My BE Career: Tadhg Flanagan

Name: Tadhg Flanagan

Job title: Director at Spaceflex.London and Breezblok

What I do: I run flexible office businesses in London.

Why I got into the property industry: By chance. I come from an operations and customer service background, but I applied for a role as a regional operations manager at a large serviced office business and caught the bug. I worked with asset managers and landlords, and eventually thought, “feck it, I’ll start my own operation.”

How I did it: I learned on the job – made mistakes, learned from them and kept going. Now I’m called a property veteran. My biggest takeaway is that we learn by doing, reflecting and trying to do better next time.

My first proper job: Post office counter clerk with Royal Mail.

My first big break: Joining Aer Lingus at Heathrow Airport in 1990. It was a great company with lovely people and plenty of craic. I learned loads and was given lots of opportunities to grow and develop.

My inspiration(s): I’ve never really had any to be honest. But as I get older and watch my daughter and son carve their own paths, I find myself drawing inspiration from them.

The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Starting my own businesses from scratch at the age of 50. In the beginning, you don’t have a built-in team – you do everything yourself: cleaning toilets, showing clients around and sitting in the boardroom with landlords. Eventually, you build the team.

My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: I’m Mr Average in most respects and I’m happy to admit that – it motivates me to work harder to succeed. The one above-average thing I’ve done (apart from helping raise two amazing children) is run the London Marathon in under three hours. It’s my proudest personal achievement and I shamelessly shoehorn it into any conversation I can!

The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it’s a closed shop, only open to those with connections or money. In reality, it takes determination and graft.

My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I’d change: The lack of customer service drives me mad! There’s this irrational fear of delivering genuine, decent service to tenants, clients and customers.

Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: I’ve been very fortunate to have always been treated fairly in my career. As a white, straight male, I recognise I’ve benefited from certain advantages. So I believe it’s only fair that everyone should get the same chance I did.

Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: Happy, healthy and thriving.

Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Honestly, I’d prefer to share a meal with friends I already know and enjoy spending time with, rather than any celebrity or famous person.

What I do in my downtime: Running and the gym – there’s a bit of Forrest Gump in me!

The job I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this: Something in frontline customer service.

My advice for someone just starting out: Be true to yourself and trust your gut.

My motto/mantra: There’s always more to be revealed.