Brick-by-Brick

Brick-by-Brick?

The building blocks of mental and emotional well-being in the short-lets and serviced accommodation industry.

I had something completely different in mind for today’s newsletter. But it occurred to me this morning that the UK marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week today, with the running theme of “loneliness” at the forefront.?

And so, with no prior planning (and just a moment’s notice for myself), I’ve decided to dive in and write about a topic that’s played a fundamental role in both my personal and business journey.

As part of our Franchise Model at Luke Capital Group, applicants are asked to complete a detailed questionnaire -? so we can get to know them better. It’s definitely something I’d recommend as an excellent method of consumer / market research.

The results of these questionnaires give me a great deal to learn from, especially where our franchisees' pain points are concerned.

Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest pain points among our franchisees is loneliness.?

This is related to either a sense of loneliness in their current full time job (which they wish to escape from), or feeling isolated as a result of pursuing business goals within the property industry - which many of their family and friends will struggle to relate to.?

While social media does a great job of guising what goes on behind closed doors, the truth is, loneliness is rife in the business world.?

So, the question is, how does one manage feelings of loneliness; and stop it from destroying their chances of all-round success, in an industry that’s as intense as ours?

Lonely or Alone??

The Oxford Dictionary describes loneliness as “feelings of sadness because one has no friends nor company”. Thus meaning that loneliness is an emotion that can be experienced anywhere (and by anyone) - rather than a set of circumstances, as so many people mistakenly believe.?

For example, introverted people regain their energies and focus by spending time alone and focusing on their inner-thoughts. This doesn’t mean that they’re ‘lonely’ per se, as they’re perfectly content in their own space and company.

Loneliness occurs when a person feels disconnected from the outside world/ social relationships; and when their social and emotional needs aren’t being met. As such, a person who works a 9-5 job in a busy office every weekday; and then? goes out “on the town” every weekend may well be the loneliest person in the room - if he doesn’t have a? friend or a community, with whom he can share his thoughts, hobbies and values with.

I was in a similar boat in my early days of setting up Luke Capital Group. I had all these big aspirations; and while they were exciting (and I had a network of family and friends around me), there were still nights when I’d lay awake in bed, wondering what would happen if my ambitious plans didn’t work out.?

Those moments of self-doubt and anxiety used to cripple me with loneliness. The memories of that alone serve as one of my biggest inspirations for setting up the Franchise Model.?

Managing Overwhelm?

It’s easy to feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, when you’re battling feelings of loneliness.

With nobody to talk your problems through with, the problems become much bigger in your head; and start feeding on your sanity and sense of self-worth.?

Science proves that your body creates more cortisol when you’re feeling lonely. Cortisol is sometimes known as the ‘stress drug’ - as it’s responsible for raising all those alarm bells in your head, when your brain detects danger.

An excess of cortisol in your brain can be difficult to handle; and can sometimes manifest as chronic overwhelm and fatigue. With this in mind, the best way to approach the side-effects of loneliness is to deal with your stress triggers one at a time. Break your ‘big problems’ down into smaller little niggles, until you have complete clarity of how you’re going to approach your respective situation.

When running a property empire, there are a number of digital tools at your disposal to help you get organised. You could also consider hiring a part-time VA; and building a team around you, to help eliminate some of the daily burden (as well as those unwanted feelings of loneliness, too).?

Finding Support?

We’ve certainly come leaps and bounds where accessing support for mental health issues is concerned. However, opening up about issues such as loneliness is still plagued with some kind of ‘taboo’ - especially among mature business men (above the age of 40).

I can tell you from our franchisees alone that the larger chunk of our industry is made up of entrepreneurs who fall into the above demographic. That’s why it’s more important than ever to overcome the dated taboos around therapy, mental health support and the simple art of conversation.

A recent Forbes article claims that highly successful people all tend to seek therapy, because financial success doesn’t make them immune to depression, social anxiety and feelings of loneliness. The age-old saying “It’s lonely at the top” rings true on so many occasions in the property arena - because sometimes leaders do get ostracised for their achievements, through no fault of their own.

In order to successfully manage and scale your property business, your mental health needs to take just as much priority as your physical well-being. Take it from a person who was once hospitalised due to severe burnout - you cannot possibly do everything alone, throughout your entire business journey.

Fortunately, there are plenty of online groups and communities you can easily join now, where you’ll be welcomed by like-minded business owners who'll be on a similar journey as you, and help make you feel less alone. My personal Facebook group is full of support and positive accountability: Click Here.

During an age where social media makes everything look so easy and instant gratification is ‘the new way of life’, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that these are the standards that are expected of you.

Instead, keep your head down and focus on your end goal - focus on making things happen, brick-by-brick, and seek a community that will cheer you on and support you every step of the way.

Our Franchise Model is an ideal way of scaling your property business without feeling like you’re doing everything on your own. Please feel free to reach out if you’re feeling the burn of entrepreneurship - you’re never alone.?

Samaritans: 116 123

C.A.L.M (support for men): 0800 58 58 58

In the meantime,

Keep building and bettering -

Ryan.?