Welcome to The School of Hard Knocks, a new six-part series brought to you by EG Property Podcasts that will off up a bounty of lessons from those who have experienced a rough time or two that will enable us to better navigate the tough times ahead.

Over the course of this series, we’ll meet people who have lived through some of the highs and lows of this wonderful business of real estate and through our conversations we will dig deep into the skills, the mindsets and the structures you need in place to successfully navigate tricky times.

Joining EG editor Samantha McClary as our first scholar in the school of Hard Knocks is Kevin McCabe, the Sheffield-born businessman who set up Scarborough Group, growing the company from zero to a £2bn business.

With decades of experience under his belt – some big highs and some low lows – Kevin tells us how his journey began with knowing what he didn’t want to do and how he grew a successful business by making sure he seized the opportunities that came his way, built trust with partners, made sure he knew all the ins and outs of the business and was wise enough to know exactly when things started to feel too good to be true.

So, sit back, get your pen and paper ready, because it is time to enrol yourself in EG’s School of Hard Knocks. Listen hard and enjoy because graduation promises a better grounding to navigate any knocks the economy may throw your way, this year or the next.