In this episode property management entrepreneur Will Lewis talks about his early training in surveying/property management and how this led to the creation of a multidisciplinary consultancy when he was 27. He outlines the originality of his business idea and the experience of growing it in Manchester over the last 20 years where number living in the city centre has risen from around a thousand to nearer 100 thousand. We discuss how that development in part grew out of the city's response to the IRA bombing 30 years ago. Will talks about the nature of his job and the importance of people skill both with clients and leading a team, but also continuing to learn from his mistakes and the shift in attitudes to work post-Covid. Where and when ideas arise gets an airing, and Will recognises Baron Cohen's 'systemising' trait in himself. He shares what keeps him to the grindstone and why he wants to limit the size of their enterprise. We discuss the difficulty in switching off and how family and being an avid Stoke City fan helps with stress management. Along the way we talk Manchester football money, Andy Burnham and the value of apprenticeship. Great conversation. Next time - the folk musician.
Participants:
Will Lewis is CEO of OBI property consultancy https://obiproperty.co.uk/
Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/
The Simon Baron Cohen episode we mention: https://shows.acast.com/brainland/episodes/pattern-seeking-autism-evolution-and-us
Musical extract: Prelude from Act 1 of Brainland, composed by Stephen Brown.
Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk
Instagram: brainlandcollective Bluesky: brainland.bsky.social
Sketch by KB
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