I'm Manchester born and raised. And if you'd told me ten years ago that I'd end up founding a commercial property business, I probably would have laughed.
But here's the thing about career paths — they rarely make sense until you look back.
My first proper job was in tech. I joined AppLearn, a software adoption platform based in The Sharp Project — Manchester's very first digital hub. It was scrappy, ambitious, and exactly where I wanted to be.
I was there as the company raised $25 million and scaled from 10 to 100 people. I watched a small team turn into something real. And I learned what growth actually feels like from the inside — the excitement, the chaos, and the hundred decisions you have to get right along the way.
One of those decisions that stuck with me? Workspace.
When you're scaling that fast, your office isn't just somewhere people sit. It shapes your culture. It affects who you can hire. It determines whether people actually want to show up and collaborate — or whether they'd rather work from their kitchen table. I saw how much it mattered, and I filed that away.
After my time in tech, I made what looked like a sharp left turn — into commercial property. I joined OBI, advising tenants on their workspace strategy.
But honestly, it wasn't really a change of direction. It was the missing piece.
Because now I was seeing the other side of everything I'd experienced at AppLearn. I understood what scaling businesses actually needed from their workspace. And I could see, very clearly, that the industry wasn't set up to give it to them.
Most office brokers work for both landlords and tenants. They're trying to fill space while also claiming to represent the people looking for it. The conflict of interest is baked in. And tenants — especially fast-growth companies making high-stakes decisions — often end up without anyone truly in their corner.
That's where I saw the gap.
In February 2022, I founded Level.
The idea was simple: flip the model. Work only for tenants. No landlord contracts, no spaces to fill, no divided loyalty. Just honest advice for businesses trying to find the right workspace.
I'd spent years watching founders and operators struggle with this. I knew from my tech days how much the decision mattered. And I knew from my property experience exactly where the system was failing them.
Level was my answer.
I don't talk about this much, but 2020 was a good year for external validation. I was named in Manchester's 30 Under 30, won MIMA Business Development Professional of the Year, and picked up the MYTA Property Professional of the Year award.
Those things were nice. But what actually drives me is simpler: I love working with ambitious businesses. I understand what it's like to be inside one, trying to grow and make smart decisions under pressure. And I genuinely believe that where you work matters — for culture, for hiring, for how your team feels when they walk through the door.
My background in tech means I think like a founder. My experience in property means I know how the industry works and where the leverage is. Combining those two things is what makes Level different — and it's what makes this work feel like exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.
I built Level for high-growth firms — the kind of businesses I used to be part of. Companies that are scaling, hiring, and trying to build something that lasts. The workspace decision is a bigger deal than most people realise, and I want to make sure those companies have someone in their corner who actually gets it.
If that sounds like you, I'd love to chat. And if you're not there yet — no pressure. I'm not the pushy type. Never have been.
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