Asset Avenue

Is buying a home in the UK still possible, or have rising house prices and service charges locked out first-time buyers for good? In this episode of Asset Avenue, we sit down with whole-of-market mortgage advisor Dan Knott (founder of @DanDoesMortgages and host of the Let’s Buy a Home podcast) to uncover the realities of the UK mortgage market. We debunk viral social media myths around credit scores, dissect the reality of 0% deposit and 6x income mortgages, and discuss the mounting crisis surrounding London leasehold flats and uncapped service charges. Dan also shares actionable advice for self-employed applicants, skilled worker visa holders, buyers over 40, and anyone navigating adverse credit or bank statement scrutiny. Whether you're saving for your first home deposit, worried about interest rates, or wondering if now is the right time to buy, this comprehensive guide gives you the facts without the fluff. 🔗 Connect With Dan KnottInstagram: @dandoesmortgages Podcast: Let’s Buy a Home (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube) Booking & Enquiries: Check the consultation link in Dan's bio TikTok & LinkedIn: Dan Does MortgagesStop blindly following mortgage advice from internet creators. Here is why you should question those rigid 'never' rules.Many financial content creators love to hand out absolute rules, claiming you should never take long mortgage terms or buy a home with a 0% deposit. These bold proclamations often ignore the nuance of your personal financial situation and the reality of the current housing market.It is easy to appear righteous when your own money is not on the line. When you hear advice about never borrowing six times your income, remember that these rigid home buying rules are often spoken without consequences. This video examines why applying blanket statements to your own property journey can be a trap rather than helpful mortgage advice.Subscribe for weekly financial perspective breakdowns, and let me know in the comments if you have ever regretted following popular money advice.

Do not open your mouth and say that you're broke. The words you say are an instruction to your brain."This week on Asset Avenue, I sit down with Celine — stress coach and founder of Celutions for one of the most honest conversations we've had on the show. Celine has worked on the frontline of a psychiatric inpatient unit, walked away from the NHS to build her business full-time, survived a breakdown in 2024 that nearly ended it all, and now helps high-achieving women bridge the gap between mental health and money.We get into why so many of us are "broke anxious," what financial scarcity actually does to your brain, why rest isn't laziness, and the boundaries you need to set before burnout sets in. If money stresses you out — this one's for you.💬 "Stress kills. Bring the peace."⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — "The words you say are an instruction to your brain" (cold open)01:15 — Meet Celine: your favourite stress coach & the story of Solutions04:30 — The 2024 breakdown that nearly ended the business08:10 — Inside a psychiatric ward: what mental health REALLY looks like12:00 — Why a paper planner beats an app15:20 — Money is the #1 stressor: Celine's 3 tips21:30 — Coaching elite footballers at Crystal Palace FC24:00 — Leaving the NHS & getting laid off because of Solutions29:15 — "Much is given, much is tested": faith, ambition & discomfort32:40 — How high-achieving women really behave with money35:00 — "Broke anxious": what scarcity does to your brain40:10 — Money as time & energy: avoiding burnout with a 9–5 + business44:00 — Rest, laziness & shame — rewiring the guilt48:30 — Digital overwhelm & protecting your boundaries52:00 — The most expensive lesson: waiting54:30 — Community over press: there are real people behind everything57:00 — The road not taken: grieving the "safe" NHS path59:00 — £200 left after bills? Do this for yourself1:01:00 — Rapid fire: therapy vs financial advisor, peace vs chaos1:05:30 — Where to find Celine🔗 Find Celine:Instagram & TikTok: @celineeski 🔗 Follow Bola & Asset Avenue:Instagram: @bola_sol | @assetavenuehqTikTok: @bolasol | @assetavenuehqNewsletter & links: bolasol.co.co.uk

We're told to chase the deposit, go full-time on content, and let the side hustle run quietly in the background. But what actually happens when you do?This week on Asset Avenue, Bola Sol sits down with Abbi (Abbi Talks Money) — finance-degree creator, homeowner at 22, and proudly back in a 9–5 after a year of going full-time. Abbi is refreshingly honest about the bits most people leave out: the loneliness of self-employment, the buffer you need on top of your deposit, the tax and admin behind every side hustle, and why she's turned down "so many" brand deals that didn't align.We get into salary transparency, buying property with a partner you're not married to (and the Declaration of Trust protecting both of them), the 50/30/20 rule, spending without guilt, and what wealth really means once "freedom" stops being the goal — and "choice" takes its place.A grounded, money-honest conversation for anyone juggling a job, a side hustle, and a life.⏱️ Timestamps0:00 — Intro & cold open1:08 — "What's your greatest asset?"1:59 — Going full-time as a creator — and why she went back to a 9–53:34 — The hidden loneliness of self-employment3:59 — Why she'll never knock a 9–55:18 — How "Abbi Talks Money" started6:01 — Why she shares her salary publicly7:25 — Buying her first home at 229:50 — The deposit isn't enough — build a buffer12:24 — Taking a pay cut for a job she actually wanted14:07 — Buying with a partner you're not married to16:22 — Her Declaration of Trust explained17:41 — Money red flags in relationships20:26 — Community vs. audience on social media21:49 — What her community taught her about money23:21 — Her money upbringing & her grandma's rule25:02 — Side hustles: the tax & admin nobody talks about28:08 — The 50/30/20 rule & spending without guilt30:46 — Turning her own budgeting tools into products31:33 — What wealth really means to her: choice32:53 — Women & investing — "just start"34:44 — Rapid fire round36:48 — Where to find Abbi🎙️ Follow Asset AvenueNew episodes every Thursday. Subscribe so you never miss one.Find Abbi: Abbi Talks Money on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook & ThreadsThis episode is for education and information only and is not regulated financial advice. Always do your own research or speak to a qualified adviser before making financial decisions.

Aretha Abimbola (@ArethasGymAndTonic) was a size 24 and 21 stone at her heaviest and, in her words, "a prisoner in my body." Today she's a size 10. But the transformation she didn't see coming wasn't physical.

In this episode of Asset Avenue, Aretha sits down with Bola Sol to talk about the part of weight loss nobody prepares you for: the promotions that suddenly appeared, the men who suddenly noticed her, the friends who turned cold and why "the only thing that changed was my size."

We get into the childhood trauma behind emotional eating, the first diet she went on aged 9, the radical honesty it took to finally change, and the surprising truth that calories work exactly like a bank account. From Dragons' Den to motherhood to money as freedom, this is a conversation about transformation in every sense.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Introduction: Aretha's greatest asset is her determination

1:20 – Who is Aretha? Bio & fitness journey (@ArethasGymAndTonic)

3:10 – The numbers: from 21 stone / size 24 to 70kg / size 10

5:00 – What it felt like being a prisoner in her body — hating summer, hiding her arms

8:30 – The wake-up moment: a manager's comment that cracked the denial

12:00 – Serial dieting since age 9 & the first diet that actually stuck (Jason Vale Juice Master)

16:30 – How the world treated her differently after losing weight — promotions, opportunities, visibility

21:00 – Friends becoming threatened: losing the "comfortable fat friend" label

25:30 – Did she feel like the same person? The psychological repair work

28:00 – Appearance, perception & playing the game (feat. Codie Sanchez reference)

30:30 – T-Straps: the business idea, Dragon's Den & what happened after

36:00 – The true cost of transformation — financially, emotionally & psychologically

39:00 – Childhood trauma, emotional eating & setting boundaries

41:30 – Calories = your bank account: why the maths of weight loss mirrors personal finance

43:00 – Advice to her 21-year-old size 24 self: give yourself a break, one step at a time

44:20 – Where to find Aretha: @ArethasGymAndTonic

📲 Follow Aretha: @ArethasGymAndTonic (Instagram & TikTok)

🎙️ ABOUT ASSET AVENUE

Asset Avenue is the podcast hosted by financial adviser and two-time Penguin author Bola Sol, exploring how people really build, manage and think about money. New episodes regularly, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss one.

🔗 Follow Bola & Asset Avenue:

Instagram: @bola_sol | @assetavenuehq

TikTok: @bolasol | @assetavenuehq

Newsletter & links: bolasol.co.co.uk

She had the dream CV. Chartered accountant, Bloomberg, CNBC, British American Tobacco. Then her only car got stolen, her savings vanished and she found herself at church unable to drop a $2 offering. That rock-bottom moment became the spark for Money Africa and Asset Avenue flew to Lagos, Nigeria to hear the whole story.

In this episode, Bola Sol sits down with Tosin Olaseinde, founder of Money Africa, Money Africa Kids and the fintech Ladda and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, for an honest conversation about going broke, betting on yourself before anyone validates you, and turning a single invoice into a company.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – The $2 offering that changed everything (intro)

01:30 – "I am my greatest asset"

02:45 – The dream CV vs. the money reality behind it

04:30 – The stolen car that wiped her out

06:30 – Broke at church: the wake-up call

09:30 – The 6-month "career break" at 30 that never ended

11:30 – One invoice that accidentally started a company

14:00 – Building Money Africa on Instagram from zero

16:30 – Teaching money when unemployment is at 27%

20:00 – Winning the $100,000 NSIA Prize & launching Money Kids

23:30 – Almost 1 million reached — and why it's not enough

25:30 – 3 tips for betting on yourself

28:30 – Becoming a WEF Young Global Leader

31:00 – How to REALLY network (work ethic beats connections)

34:00 – The hardest part of being a CEO

36:30 – Your personal brand vs. the person behind it

38:30 – Earning ₦200k/month with nothing saved? Start here

40:30 – The biggest investing mistake Nigerians make

43:30 – Her dream dinner guest list

45:00 – Surviving hyperinflation & the future of money in Africa

47:30 – Rapid fire + where to find Tosin

👤 ABOUT THE GUEST — Tosin Olaseinde

Instagram: @tosinolaseinde | @moneyafrica | @moneyafricakidsX (Twitter): @tosinolaseindeLinkedIn: Money AfricaApp: Ladda (@ladda.ng)

🎙️ ABOUT ASSET AVENUEAsset Avenue is the podcast hosted by financial adviser and two-time Penguin author Bola Sol, exploring how people really build, manage and think about money. New episodes regularly, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss one.

🔗 Follow Bola & Asset Avenue:Instagram: @bola_sol | @assetavenuehqTikTok: @bolasol | @assetavenuehq

Newsletter & links: bolasol.co.co.uk

What if the thing missing from your financial plan can't be measured in pounds?

In this solo episode, Bola gets into a conversation that started on her social media and refused to stay in a caption. She's unpacking the version of success that's been sold to women and asking the question most financial plans never dare to ask.

Capitalism has no heart. It doesn't care about your fertility window, your desire for connection or who you want to build a life with. So why are so many of us building our entire lives around its definition of success?

This episode covers the Girl Boss era, hustle culture, what Bola personally gave up in her 20s and why she's rethinking everything now. She also introduces a framework that might just change the way you see your goals and what you're quietly trading away without realising it.

This one is different. It's personal, it's honest, and it's the conversation women needed someone to have out loud

Welcome to this episode of the podcast, where we sit down with James Beckett, the personal finance expert and creator behind The Money Stocker! In this candid conversation, James breaks down the taboo surrounding personal finances by opening up completely about his own numbers, including his £250,000 pension pot and his goal to achieve financial freedom by age 45.Despite pulling in an incredible £300,000 from his social media channels over the last 12 months, James continues to work his full-time 9-to-5 marketing role. Tune in to discover how he balances entrepreneurship, manages pay rises using his signature 50-50 rule, and protects his wealth against upcoming tax changes.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & The Power of Pensions: James discusses why your pension is often your biggest financial asset and why human capital matters just as much.02:15 - Building The Money Stocker: Moving from dead SEO blogs to building an active community on social media.04:30 - How to Make £300k on Social Media: A completely transparent breakdown of content creator revenue streams.06:45 - Brand Deals, Affiliates, & Facebook Monetisation: Capitalising on algorithm changes pushing finance Reels to wider audiences.09:15 - The Default Pension Fund Mistake: Why 96% of people are losing out on tens of thousands in growth by staying in conservative default funds.12:30 - Staying Grounded with a 9-to-5: Why James hasn't quit his day job and how he avoids the traps of glamorised entrepreneurship.14:45 - The 50-50 Pay Rise Rule & Car Finance Traps: Practical budgeting tips to ensure you don't inflate your lifestyle out of water.18:00 - 2027 Cash ISA Cuts & Understanding Gilts: How to transition into government bonds as tax exemptions change.21:15 - 3 Steps to Start a Stocks & Shares ISA: Choosing low-cost platforms and setting up automated monthly contributions.24:00 - Who to Trust Online: Why you should be sceptical of get-rich-quick schemes and look to trusted authorities like Martin Lewis.26:15 - Why Stock Picking is a Trap: Reviewing why 90% of active fund managers fail to beat a simple global index fund over 15 years.28:30 - Buying Future Freedom & Wedding Spending: Prioritising experiences and memory-making over modern gadgets.📱 Connect with James & The Money StockerInstagram: @themoneystockerTikTok: @themoneystockerYouTube: @moneystockerWebsite: www.moneystocker.com🔗 Follow Bola & Asset Avenue:Instagram: @bola_sol | @assetavenuehqTikTok: @bolasol | @assetavenuehqNewsletter & links: bolasol.co.co.uk

In this episode, we sit down with Ola, the founder of All Things Money, an online platform dedicated to helping young adults financially navigate adulthood.

Ola candidly shares her journey to becoming a London homeowner in 2026, the hurdles of securing a mortgage as a self-employed business owner, and how she manages financial anxiety amidst modern economic uncertainties. We dive deep into actionable wealth-building advice, highlighting the power of Stocks and Shares Lifetime ISAs, understanding risk tolerance, breaking down the gender investment gap, and her tactical approach to reducing her mortgage term by 12 years through overpayments.

Whether you want to construct an emergency fund, dive into index funds, or map out a long-term plan for your future self, this episode is packed with practical strategies to take control of your financial health.

• Follow on Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube: @allthingsmoney

  
  

• Listen to the Podcast: The All Things Money Podcast

  
  

• Get Resources: Head over to www.allthingsmoney.com for e-books and planners

  
  

"Life is about ebbs and flows. You’re not always going to be winning constantly, and if you think like that, you’re going to lose yourself." — Christina Okorocha.

This week on Asset Avenue, Bola Sol is joined by Christina Okorocha, the powerhouse behind VAMP. Starting as three friends in university, VAMP has spent the last decade redefining influencer marketing for the culture, proving that you don't always need major VC backing to achieve global success with brands like Disney and Universal Pictures.

Christina pulls back the curtain on the mental shift required to go from a 9-to-5 to full-time entrepreneurship, the importance of "networking horizontally" with your peers, and why she recently introduced the Power Pitch to support the next generation of Black women in business.

Episode Breakdown:

• [00:36] Defining Cultural Marketing.

  
  

• [05:58] Learning the power of influence from Zoella.

  
  

• [13:42] The emotional cost of bootstrapping.

  
  

• [21:26] Treating yourself as an employee of your business.

  
  

• [31:04] The importance of horizontal networking.

  
  

• [35:40] Why your business needs a CFO.

  
  

• [42:02] Rapid Fire Round: 10M in VC or 5M on your own terms?.

Connect with Christina Okorocha:

• Instagram: @ChristinaOk

• LinkedIn: Christina Okorocha

  
  

Connect with Bola Sol:

• Instagram: @Bola_Sol

Why do banks reject 50% of small businesses — and what do you do when you're one of them? Bola Sol sits down with Demi, founder and MD of Lendoe, the UK finance intermediary placing millions into underestimated founders.

Demi went from playing football to investment banking to brokering a mini bond for his church when no bank would lend. That deal became Lendoe — and the playbook for funding small and medium-sized businesses (£1m–£20m revenue) that the high-street banks ignore.

In this episode you'll learn:

- The CapEx vs OpEx mistake that puts founders in a pickle

- Why "know your numbers" is the #1 green flag lenders look for

- The 3 advisors every founder needs (and why an accountant alone isn't enough)

- How underrepresented founders self-sabotage by asking for too little

- Why Black-owned businesses get taken over — and how to build the balance sheet that protects you

- Equity, dilution and investor rights before you sign anything

- How AI is widening the gap between funded and unfunded entrepreneurs

- What rising geopolitical tension and oil prices mean for SME margins

- Demi's networking story with the chairman of UBS — and what to do instead of being timid

This is a masterclass for founders, side hustlers and aspiring business owners who want to understand how UK business funding actually works in 2026.

Hosted by Bola Sol — qualified financial adviser (DipFA, FCA regulated), Penguin/Merky Books author of How To Save It and Your Money Life.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not regulated financial advice.

Follow Demi: @demi_vb_ on Instagram & TikTok | Lendo: @wearelendoe

Follow the show: @assetavenuehq | bolasol.co.uk