate agent, entrepreneur and social media personality — to unpack her journey from university and early property exposure, to building a personal brand, launching her own estate agency career, and taking a bold leap to Dubai. Emily shares the realities behind social media success, the challenges of working in Dubai’s high-pressure property market, and the lessons she’s learned about resilience, confidence, and carving your own path in business.

This episode offers a raw and honest look at what it really takes to succeed as a young agent — from overcoming imposter syndrome to building a brand that attracts clients before you even walk through the door.

🎙️ Episode Highlights

🏡 Getting Started in Property
• Grew up around property through family investment projects
• Started as a viewing agent while studying at university
• Left university early during COVID to pursue business opportunities
• Built early experience through lettings, admin and exposure to deals

📱 Building a Personal Brand & Winning Business
• Leveraged social media to stand out as a young agent
• Clients often came pre-sold after following her online
• Focus on authenticity and connection rather than hard selling
• Personal brand helped generate leads and long-term referrals

💬 Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Dealing with Clients
• Faced imposter syndrome at just 20–21 years old in valuations
• Built trust by being honest, transparent and relatable
• Focused on conversations and relationships over “selling”
• Learned that people buy into the person, not just the service

🌍 Moving to Dubai — Opportunity vs Reality
• Moved to Dubai for experience, not just money
• Faced intense pressure in a commission-only environment
• Long hours, high competition and constant performance expectations
• Reality far tougher than what’s shown on social media

⚠️ Challenges, Setbacks & Personal Safety
• Experienced a serious stalking incident that impacted confidence
• Highlighted risks of personal branding and online visibility
• Took a step back from real estate temporarily after the incident
• Reinforced importance of awareness and boundaries online

🔄 Career Pivot, Growth & Returning Home
• Transitioned into recruitment within the Dubai property space
• Helped others relocate and set expectations realistically
• Eventually chose to return to Scotland after two years
• Decision driven by lifestyle, family and long-term fulfillment

✅ Key Takeaways
• Personal brand can generate opportunities before you even pitch
• Confidence comes from experience — not age
• Saying yes to opportunities creates long-term growth
• Dubai offers opportunity but demands relentless work ethic
• Social media success comes with both upside and risk
• Setbacks can lead to new directions and better clarity
• Relationships and authenticity remain the biggest advantages in business
• It’s okay to pivot — success doesn’t follow one straight path

In this episode of the Scottish Property Podcast, Nick and Steven return for a market update, diving into one of the most uncertain global backdrops in recent years. From rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East to mortgage rate volatility, inflation risks, and shifting investor sentiment, this episode breaks down what’s actually happening — and what it could mean for the UK and Scottish property market.

Alongside global events, the discussion also covers rental trends 📊, property price resilience 🏡, EPC regulation changes ⚠️, and the growing impact of AI on jobs and the wider economy. As always, the focus is on cutting through headlines and understanding what investors should actually pay attention to.

🎙️ Episode Highlights

🌍 Global Conflict & Its Impact on Property
• Rising tensions involving Iran, the US and global oil supply chains
• Potential disruption to 20% of global oil and gas supply via the Strait of Hormuz
• Oil prices rising sharply, increasing inflationary pressure
• Market uncertainty leading to hesitation from buyers and investors

📉 Mortgage Rates, Inflation & Market Sentiment
• Swap rates jumped from ~3.4% to 4.1% within weeks
• Over 600 mortgage products were pulled from the market
• Average mortgage rates now around 5.5%, a 19-month high
• Higher energy costs likely to push inflation back up
• Potential pause or reversal of interest rate cuts

🏡 Property Market Resilience vs Risk
• Scottish market remains strong with ongoing demand
• Average time to secure a buyer around 39 days
• Limited housing supply continues to support prices
• Main risk remains reduced lending and affordability
• Market may slow or stagnate rather than crash

📊 Rental Market Trends
• Rent growth slowing to ~1.8%–1.9% annually
• Average rent in Scotland around £878 per month
• Glasgow seeing stronger growth compared to other cities
• Affordability ceilings starting to limit further increases
• Strong demand remains due to housing shortage

🤖 AI, Economy & Future Risks
• AI rapidly replacing roles across multiple industries
• Businesses cutting costs by reducing staff through automation
• Rising unemployment seen as a bigger long-term risk than war
• Potential for stock market correction due to overvalued AI companies
• Economic shifts could impact property longer term

⚠️ EPC Changes & Government Policy Uncertainty
• EPC reform plans pushed back to at least 2027
• Proposed requirement for EPC band C still targeted for 2028
• Concerns over feasibility for older properties (tenements, sandstone buildings)
• Ongoing uncertainty makes it difficult for landlords to plan
• Investors advised not to make knee-jerk decisions

✅ Key Takeaways

• Global events can impact property indirectly through inflation and lending

• Mortgage rates can shift quickly based on market sentiment

• Scottish property market remains resilient due to lack of supply

• Rental growth is slowing but demand remains strong

• AI and unemployment may pose bigger long-term risks than geopolitics

• Interest rates are the key driver to watch for market movement

• EPC regulations remain uncertain — avoid reacting too early

• Opportunities can arise during short-term market slowdowns

• Strong fundamentals still support long-term property investing