Airbnb Blueprint

How To Avoid Doom Scrolling Social Media and 10x Your Productivity!

In this episode, Alex talks about the brain drain caused by social media and the negative impact getting sucked into social media has on productivity, a problem that Alex understands well. Despite being aware of social media addiction, occasionally, Alex still finds himself zoning out and scrolling for far longer than he intended. Fortunately, the 10 strategies he shares in this episode are helping him to greatly reduce how often that happens. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT US https://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/  KEY TAKEAWAYS Social media addiction is very real and a problem for most people. Even when people know they can easily get sucked into spending too much time onsocial media, most of them still find themselves doing exactly that, at times. If you don’t create some sort of structure for yourself, the alluring freedom of working for yourself and choosing your own timetable becomes a trap.Use time blocking, to stay organised and improve your time management.Prioritise your tasks the night before. Don´t be afraid of turning off your notifications for a couple of hours. Once you have done it a few times you will realise that you don´t miss anything important by doing this. Focus entirely on each task and avoid switching between apps or platforms.Yoga, deep breathing exercises and meditation all train your brain to stay calm and focused. If you are bored, do some yoga stretches instead of scrolling on social media. Balance is essential. Set boundaries between your work and personal life. If you only work, you will burn out.
BEST MOMENTS “This is a problem that I really, really struggle with.”“You tell yourself I'll get stuck in after just one more post and you end up wasting a whole day like this.”“It´s really planned and regimented time blocking that makes successful people asproductive as they are.”“When it comes to staying productive, accountability is also one of the most powerfulmotivators.”“When you’re clear on your objectives, you can really structure your day around the tasks that will help you achieve them.” EPISODE RESOURCESThe Pomodoro® Technique - https://www.pomodorotechnique.comHow to block social media - https://www.techlockdown.com/guides/block-social-media LINKSFREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community -https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOSAlex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

Back To Basics 101, How To Make Money In Airbnb The Right Way!

In this episode, Alex explains how to create a really effective Airbnb listing. A task which starts with investing money in refurbishing your property to a high standard. If you do not do that, it is impossible to create a listing that tempts guests to book with you. He explains what you should be spending money on and what you shouldn´t and how to make sure you get the refurb done fast so you are not left paying rent for a property that is standing empty. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT US https://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/  KEY TAKEAWAYS Everyone has to start spending before they start earning. Spend your refurb budget on the right things, Alex explains exactly what they are. Understand your avatar when deciding how to enhance your property. Focus on what they like and need. Get the refurb done quickly. You can´t have the property empty while you are paying rent to your landlord. Invest in good photos. Hire a professional who is used to photographing SA properties. You need at least 20. 50 is much better. Start with Airbnb, you get paid faster than with Booking.com and the listing process is far easier. Most people create appalling listings, so if you do yours to a high standard, it will stand out. Use ChatGPT to create titles that really pop. Focus on the first few words, those are the ones that catch people´s eye. The first 5 pictures on your listing are the most important. Use them to highlight the features that your guests want most. BEST MOMENTS“If you do this stuff, guys, you will be booked, and you will be in the 1% of listings on Airbnb. It's not that difficult.”“We'll get you to your goals in a 10th of the time with almost zero risk.”“Think, how can I make this place suitable for my target client avatar.”“The title is key. The next most important thing, or just as important, is the pictures.”“It's not just the quality of the pictures, it's what pictures you should be taking, the flow of the pictures and the staging of the pictures.”“Your photographer needs to be Airbnb, SA specific.” LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

How to Set Boundaries in Your Life As An Entrepreneur

In this episode, Alex & Pooh sit down to discuss work life balance, something that they both have to work hard at to achieve and maintain. For example, Pooh, who has two young kids, is really struggling right now with getting the balance right. He explains why that is and the steps he is taking to solve this problem. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT US https://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/  KEY TAKEAWAYS Most entrepreneurs find it hard to switch off. Particularly in the early days when they are still establishing their business. You have to make time for yourself. If you don´t you will burn out, then your family,personal life and business will suffer. Personal freedom is one of the main reasons people build a business, don´t losesight of that vision and let your business shackle you. No matter how organised you are, unexpected things crop up that you cannot ignore or wait until later to address, particularly when you have children. Set aside blocks of time to focus and be highly productive e.g. Pooh does thisbetween 10am and 14.00 while his kids are at school. Try getting up early to work instead of working late. Most people find this approach more energising. Invest in yourself by outsourcing as much as you can, including in your personal life e.g. Hire a gardener. But make sure you use the time you save productively.Share tasks with your partner. Throughout the day ask yourself - is what I am doing now (or planning to do) helping me to achieve one of my goals? Set boundaries and learn to say no more often. Be disciplined. Set personal boundaries, e.g. limiting screen time.Hobbies are great, but make sure they do not swallow up too much time.Plan your day the night before. Don´t avoid the hard things. Tackle them first, especially the vital tasks. Not doingyour accounts can lead to cashflow issues. BEST MOMENTS “Is it all just work, grind and hustle without really knowing their final destination or having a clear vision in mind?”“Here's the truth. So, for me, I think work life balance doesn´t exist at this point in time.”“If its your business, you will always think about it, no matter what .”“But outside of everything ... theres also gotta be that time that you find for yourself.”“We need to be able to set boundaries, even with ourselves,” LINKSFREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community -https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOSAlex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To- Lets collectively over the last 5 years.This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

Business Crossover - Money Talks with Jo & Vicky

For this episode, Alex and Pooh are joined by Jo and Vicky, the founders of The Canine Business Academy, two incredibly inspirational ladies doing great things. They get into detail around money, how to talk about it, break it down and be comfortable with it, and most importantly, around imposter syndrome and getting confident with yourself and allowing yourself to believe that you deserve to be successful.    THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/    KEY TAKEAWAYS When you share the fact that you are a business owner, you start to believe and act more like one. Take the right action and say goodbye to imposter syndrome. A lot of dog business owners started out offering services as a hobby because they like dogs. Many are stuck in that hobbyist mindset, and don´t charge enough. Understanding the market you are trying to serve is critical in all industries. The type of customer you want to attract dictates how you shape the services you offer. Keep persevering. It takes time to change your mindset and transform your business. Taking action is the thing that moves you forward fastest. Just taking courses and doing nothing leaves you going nowhere. Stop comparing yourself to others, especially on social media. Every business needs a purpose. Focusing in on a group of people whose problem you are there to solve helps you to identify the purpose of your business. BEST MOMENTS “You can change whatever you want to change in your business.”“The two things that people always throw money at are their kids and their pets.”“They're still running their business like a hobby, running themselves ragged and working so many hours for nothing.”“It all comes back down to that societal pressure of, oh, you can't possibly do anything different.”“There is an abundance of information out there to the point where it's paralyzing.”   EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://.caninebusinessacademy.comhttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lets-talk-dog-business/id1727170978 https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity/ Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Talk-Dog-Business-Strategy/dp/1068791705 7:11:4 hack - https://galaxy.ai/youtube-summarizer/unlocking-success-daniel-priestleys-7114-hack-for-entrepreneurs-sFkR34AMPw8 LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.          

Selling to Agents Your Perfect Script

This Airbnb Blueprint episode is a 30-minute “selling to agents masterclass”. It is ideal for anyone who is playing with the idea of getting involved in building an Airbnb business or someone who already has a couple of rent-to-rent deals and wants to take on one more. Alex and Pooh explain how they find and create killer rent-to-rent deals through agents. Learn how to network and seal your first deal, pass the checks agents carry out, identify the right properties for your business and much, much more. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/ KEY TAKEAWAYS You have to find a way to make the deal work for everyone involved. If you don´t, nobody is going to sign on the dotted line. Start by targeting people who already know you. This approach overcomes the trust barrier. Once you have one rent-to-rent property running it becomes easier for agents to see that you know what you are doing.  You will be vetted by agents. They will charge hundreds to put you through their referencing process. Alex and Pooh explain what you will need to pass the vetting process. Before approaching agents, identify the market you want to serve and the type of property you need for that. Network to connect with agents. Which events to target is shared in the episode – it is not what you think. Forget cold calling the big agents. Two innovative ways to find smaller agents that will actually rent to you are shared during the episode. Write yourself a script, polish it and practice it. But be ready to answer questions at the end. You need more than just the script. Some agents will automatically think you are going to sublet the property. Be clear in your mind why what you are proposing is not subletting, so you can overcome that objection. BEST MOMENTS “When you're going cold through agents, especially when you're first starting out in this business, there's zero trust.”“Think like an agent… understand their pain points.”“Speak to whoever is in charge, if you can.”“Make sure you know what you're looking for first.”“Spend time nurturing relationships with agents.” EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://www.yell.comHow to find small agents on Right Move - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/estate-agents.html LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.  

Breaking Down TOMS with VATNAV, Are Short -Term Lets Dead Or Alive?

In this episode, Alex and Pooh are joined by Paul and Laura of VATNAV, a VAT consultancy service that has additional expertise in the Tour Operators Margin Scheme (TOMS VAT). They cover the dangers of SA owners not dealing with VAT properly and how to get it right.We confirm on 14 February’25 that Sonder have sought permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal. Assuming permission is granted, this means that the decision will not stop with the UTT loss but we have continued uncertainty until the CoA hearing and result. Businesses using TOMS or wanting to use TOMS in the intervening period should consider the options and risks carefully” THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/   KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a lot of misinformation out there about TOMS VAT. There are VAT schemes that can benefit SA businesses. They are discussed during the episode. VAT is a tax on each transaction.  Determine when you need to register your business for VAT. BEST MOMENTS“On Facebook groups, everybody presumes that everyone is running their business the same way.”“VAT is a tax on each transaction … it is literally unique to each individual transaction.”“Each sale and purchase you make has its own VAT treatment.”“For a lot of businesses … it kind of wipes out their margin.”“This lack of clarity is the thing that's concerned me the most.”“If there's going to be a VAT clawback, it could just kind of wipe everybody out.”   EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://www.vatnav.comOver 16 years of experience VATNAV provides VAT consultancy services, and has additional expertise in the Tour Operators Margin Scheme (TOMS) rules, and other VAT issues affecting the travel industry. VAT is important to get right for any business as it can often make a huge difference to profitability, cash flow and market value. To us, "optimising VAT" means firstly ensuring your VAT risks are minimised (i.e. that your VAT treatment and accounting is clear, accurate, and consistent). Secondly, ensuring that you are never paying any more VAT than necessary. VAT is rarely "black and white", the law is ever-changing and there are often multiple VAT options available - let us help you ensure yours is the most efficient for your business. Contact Us at:phone: 07971 642789email: info@vatnav.comhttps://www.vatnav.com  LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.  

Rent-2-Rent SA, What’s All The Fuss About?

In this episode, Alex talks about rent-to-rent a strategy that you can use to get into the Airbnb business even if you don´t have the money to buy a property. With this approach you don´t need a large deposit, a mortgage and having poor credit is not an issue. It´s an easy way to get started so there are a lot of people doing this, which makes finding rent-2-rent properties harder. Alex shares several ways to find deals even in such a crowded market. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/ KEY TAKEAWAYS If you don´t have sufficient funds to buy a property, consider using the rent-to-rent strategy. In the UK, agents still control 90% of the available rental properties.  To rent from agencies you need to get through their vetting process. Often, they will not allow rent-to-rent. Going direct to landlords solves these issues.Offer the landlord a long contract. They like set and forget deals.Start by approaching landlords who already know you e.g. a family member. Anticipate the concerns landlords have about letting their property be used for Airbnb. Overcome those potential objections during your pitch. Demonstrate to the landlord that renting to you is less risky, will make them more money and improve their property. Alex explains how.   BEST MOMENTS “You need significantly less startup capital than if you were going to buy a property.”“Let everybody know that you are now a professional property investor who's educated, knowledgeable with training, and looking to get your first deal.”“Do long term contracts of three years, plus guarantee their rent.”“When a family moves into your property and signs that contract …. that essentially becomes their property. They have to do a lot of bad stuff for you to be able to get them out.”“Once you've got that first property off the ground, it's going to get easier. The snowball is going to start to build.” LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

Imposter Syndrome Is Normal – Here´s How You Conquer It

In this episode, Alex and Pooh talk about imposter syndrome, something that holds a lot of would-be property entrepreneurs back. Using their own experiences and those of their mentees, they explain why so many of us struggle with imposter syndrome.Alex and Pooh share simple yet effective strategies anyone can use to overcome limiting beliefs, a lack of confidence and the fear of putting yourself out there and letting people know what you do.  THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/ KEY TAKEAWAYS Thinking you are not smart enough, good enough or rich enough to be involved in property is a very common form of imposter syndrome. Property is not a big boy’s game. Anyone can learn to do it and use low capital techniques to get started. Helping people with money find the deals they don’t have time to search for is a quick way to build a cash fund and make connections. Don´t fake it until you make it. Be honest about what you do, but always include the fact that you are a property investor in your identity, even if you are just getting started. How you see yourself massively impacts what you achieve.  Getting a mentor enables you to get out of your comfort zone and quickly make progress. Delete and block the haters on social media. Be yourself. Having a lack of confidence and being afraid of putting yourself out there is normal and can be overcome. BEST MOMENTS “You've just got to say they can do it. We can do it.”“Be genuine, be honest, be you.”“You've got to find a way to let go of imposter syndrome.”“If you can find the deal, you can absolutely find the money.”“For social media videos, it's just a matter of doing it. There are no magic answers.”“One of the first big steps. It's self-acceptance of, okay, the way I'm feeling is normal. “ LINKS FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://www.toastmasters.org HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

What to Do When “Guests” Refuse to Leave

In this episode, Alex and Pooh discuss what to do when guests refuse to leave, a situation they have faced and resolved. They discuss why calling the Police is rarely an option, and why often it is not a simple case of physically kicking them out and changing the locks. Alex and Pooh also explain why taking them to court is rarely the right first step.  How to minimize the risk of this happening to you and where to get help with overstayers is also covered in great detail.   FREE Airbnb Blueprint Coaching Community -  https://airbnbblueprint.co.uk/join/ KEY TAKEAWAYS Guests have no legal right to overstay in serviced accommodation or a hotel room.  This is a civil matter, so the police will rarely intervene.Properly vetting your guests greatly reduces the chances of guests refusing to leave. Do not rely on the OTAs of platforms like Booking.com.Always verify the ID of all guests.  Make sure guests actually sign the terms and conditions and contract.  If a company makes the booking e.g. For employees, who signs the contract and terms and conditions are a bit different. Alex and Pooh explain why and what to do. If a 3rd party booked your property for the guests they will not help you remove them if they refuse to leave. The problem is still yours. Using a solicitor and taking overstayers to court works but it is expensive and takes a long time.  If you say the wrong thing you can inadvertently open the door to overstayers being able to use squatters’ rights against you.
BEST MOMENTS “With all education, it's about the good, the bad and the ugly, and in this episode, it’s going to get ugly.”“There are certain procedures that you have to comply with. There are certain things that you can't even say.”“I called the police, and they said, why don't you call citizen advice for guidance.”“You have to fight your corner to the end to get the insurance back.”“Due diligence can massively help to minimize this risk.” HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.

Mindset - Do You Really Want to Play This Airbnb Game?

In this episode, Alex and Pooh talk about mindset. Running an Airbnb business is not always easy, especially at the start. There are downsides as well as upsides and you need to become resilient enough to deal with those issues, which means developing the right mindset. Alex and Pooh explain how to do this. Including how to develop the right mindset and understand your motivation so you can tap into that to keep yourself going when things get tough. They share the strategies they use to deal with feelings of overwhelm and crises of confidence, which all entrepreneurs encounter. THE AIRBNB BLUEPRINT CONSULTANT - CONTACT UShttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2342454789487705 KEY TAKEAWAYS Educating yourself properly about the Airbnb business model is invaluable. You greatly reduce stress and save time and money.You have to be realistic. At some point you will doubt yourself. If you don´t have the right mindset you will give up. All entrepreneurs experience massive highs and deep lows (valleys of despair). Prepare yourself to ride those waves. You need a strong why. A reason to put in twice the work for half the money for 6 months, a year, maybe more.Surround yourself with people who are on the same journey and at a similar stage as you. You need people who are going to listen, be sympathetic, and help you to turn your thought processes around. You need to take your partner with you. They need to be prepared for the short-term sacrifices that will need to be made. Don´t get too ahead of yourself. You need to achieve short term goals to reach your ultimate goal. BEST MOMENTS“Before people come to any kind of business, they need a reason that's bigger than themselves.”“There´s going to be a period of time where you have to put in the hard yards. Just accept that.”You´ve taken that money and switched it into freedom.”“Unless you are Elon Musk, which most of us aren´t, then it´s back to earth with a bump.”“If you are with someone who is really negative, who is holding you back, that can be really toxic to allowing you to be successful.” HOST BIOS Alex & Pooh have built a portfolio of over 16 Serviced Accommodation Units and 10 Buy-To-Lets collectively over the last 5 years. -  This AirBnB Business has allowed each of them to create their own tailor-made ‘lifestyle by design.’ Pooh chose to escape the corporate life as an electrical engineer instead to spend his time at home with his young and growing family, and Alex likes to spend most of his time in sunny Spain enjoying his love for road cycling or even hiking in the Tramuntana mountain ranges.