What our career pivot taught us about building trust, finding support, and creating momentum with the right crew.
There’s a strange myth that runs through many published business success stories… the notion of the lone trailblazer. That person who spotted an opportunity, took a risk, and succeeded against all the odds through sheer willpower and grit. But look more closely, and you’ll usually find others were quietly playing vital roles in the background.
Flip the coin, and if you’ve ever actually tried to row a boat with someone else, you’ll know how hard it is. You need rhythm, coordination, and a shared sense of direction. Otherwise, you spin in circles or exhaust yourselves getting nowhere fast.
For us, new to the UK and stepping into a brand-new industry, complete with its own language, risks and unwritten rules, the enormity of the challenge was real. What made it feel possible, and what has made it work, is partnership. Not just between Danny and me, but our broad crew of mentors, professionals, and thinking partners who have rowed with us in different ways.
This article is not a hero story about getting it all right. It’s a reflection on what we’ve learned, and continue to learn, about the power of a great crew when you’re navigating unfamiliar waters. With the right partners in your boat, collectively focused on the same spot on your horizon, you can go further, much faster, than you ever could alone.
The rhythm of two oars
Danny and I have worked together for over 20 years, so we brought a well-established partnership into our new venture. But that didn’t mean we had everything figured out. The early days of Bardan were filled with toe-stepping and duplicated effort, as we both tried to get our heads around all the new things we were learning.
As we got busier, we knew we had to divide and conquer our own roles. Danny now leads on finance, legal, and technology…all the systems and detail that he enjoys. I focus on strategic vision, investor relationships, and communication. And we meet in the middle for brainstorming and problem-solving. We don’t need to look over each other’s shoulders any more. We’re rowing in the same direction, even if our strokes are different. We understand each other’s areas well enough to offer input if needed – and to keep the business running if life throws a curveball.
But, this is still not sufficient for us to achieve our BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals)!
You don’t need to go it alone (and probably shouldn’t)
Starting something new brings a natural urge to prove yourself. You want to feel capable, resourceful, and independent. If it’s a field you know well, perhaps you’re finally getting to do things your way.
Maybe you don’t want a business partner either. That’s okay. Maybe you’re trying to keep costs low. Maybe it just feels safer that way.
And if it’s something entirely new, maybe you feel ready enough after a course or two and a few YouTube videos.
But starting a business, in any industry, is never as simple as it looks. The slick marketing videos of ‘real-life success stories’ don’t show that part. They don’t mention the all-too-common fear that creeps in, the inertia, or how quickly you can slip into comfort-zone non-productivity.
We have never subscribed to the stereotypical solo (or duo, in our case) hero model. And we have always taken our development seriously. In this pivot, we leaned into that more than ever, because we knew there was a huge amount we didn’t know, and how expensive it could be if we didn’t get it right.
So we surrounded ourselves with experts, seeking out the best trainers, mentors, and professional partners we could find. We have paid well for their time, stayed curious, taken action, and kept learning. It’s been worth every penny, over and over again.
If you’re considering a pivot, start with the strengths you bring, but don’t stop there. The fact is, people rarely regret asking for help. But they often regret waiting too long to ask! Figuring it out as you go can be slow, lonely, and painful. Sometimes, it can put your whole business at risk.
Having support on tap is not a weakness, and it doesn’t slow you down. Quite the opposite. It gets you much further, so much faster, and makes all the difference.
Thinking partnerships that stretch you
Some of the most valuable support we’ve had has come from what we call “thinking partnerships.” Sometimes that’s a mentor. Sometimes it’s someone in our network who asks a sharp, unexpected question.
A simple “Have you considered the tax implications of that investor structure?” from a business peer sent us straight back to our accountant for a quick lesson on capital gains considerations. It led to an improved outcome and a better understanding. That’s the magic of thinking partnerships, they course-correct you without needing to take up an oar.
We’ve built a network of sharp minds:
- Mentors from propertyCEO and TitleSplit.com who review every deal
- Martin Rapley, our Non-Executive Advisor with decades of construction experience under his belt
- A top-tier professional team of specialist industry consultants
- Two active business networks with members from a wide range of backgrounds, who are only too eager to offer valuable insights
These are people who want us to succeed. They challenge assumptions, offer perspective, and help us think better.
You don’t have to act on every bit of advice. But having it available and being open to hearing it is what keeps you growing.
Trust: the quiet force behind it all
Trust is often seen as soft or sentimental. In practice, it’s the hard driver of every effective partnership.
For us, trust means showing up, doing what you said you’d do, and caring about the outcome as much as the other person does. Trust does not expect perfection. It means being committed, communicative, and consistent.
We’ve had some wonderful experiences of trust being built quickly and generously in our property network. But we’ve also experienced it breaking. A builder we hired on our first project overcommitted and outsourced the work to an unqualified team. The workmanship was terrible, and we had to terminate the contract. We will never work with him again, nor will anyone we know.
In 20 years of working together, Danny and I have disagreed plenty. But we’ve never had to question each other’s commitment to the business or the vision. Sometimes we agree to disagree, or one of us steps back. That’s trust, too.
Partners for a season, or a reason
Some people join you for the long haul. Others row with you for a season. And both kinds matter.
Our first property mentor, Saj Hussain, played a vital role in helping us get started. He and his team supported us through our first residential refurbishment flip project. Then, as our strategy evolved into more complex commercial conversions and title splits, we transitioned to mentors with a more targeted focus. But we still have huge respect and a great relationship with our first mentor, and we continue to refer others to him.
Partnerships evolve. What matters is how you manage the transition… with honesty, with respect, and with gratitude for what that person brought to your journey.
Invest in education and expertise early
We’ve always been willing to pay for education. We did it in our previous businesses, and we’ve done it again in property.
Could we have figured some of it out ourselves? Probably. But it would have taken longer, cost more, and introduced unnecessary risk. We are super-clear that our role is not to know everything. It is to lead the business and bring in the right experts for the work.
If you’re considering a pivot, plan to build some financial runway first. Give yourself time and space to learn about the aspects of your new business that are unfamiliar to you. Invest in the right training, advice, and support. As long as you then play your part, you’ll be up and running faster – and protect both your future and your sanity!
Generosity multiplies
There’s an invisible current in business that flows from helping others without expecting anything in return. I’ve always believed in paying it forward, and over the years, I’ve seen it come back in remarkable ways.
Last year, I helped a family present their property portfolio. It was too early for us to take the opportunity, but I created a pack for them and introduced them to potential buyers. No fee. Just support. (Besides, it was a useful learning exercise for me!)
This year, they came back with another opportunity. This time it fits. They’ve offered it to us off-market, and it’s a brilliant deal! The relationship is well established because generosity builds trust, opportunity, and goodwill. And it feels good, too…
Who’s in your boat?
Looking back over the past 18 months, I’m deeply grateful for everyone who has rowed with us in our boat. Each one has contributed something we didn’t have on our own.
If you’re considering going out on your own, here’s what I’d offer:
- You already have more inside you than you realise. And you don’t need to know everything. Just how to learn.
- You don’t need to go it alone. You just need to build the right team.
- And you don’t need to have it all figured out. Just keep rowing with care, intention, and the right company.
Partnership is the structure. Partnering is the practice. And with the right crew helping row your boat, you’ll move forward much faster and enjoy the journey far more than you ever could alone!