Director of Now Rooms Liverpool
I arrived in the UK from Australia, and having been investing in property since my early 20s, I had already learned a valuable lesson: The importance of good management!
Through my own personal experiences in property, as an investor myself, I noticed that there was not only a lack of managing agents willing to go the extra mile for both landlords and tenants, but also a massive gap in the market when it came to room-by-room rentals. When I lost a significant amount of investment due to poor management from my agent, I vowed to make a change, to disrupt the market and to be the agent that I wished I’d instructed myself.
This inspired me to set up Now Rooms in 2016, delivering an industry-leading service to landlords worldwide. In my spare time, I enjoy staying fit, travelling and chasing waves!
Favourite Song? It changes monthly!
Favourite Film?
Its been years since I sat through a full movie, modern movies bore me.
The only ones that are somewhat of an interest are movies based on real life stories.
I wouldn’t say it’s my ‘favourite’ per se but a good one I watched a while ago was The Walk.
Favourite Podcast? Valuetainment – a business and political podcast
Fun Fact about yourself?
I was South Australian Champion at Tomahawk Throwing at the age of 12, competing against adults.
What’s a surprising skill or talent you have that your coworkers might not know about?
I can do a wheelie on a motorbike.
What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on here, and why did it stand out to you?
The whole project of building and growing the Now Rooms team to the award-winning standard it is today.
What’s your go-to productivity hack that helps you stay on top of your work?
Time-compartmentalisation and elimination of notifications. I designate blocks of time to tasks and turn off notifications so that I don’t get distracted. Each year, I go away to a cottage and set my goals for the year ahead to really focus. Planning and eliminating distractions are key to productivity!
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received, and how has it influenced your work?
Most of what Sean O’Neill - the Adore Group CEO - has taught me over the years has influenced me and my journey greatly. It would be hard to pick out one singular lesson!
What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your job or department?
I don’t think people realise how much I care and how grateful I am for my team and my clients. I don’t show it often, but I really do appreciate everyone I work with.
Q&A
What is Now Rooms and what does it excel in?
Now Rooms is Liverpool and Wirral’s leading HMO management agency for working professionals and students. Established in 2016, we manage over 760 rooms across 150+ properties. We excel at making every HMO feel like home — to live, work, study, connect, and thrive, and our lettings team work tirelessly to match like-minded tenants and create long-lasting, harmonious house-share communities.
How did you come up with the name “Now Rooms”?
Because “now” insinuates a sense of urgency.
What is the one piece of advice you wish you’d received earlier in your career?
“It’s not the strategy that counts, it’s the execution.”
If you could go back and change one decision or action in your career/do something different, what would it be and why?
I would have met Sean O’Neill sooner!
How do you encourage a learning culture within your team and organisation?
I really value reading, especially books on mindset, finance and business. Whenever I have finished a book, I bring it into the office and encourage my team to read it too. I also make a consistent effort to listen to my team and their suggestions. We lean on each other and take each other’s experiences on board to learn from.
What stemmed your entrepreneurial journey?
A friend of my dad’s lived on the rental income he brought in from the properties he owned. I thought this was a genius idea and knew right away that I would become an investor myself one day. I was around 12 at the time.
Who has been your biggest mentor or inspiration in business?
It has to be Sean O’Neill.
If you could have dinner with any entrepreneur (living or dead), who would it be and why?
Alexander the Great. He conquered the Persian empire by the age of 26 and created one of the largest empires in history by the time he was 30.
What motivates you to keep pushing forward when things get tough?
I remind myself that no matter how tough things get, it would never be as tough as living with regret.
How do you stay creative and innovative in a competitive market?
I am never short of ideas. My challenge is implementing and executing them!
What’s your ultimate vision for your business?
To be the best HMO agency in the Northwest, with a world class reputation, and where we are so highly regarded that people strive to be a part of our team, such is our efficiency, dynamic and culture.
