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Creating Community and Cashflow: The Story Behind Girls in Property with Athena Dobson
Episode Summary
In this episode of WealthTalk, Christian Rodwell and Kevin Whelan speak with property investor and Girls in Property founder, Athena Dobson. Athena shares how being furloughed during COVID pushed her to leave a successful travel career and build a life centred on property, recurring income and freedom. She explains her journey from a tough first deal and rent‑to‑rent HMOs/SA, through burnout and a major pivot, to a simpler buy‑to‑let strategy and a thriving female‑focused community and podcast. Athena also unpacks key lessons on when to invest in education, how to choose the right strategy for your resources and personality, and why health and defining your own version of success sit at the heart of true wealth.
Episode Notes
Key Topics Covered:
1. From Furlough to Property Freedom
- How COVID and furlough ended Athena’s high‑performing travel career overnight.
- Using that pause to ask, “Is this the life I want for the next 5–10 years?”
- Buying her first flat in Bournemouth, getting the numbers wrong, and why she still calls it her “baby” and best teacher.
2. Rent‑to‑Rent, Burnout and Pivoting Strategy
- Moving into rent‑to‑rent HMOs and serviced accommodation to generate cashflow.
- The reality of late‑night calls, guest issues and stress – including the Sunday night window incident.
- Handing back all rent‑to‑rent properties and feeling as free returning the keys as when she first got them.
- Pivoting to simpler, long‑term strategies: buy‑to‑lets and buy–refurbish–refinance, with flips and land development as future options.
3. Building Girls in Property: Community, Recurring Income and Support
- Walking into a networking room of 45 people with only three women and thinking, “That’s a shame.”
- Finding no UK‑based female property networks or podcasts, then launching Girls in Property in 2023.
- Growing from a passion project that made no money for over a year into:
- A sponsored weekly podcast.
- A £30/month online membership (two live calls a month: “prosperity” and property strategy).
- A national community hosted on Circle, plus summer/winter parties and an annual training event.
- How Girls in Property now replaces and exceeds her old salary as a recurring revenue stream.
4. Education, Strategy Choice and Market Opportunities
- “Don’t rush to buy a course”: only invest if you can implement from day one.
- Use free education first (podcasts, YouTube, books) and do due diligence on paid training.
- Choosing strategy based on four resources: knowledge, money, time, energy – plus personality and end goal.
- Example of a mentee who came for rent‑to‑rent but was better suited to partnering with an investor on flips.
- Why today’s market, with older landlords exiting, offers opportunities if you talk to people and build relationships with agents.
5. Health, Wealth and Your Own Version of Success
- Athena’s view of financial freedom as choice – the ability to respond to life, travel and allocate time where it matters.
- Burning out twice and realising “health is wealth” – long‑term wealth is pointless if you destroy yourself getting there.
- Her guiding question: “What does your version of success look like – and who’s standing next to you on that hill?”
- Current focus: simplifying businesses, building cashflow and wealth, and aiming to be retired by 50 with businesses that don’t rely on her daily presence.
Actionable Takeaways:
- Assess your knowledge, money, time and energy before choosing a strategy.
- Use free education first; only buy courses you’re ready to implement immediately.
- Document your journey from day one to build trust with future investors and partners.
- Avoid shiny penny syndrome – simplify down to strategies that fit you and your goals.
- Protect your health and pace yourself; wealth building is a long‑term game.
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