This month we invite you to enjoy a very special episode of Listen Up Landlords, marking International Women's Day.
International Women's Day, which is celebrated annually on 8th March, is an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the achievements of women, while highlighting discrimination and calling for gender equality.
Not only do we introduce you to three truly inspirational NRLA members, but we are also unveiling our new video format for the first time.
Ben and Richard meet Hasmita Reardon, Lorraine Thomas and Mandy St John Davey MBE, to hear about their property journeys and achievements, and what they are doing to support and inspire women in property.
Meet the guests
Hasmita Reardon
Hasmita arrived in the UK as a refugee in 1972 at just 11 years old, with little more than the clothes on her back. She bought her first properties from a small inheritance and now has a portfolio of more than 60 homes. She ran her own property management company, Reardons and has set up a charity supporting victims of domestic violence, New Leaf Support. New Leaf offers a full range of support for women leaving abusive relationships – with Hasmita using some of her own properties to house those who might not meet the eligibility criteria for a place in a women's refuge. She also converted her former family home into a children's home, once her own sons flew the nest. She talks about how her experience of homelessness inspired her to invest and support those in need of help.
Lorraine Thomas
Property developer, investor and mentor Lorraine Thomas is another landlord with a social conscience. She made her first foray into the world of property after leaving a career in the legal sector, with her first role finding accommodation for disadvantaged young adults. Shocked by some of the conditions she encountered, she decided to enter the world of property development and in 2016 set up View from my Window, a property development and management company with a focus on providing affordable housing for disadvantaged tenants. Lorraine is also a property mentor and creates joint ventures between group mentees to encourage them to invest, as well as going into schools to encourage more women and girls into the industry. She talks to us about how lifting others is at the core of her business and shares her advice when it comes to succeeding in property.
Mandy St John Davey MBE
We also talk to Mandy St John Davey MBE about her property journey. Mandy, who was recently named on a list of the world's top 10 self-made women entrepreneurs by global tech giant Microsoft, was recognised in the 2024 New Year Honours List for her dedication to supporting and mentoring women in property. A former Chair of 'Women in Property', which creates opportunities, expands knowledge and inspires change for women working in property and construction industry, she has long championed the importance of female role models and networks. She talks about how she started out and grew her business internationally as well as talking about her work as an industry mentor.
We are also joined by our chief marketing officer Carla Johnson, who fills us in on the NRLA's International Women's Day event which will take place next Thursday, March 5th.
More information
You can listen and watch the podcast via the NRLA website here, by clicking the banner below, or via your preferred streaming service. To watch the video, you will need to tune in from Spotify or watch on YouTube.
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[email protected] ACCREDITATION: You can now pick up a CPD point to be used towards NRLA accreditation by listening to the podcast. To log your point, visit the accreditation dashboard in the 'Your Account' section of the NRLA website. Select 'Other' then 'NRLA Podcast' from the dropdown menu.
To read a full transcript of the show click here.
Video editor: Alexandra Southerington
UK