From Ad Agency to Landlord: Guy Harrower on thriving through crashes, rent caps and building a Scottish portfolio

The Business Babble

Landlord and former ad man Guy Harrower joins Johnny and Mike to share how he pivoted from running a creative agency to managing a mixed commercial and residential property portfolio across Edinburgh, Dundee and beyond. We get into why he sold Edinburgh rentals and moved into Dundee student lets, the real pros and cons of commercial leases with national tenants, and how Scottish regulation, rent caps and Section 24 have reshaped the market. Guy talks candidly about failing fast, learning faster, and why due diligence beats auction “bargains”. You will hear practical tips for first-time landlords on choosing a strategy, financing without overreach, picking the right streets, and managing risk after Covid and rising rates. We also cover business mindset, networking, NLP, protecting your health, and knowing when to pivot or let go.

What you will learn:

• Commercial vs residential in Scotland and where the returns really are
• How to pick an area and tenant profile that actually works
• The impact of regulation, interest rates and stress tests on buy to let
• Red flags when buying at auction and how to avoid costly mistakes
• Mindset lessons on failure, focus and taking action

Perfect for anyone eyeing buy to let in Scotland, scaling a portfolio, or debating a pivot in business.