The Growth Diary

Lucy Jackson went on a gap year after graduating from Imperial College with a first class degree. She got on a racing yacht. That was 2009. What followed was 100,000 miles at sea, a life built entirely on the water, and eventually the world's leading racing yacht charter company.LV Yachting matches private yacht owners with individuals and teams who want to race at the world's most prestigious regattas, from Cowes Week and Antigua Sailing Week and the Caribbean circuit, without the logistical headache. It's a niche nobody else has properly cracked, and Lucy built it by simply being the most experienced person in the room.In this episode, Lucy shares:Why a gap year sailing trip became a 16 year career and a global businessThe freedom of being completely disconnected at sea and why so few of us ever find itHow she spotted a gap in the racing charter market that nobody else wanted to touchWhy AI generated content is an immediate turn off in a high trust lifestyle industryThe crew berth model that lets solo sailors race world class regattas and meet lifelong friendsWhere LV Yachting is heading next, from luxury cruising charter to brokerageThis is a conversation about following something you love so completely that it quietly becomes a business, and about building something genuinely world class by staying true to the experience that made you.If you love the water, dream of racing offshore, or are building a lifestyle business on expertise and reputation, this one is for you.🔗 Connect with Lucy Jackson:🌐 www.lvyachting.com📧 [email protected]📞 +44 (0) 20 3920 6261🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jackson-bb24a920

Every buyer thinks their estate agent is on their side. They're not.Patsy Irwin-Brown spent 15 years on the inside of London's property industry, overseeing thousands of transactions, and watched buyers get left out in the cold time and time again. The agent is contracted by the seller. The solicitors are overwhelmed. Nobody is in your corner. And nobody was willing to say it out loud until Patsy decided to do something about it.In 2022 she founded MyPIPS, a buyer representation service that works exclusively for the person buying the property, handling everything from offer negotiation to chain management to solicitor chasing, so buyers can focus on finding the home they love and leaving the rest to someone who genuinely has their back.In this episode, Patsy shares:The conflict of interest baked into every property transaction that nobody talks aboutWhy buyers are the only party in the process with no professional in their cornerHow she negotiates thousands off purchase prices and takes a percentage of what she savesThe growing Hong Kong relocator community that found her through word of mouth aloneWhy social media has failed her and referrals have been her entire growth engineHer vision for a national network of buyer consultants and what needs to happen to get thereThis is a conversation about a broken system, a bold fix, and one woman determined to level the playing field for every buyer in the UK.If you are buying a property, have ever bought a property, or just want to understand why the process feels so stacked against you, this one is essential listening.Connect with Patsy Irwin-Brown:🌐 www.mypips.co.uk🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/patsy-irwin-brown-13a850255Tel: 0203 916 5916E-Mail: [email protected] The Growth DiaryAfter a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable.🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

Sonia Felfli spotted the same problem everywhere she looked: people were being treated like a booking number.That frustration became the foundation for Savoir Vivre Lifestyle, a boutique luxury villa rental, private events, and lifestyle management company operating across Mykonos and Ibiza. Her clientele are ultra-high-net-worth individuals who expect total discretion, bespoke service, and someone who genuinely cares. Sonia built the business to deliver exactly that.In this episode, Sonia shares:Why being treated as a number in luxury hospitality inspired her to build something completely differentHow she earns the trust of ultra-high-net-worth clients before they even arriveThe real meaning of privacy, discretion, and personal service at the highest levelWhy human connection is her greatest competitive advantageThe challenges of managing high expectations, complex logistics, and demanding seasonsWhat she believes the luxury hospitality industry is still getting wrongThis is a conversation about building a business where the product is trust, the standard is perfection, and the person behind it all does it because she genuinely loves it.If you work in hospitality, luxury services, or simply want to understand what world-class client experience really looks like, this one is for you.🔗 Connect with Sonia Felfli:🌐 www.savoirvivrelifestyle.comThe Growth Diary - Host: Keith AtkinsonAfter a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, I've spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing. Through The Growth Diary, I'm on a mission to spotlight the real stories behind successful business growth, what works, what doesn't, and how leaders stay sharp while building something remarkable.🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

Jack Dawson didn't come from a boardroom. He came from a building site.Starting work alongside his dad at age four, competing as a natural bodybuilder, and eventually landing in a teaching role at the same FE college where he trained, Jack's path has always been shaped by craft, discipline, and a deep love for the trade. Then in 2022, an idea sparked that would change the construction industry's relationship with competition, community, and pride.SuperTrowel is now the UK's largest bricklaying competition, drawing hundreds of spectators, dozens of exhibitors, and competitors from across the country to watch skilled tradespeople go head-to-head in a one-hour bricklaying race. The 2026 series spans seven regional heats, from Northern Ireland to Cornwall, before culminating at Hertfordshire Showground on 31st July.In this episode, Jack shares:How a post-lockdown conversation between three mates became a national eventWhy the construction industry desperately needs something to celebrate its peopleThe organic growth story behind SuperTrowel, from 500 attendees to a full national seriesWhat it really takes to run a major event with a team of threeHis vision for turning construction into a career aspiration, not a plan BWhere SuperTrowel goes next, and why more trades are on the horizonThis is a conversation about passion, purpose, and proving that the most underrated industries can produce the most electric events.If you work in construction, care about the trades, or just love watching people who are the best at what they do compete, this one is for you.Guest: Jack DawsonCompany: SuperTrowelWebsite: https://www.supertrowel.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-dawson-62a744153

How Matt Hughes Helps Hotel Owners Make Better DecisionsIn this episode, Keith is joined by Matt Hughes, CEO and Founder of Accommodate Consulting. After more than 20 years at Marriott International, most recently as Vice President of Owner Strategy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Matt stepped away from one of the world's biggest hospitality brands to build something entirely his own.They get into the real reasons major hotel decisions go wrong, why owners don't need more data, they need better decisions, and how Matt's registered framework, The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. System®, brings structure and alignment to the full lifecycle of a hotel asset.The conversation also covers Matt's refreshingly grounded take on AI, why most people start with the tool instead of the problem, what the European hotel market opportunity really looks like, and how he's built a founder-led consultancy where inbound work finds him rather than the other way around.A genuinely insightful episode for anyone in hospitality, property investment, or building a business on the back of deep industry expertise.🔗 Connect with Matt Hughes:🌐 www.accommodateconsulting.com📧 [email protected] The Growth DiaryHosted by Keith Atkinson, The Growth Diary is a podcast exploring the real stories behind successful business growth. After a career as a professional windsurfer on the World Tour, Keith has spent over a decade building and scaling businesses across property, technology, and marketing.Each episode features candid conversations with founders and business leaders on what works, what doesn't, and how to stay sharp while building something remarkable.🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthDiaryPodcast🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xRw4dfe3u1LYqja07KgTg?si=b32ae294d09c4b1c🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1865496376

Charley Hall didn't set out to run a property agency. She set out to fix one.After years in corporate customer service, working with clients like Shell and Co-op, and then experiencing first-hand what poor agency management actually costs a landlord, she and her husband decided to build something better. Mocha Property Management launched in Liverpool three years ago with a simple but non-negotiable standard: treat landlords like partners, not portfolios.In this episode, Charley shares:The Section 21 disaster that became the catalyst for starting MochaWhy proactive communication is the foundation of everything they doHow she's navigating the Renters' Rights Bill and what it really means for landlords and agentsThe Amazon hiring principle she uses to build a high-performing teamWhy she'll never let AI replace the human touch, and where she thinks it actually belongsThe one thing she'd fix with a magic wand if she couldThis is a conversation about building a business that genuinely gives a damn, and why that's harder and rarer than it sounds.If you manage property, own property, or are building a service business on reputation, this one is for you.Guest: Charley HallCompany: Mocha Property ManagementWebsite: https://mochaproperty.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

Luke Ireland is the co-founder and CEO of Creventa, the event management platform quietly powering some of the biggest names in UK hospitality, including every major hotel chain running events in the country, over a dozen Premier League football clubs, and cricket venues. In this episode, Luke breaks down how he and co-founder Andrew built Creventa from a scrappy pandemic QR code project into an end-to-end platform saving venues approximately six hours of admin per event. We talk about why hospitality software has such a bad reputation, how Creventa is winning deals through emotional demos rather than features lists, and the very real challenge of cracking the US market without losing the close-knit culture that makes the business tick.If you want a masterclass in niche B2B SaaS growth, selling into a notoriously hard-to-reach industry, and building something people quietly rely on at scale, this one is for you.----Visit the website: https://creventa.com/

Gregory Patrick didn't build a travel company. He built a dream factory.For nearly four decades, Gregory has been crafting once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the world's most accomplished people, from private castle buyouts in Scotland to 48-seat private airliners flying groups to destinations most people can't even find on a map.It started with a newspaper article about a struggling Texas rancher and a bold idea: flip the model, send wealthy Americans to play royalty in Great Britain. What followed was a career spanning 80-plus countries, a client list that doesn't do Google, and a brand built entirely on reputation, creativity, and relentless over-delivery.In this episode, Gregory shares:Why he cold-knocked on Scottish castle doors and walked away with a business modelWhat nearly 40 years of serving ultra-high-net-worth clients has taught him about trust and executionHow he's raising $463 million to build a resort that eliminates every friction point in hospitalityWhy AI will make the butler smarter but must never replace the human touchThe ShareAJet, ShareAYacht, ShareAVilla model and how he's scaling DreamMaker without losing what makes it specialThe legacy he's building, and why he works 75 hours a week by choiceThis is a conversation about creativity, craftsmanship, and what it really means to build something that can't be replicated.If you're building a business that lives or dies on reputation, this one is for you.Guest: Gregory PatrickCompany: DreamMakerWebsite: https://houseofdreammaker.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorylpatrick/

During lockdown, Raja Naveed resigned from a stable nine-year career in financial services and launched a construction business from his kitchen table.With no revenue for nine months, a newborn on the way, and the Green Homes Grant scheme collapsing mid-delivery, EEH Solutions was built under extreme pressure. What followed was rapid growth, regulatory chaos, scaling mistakes, hospitalisation with COVID, and hard lessons about systems, leadership, and trust.In this episode, Raja shares how he:• Secured £3.5m in orders within weeks of launching• Survived sudden government policy changes• Built tech systems inspired by Amazon and Uber• Scaled through compliance, automation and quality control• Positioned EEH for 2026 amid major industry reformThis is a conversation about resilience, regulation, culture shift in construction, and why systems matter more than speed.If you’re building in uncertain conditions, this one is for you.--Guest DetailsGuest: Raja NaveedCompany: EEH SolutionsWebsite: https://www.eeh-s.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raja-naveed-820a64ab/

Natasha Collier started Dressing Rooms Home Staging straight out of university, originally as a practical move alongside property investing. What began as a “makes sense” idea turned into a business she genuinely loves, and a service that’s quietly changing how properties sell across the North of the UK.In this conversation, Natasha breaks down what home staging really does beyond cushions and artwork. We talk about the psychology of first impressions, why furnished rooms often feel bigger than empty ones, and how staging creates demand that can drive price and speed, especially for awkward layouts and tired ex-rentals.We also get into virtual staging, what AI is getting right, what it’s still getting wrong, and why a human designer still matters if you care about realism, scale, and the buyer’s eye. Natasha shares the real challenge of scaling a reputation built on perfection, and what she’s doing now to step back without lowering the standard.If you’ve ever wondered why some listings fly and others sit, this is the behind the scenes.Guest: Natasha CollierCompany: Dressing Rooms Home StagingCall: +44(0)1535 509033 Email: [email protected]: www.dressingroomshomestaging.co.uk

Service accommodation looks simple from the outside. List a property, get bookings, collect profit.But behind the scenes it is a 24 hour, high pressure, and can be a noisy business where one missed message can trigger bad reviews, lost ranking, and a constant feeling that you are on call.In this episode, David Leighton, founder of Honest Apartments, breaks down what it actually takes to run a successful SA operation, and why most people burn out. We talk about the systems that prevent disaster, the channel manager mistake that causes double bookings, why automated guest messaging changes everything, and how reporting and finance systems can save days of admin every month.David also explains how he built a remote team, why some tasks work brilliantly with VAs overseas, why time zones can quietly wreck guest experience, and how networking built trust that turned into real deals, years later.If you are thinking about SA, already in it, or scaling a management model, this is the reality check you want before you go faster.Podcast guest details:Guest Name: David LeightonCompany: Honest ApartmentsEmail: [email protected]: www.honestapartments.co.ukTelephone: +44 (0) 777 614 5674  / +44(0) 238 076 9736 

Construction is one of the hardest industries to change, especially after Grenfell. But Johnny Mateparae is building a completely new way to create walls that are fire safe, fast to install, and made from recycled plastic and textile waste.After a moment on his boat in Liverpool’s Albert Dock, where ocean plastic destroyed his holiday and jammed his prop, Johnny decided he couldn’t ignore the problem anymore. That frustration became StrucLock, a modular wall system that clicks together like LEGO, with ducts built in for plumbing and electrics, and a simple “build as you go” approach designed to reduce mistakes and remove the need for multiple trades.In this conversation, we talk about how StrucLock is engineered to handle real world contaminants in recycled materials, why Johnny is taking a slower route to market to protect safety and ethics, and how a containerised micro-factory model could let communities turn local waste streams into local buildings. We also get into the reality of regulation, independent testing, and what “success” looks like when you refuse to compromise.Guest Details:Name: Johnny MateparaeCompany: StrucLockwebsite: https://struclock.com/

Most people think estate agency is glamour, fast commissions, and a quick sale.Georgina Henfrey says that’s fantasy, and the real job is pressure, process, psychology, and dealing with 50 moving parts at once.In this episode of The Growth Diary, Georgina, co-founder of Kestrel Estates, breaks down why she walked away from the corporate estate agency machine, and what she built instead. A people-first model where clients aren’t treated like numbers, and teams aren’t burned out chasing targets created by someone who’s never been on the front line.She also shares what happened when the market froze during Covid, how she rebuilt without the marketing budget she planned for, and why the Liz Truss mini-budget forced a hard pivot into diversification.We also get into the uncomfortable truth about property marketing. Why most agents are invisible, why social media is now the real shopfront, and how Kestrel’s approach consistently drives demand and achieves above-asking offers.Finally, Georgina explains how she’s using AI where it actually makes sense, not replacing people, but removing the workload that slows everything down. From virtual staging to automating parts of lettings, qualification, and inventory checks, it’s a glimpse into what modern estate agency will look like over the next few years.If you work in sales, property, or you’re building a service business, this episode is a masterclass in standards, resilience, and growth without selling your soul.Podcast guest detailsGuest: Georgina HenfreyCompany: Kestrel EstatesWebsite: www.kestrelestates.co.uk

In this episode of The Growth Diary, Keith Atkinson is joined by Marko Hozjan, co-founder and CEO of Lynxcraft, a construction technology company using AI to fundamentally change how homes are designed, planned, and built.Marko shares how Lynxcraft was born from a simple but radical idea: modern homes should be treated like products, not one-off prototypes. Drawing parallels with industries like automotive and manufacturing, he explains why construction has struggled to modernise, and how a lack of standardisation has held back quality, speed, and scalability for decades.The conversation dives deep into how Lynxcraft uses AI, machine learning, and algorithmic design to automate zoning analysis, floor plan generation, and cost modelling. Marko breaks down the real challenges behind applying AI to the physical world, from fragmented regulations and poor data access to workforce shortages and supply chain resistance.Keith and Marko also explore the future of construction, including prefabrication, standardised building blocks, human-in-the-loop systems, and why true transformation must be driven by demand rather than suppliers. Marko shares lessons from fundraising, scaling a deep-tech startup across Europe, and preparing for expansion into the UK and US.This episode is a fascinating look at how technology, automation, and product thinking could reshape one of the world’s oldest and least digitised industries.Podcast guest detailsGuest: Marko HozjanCompany: LynxCraftEmail: [email protected]: https://lynx-craft.com

In this episode of The Growth Diary, Keith Atkinson sits down with Amadeo Bassi, founder of ABDS, an architecture-led practice operating across design, coordination, planning, tendering, and development management.Amadeo shares his journey from studying architecture to building an independent, multidisciplinary practice. He speaks candidly about the realities of coordinating complex projects, managing competing priorities between design, engineering, and cost, and the less-visible work that goes into running a sustainable business.The conversation explores how ABDS brings alignment across multiple disciplines, why coordination and negotiation sit at the heart of successful delivery, and the challenges of scaling while maintaining quality. Amadeo also shares his perspective on AI, where it already adds value in research and administration, and why human judgement still matters in complex projects.A key focus of the episode is Amadeo’s move into retrofitting and the net zero energy space. With long-term government funding, European-wide regulation, and growing demand for energy-efficient buildings, he explains why this sector represents both a responsibility and a major growth opportunity over the next two decades.This episode offers an honest look at the difference between being a designer and building a resilient business in architecture, construction, and development.Podcast guest detailsGuest: Amadeo BassiCompany: ABDSWebsite: https://www.a-b-d-s.comEmail: [email protected]