Gen Z often receives an unfair label as being lazy or unwilling to work – in comparison to previous generations taking pride in the “grind”.
One young couple is hitting back at this stereotype, having launched their own property empire despite being just 25 years old.
Olivia Maher and Joe Duggan met while working regular 9-5 jobs as complaints handlers in a Liverpool bank.
As fate would have it, they both lost their jobs due to lay-offs but insist it’s the best thing that could have happened.
Having scraped together £15,000 in savings, they took their cash and stepped onto the property ladder, launching their own business: Cosi Living.
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Olivia and Joe used a ‘rent-for-rent’ method – striking a deal with busy landlords to renovate their rundown homes and pay a low monthly rent.
Then, the pair rent it out to third parties, with permission, at a higher price – which is how they make their profit.
“We have sacrificed a lot and put in hard work to get to where we are,” Olivia, from Liverpool, told AbsolutelyBusiness.com.
“Instead of going for nights out, we’d spent our time renovating homes, going from one to the next, putting our all into it.
“Looking back now, I don’t know how we did it at the start.
“We were exhausted on most days, working from 6am until midnight.
“But I’m glad we’ve done this ourselves.
“Don’t let age stop you.”
When Olivia and Joe first started Cosi Living, they were living in Joe’s mum’s house to save money.
In 2024, they have 266 rooms across 45 properties in their portfolio and typically spend between £5,000 and £15,000 per renovation.
She said: “Now, we’re able to pay tradespeople to do these things for us, as we factor these costs into the deals.
“The beauty for the landlord is that they have now gone from having a run-down property, receiving no monthly income but still paying for bills, to a freshly-renovated property.
“As well as a guaranteed amount each and every month for the next five to seven years, and all the bills covered by ourselves.
“It’s such a humbling and rewarding feeling when we have done a renovation, and everything we promised the landlord we would do, we have done all of that, and more.”
To add to the pair’s impressive feat, they have won Best Master Lease Operator at the HMO Awards, after just two years of trading.
Olivia added: “We have grown organically – from being just us to having two full-time portfolio managers, an amazing office, our own branded company car, branded to-let boards, and the best company ever – built from the ground up.
“With any business, there are always challenges, but one of our mottos is ‘solutions not problems’
“There are so many people who say ‘I couldn’t work with my partner’, but we know no different.
“And the fact we both own the company and have so much passion for it, achieving our business/life goals together is the best.
“Just just go for it and don’t get sidetracked by other things.”
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