The Self Unemployed Podcast

I Lost Everything & Built It Back Through Property - Tony Crook | Self Unemployed

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📈 Samuel Leeds Property Training: https://www.samuelleeds.com/ref/319/

From selling photocopiers to building an £8M printing business… and then losing it all to the internet.

In this episode of the Self Unemployed Podcast, Tony Crook — mentor to Samuel Leeds — shares his brutally honest journey through entrepreneurship, real estate, failure, reinvention, and global impact.

🎙 What You’ll Learn:

  • How Tony built (and lost) an ÂŁ8M/year printing empire
  • The mistake that almost ruined his business: ignoring the internet
  • How he pivoted to property investing and found financial freedom
  • The true meaning of being “self-unemployed” — and how to fire yourself from your own business
  • Why he believes property is the last industry standing in the AI age
  • Real estate strategies: BRRR, super rents, serviced accommodation, and social housing
  • Inside look at building schools and hospitals in Uganda with Samuel Leeds
  • This one’s not just a business masterclass — it’s a wake-up call for every entrepreneur.

    • Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction

    00:54 Rise and fall of the printing business due to digital disruption 03:27 Urgent advice: adapt early to AI and industry shifts

    06:44 Pivot from printing to property investing

    09:35 Key lesson: treat property as a business, not a hobby

    10:53 Why property remains a powerful long-term investment

    17:08 Accidental landlord during 1987 crash – first big property lesson 19:14 From sales to launching a successful print business

    24:03 Business mistake: not systemizing early

    25:42 Growth mindset: “Fire yourself yearly” to scale

    32:07 Serviced accommodation as top strategy

    33:55 BRRR strategy explained

    36:07 Focus on ROI, not just pulling all money out

    41:15 Choosing purpose over retirement

    44:02 Samuel Leeds Foundation: real-world impact in Uganda

    49:20 New initiative: remote digital education center in Uganda

    53:34 Dual nature of Samuel Leeds: direct leader with genuine care

    56:23 Why confronting critics worked better than staying silent

    👀 If you're into real estate, mentorship, or building wealth with purpose, don’t miss this.

    🎧 Listen now & drop your biggest takeaway in the comments.

    #PropertyInvestment #RealEstateUK #TonyCrook #BRRRStrategy #PassiveIncome

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