In this inspiring episode of First Deal Diaries, Danielle Saunders sits down with Phil Saunders to unpack a first deal that was anything but ordinary. From working as a rope access technician on wind turbines across Europe to becoming a full time property investor, Phil shares the pivotal moment that changed everything. When long trips away from his young twin daughters became too much, he knew he had to replace his income and build a life that kept him closer to home. With limited savings and no credibility in property, he turned to creative thinking and launched a glamping business using a rent to rent strategy on a campsite in the Peak District. His solution focused mindset, relentless phone calls, and willingness to think differently helped him secure his first yes and finally get his foot in the door.

Phil reveals how that first Mongolian yurt, funded by a £3,000 loan from a friend, became the foundation for something much bigger. Through Covid uncertainty, bold risk taking, and strategic joint ventures, he scaled into bricks and mortar holiday lets and built a £6 million portfolio in just a few years. He shares honest lessons about resilience, credibility over cash flow, managing cleaners and systems remotely, and the realities of working with JV partners. This episode is a powerful reminder that your first deal does not have to be conventional to be transformational, and that a strong reason why can carry you through every obstacle on the journey.