The next in person Derby Property Meet event takes place on Wednesday 8th July 2026 at 7.00pm

(Networking from 6pm) at Nelsons Solicitors in Derby.

Nelson Solicitors, Stern House, Lodge Lane, Derby. DE1 3WD.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.

Alex Whitelaw

From Construction Leadership to AI Consultant.
Our guest speaker on🌟 Wednesday 8th July, Alex Whitelaw, has done just that!!

After spending more than 25 across construction, from building houses to technical commercial contracts, there isn’t anything Alex hasn’t built.
He now helps business owners harness the power of AI and intelligent automation.
Through his work with Nexus Mind AI and Evergreen Growth Hub, Alex works with companies to streamline operations, improve decision making, automate repetitive tasks and unlock new opportunities for growth.
At Derby Property Meet, Alex will be demonstrating practical AI tools that property investors can start using immediately to:
🌟 Analyse property deals faster
🌟 Cost refurbishment projects more efficiently
🌟 Create property marketing content in minutes
🌟 Improve property management processes
🌟 Prepare investor information packs
🌟 Save hours every week through AI automation
This is a fantastic opportunity to see real world AI applications that can help you work smarter, save time and scale.

The next in person Derby Property Meet event takes place on Wednesday 10th June 2026 at 7.30pm

(Networking from 7pm) at Nelsons Solicitors in Derby.

Nelson Solicitors, Stern House, Lodge Lane, Derby. DE1 3WD.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.

James Lovell

James Lovell-Smith is the Founder and Director of Lovellets Properties Limited and a NAPSA-accredited Portfolio Builder operating across Sheffield, Chesterfield, and Derby. A former secondary school History teacher of 12 years turned investor, James began his own property journey in 2016 purchasing a 3-bed BTL for £150,000 which now generates over £14,000 annually in income and is worth over £240,000. He now helps time-poor professionals and executives build long-term, property portfolios. Known as the “The Teacher Landlord,” James brings a calm, professional approach to property investment with an emphasis on transparency and compliance in a ‘Cowboy’ sector; cutting through the noise with straightforward analysis, honest numbers, and a focus on sensible, sustainable returns.

Dawn Deakin

Dawn Deakin from Derby City Council will be joining us on Wednesday 10th June to share insights into the work undertaken by the Housing Standards Team, she will also provide a useful update on Article 4 and where landlords and agents should now be with the introduction of the Renters Rights Act. Dawn will also provide an update on the grant-funded Safer Renting Derby Project, where Derby City Council has worked proactively across three of the city’s most deprived wards to tackle poor landlord compliance and improve housing standards.

Dawn Deakin is the Service Manager for the Housing Standards Team at Derby City Council. She joined Derby City Council in 1993 after beginning her career in the NHS and later qualified as an Environmental Health Officer through an MSc in Environmental Health sponsored by the Council.

With over 30 years’ experience across Environmental Health, Occupational Health & Safety, and Housing Standards, Dawn leads a team of officers and is passionate about supporting good landlords while ensuring non-compliant landlords are held accountable through robust enforcement action.

The next in person Derby Property Meet event takes place on Wednesday 13th May 2026 at 7pm

(networking from 6pm) at Nelsons Solicitors in Derby.

Nelson Solicitors, Stern House, Lodge Lane, Derby. DE1 3WD.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.

Luke Bilson

This month, we’re diving into one of the hottest questions in today’s market…

💬 “Flipping property – is it still as profitable?”

Joining us to break it all down is Luke Bilson, a highly experienced property professional based in Derbyshire, bringing over 16 years in residential property — but this isn’t just theory.

Luke has actually done the deals.

🏡 From starting out with property flips
📈 To building a diverse portfolio including HMOs
🏗️ And now working on multi-unit title splits & commercial-to-residential conversions

He’s currently progressing:
✔️ Three barn conversions in Ashbourne
✔️ Another exciting barn project near Belper

His experience spans working with leading agencies such as Savills and Fine & Country, alongside building his own successful property investment projects — giving him a well-rounded, commercially sharp perspective on today’s market.

👉 If you’ve ever wondered whether flipping still stacks up in today’s market — this is a session you don’t want to miss.

🎟️ Expect honest insights, practical takeaways, and plenty of opportunity to connect with other investors in the room.

Fatma Abidi

From Corporate Engineering to Full-Time Property Investor

With over 10 years of experience in engineering across multiple industries, Fatma first ventured into property investment as a side hustle while living in Paris. What began as a small project gradually developed into a full-time property business, which continued to expand after her move to the UK.

Today, she is a full-time property investor with a growing £2.5 million portfolio of BTLs and HMOs, and has successfully raised over £750,000 in investor finance.

In this talk, she shares her journey from the corporate world into property investing, along with the key lessons, challenges, and opportunities she encountered along the way.

The next in person Derby Property Meet event takes place on Wednesday 8th April 2026 at 7pm (networking from 6pm) at Nelsons Solicitors in Derby.

Nelson Solicitors, Stern House, Lodge Lane, Derby. DE1 3WD.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.

Sam Bastow

Sam Bastow is a property developer and investor based in Evesham, Worcestershire, specialising in finding land and unloved properties across the West Midlands and adding value through planning uplift, conversion, and refurbishment.
His latest project involved converting a three-storey Grade II listed building into a mixed-use investment, creating a one-bedroom flat behind the shop while retaining the existing tenants upstairs. The fully occupied building now delivers a 9% yield.
In his talk, Sam will share his Four F Property Development System – Find, Fund, Form and Flog, a simple framework he believes contains the four key elements needed to succeed in property, illustrated through a real case study from his latest project.

Chris Bell

Japanese Knotweed has a reputation for scaring property investors, lenders, and buyers. But like many things in property, fear often comes from misunderstanding. When you know what it is, how it’s managed, and how lenders view it, it can actually present an opportunity. 
Chris will explain why Knotweed isn’t something to panic about, what solutions exist, and how informed investors can sometimes secure property below market value when others walk away.

The next in person Derby Property Meet event takes place on Wednesday 11h March 2026 at 7pm (networking from 6pm) at Nelsons Solicitors in Derby.

Nelson Solicitors, Stern House, Lodge Lane, Derby. DE1 3WD.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.

Mark Shaw – The Lifestyle Investor

What if you could build a substantial property portfolio… without huge deposits, without complicated structures, and without being tied to a desk?

Mark is a self-proclaimed “Lifestyle Investor” — building wealth in property using creative acquisition strategies, negotiated directly from his laptop.With over 20 years building and operating Estate & Lettings Agencies and more than 25 years actively investing,

Mark’s knowledge hasn’t come from theory — it’s come from real deals, in real markets, negotiating with agents, vendors, landlords, buyers, contractors, and investors.Today, his portfolio exceeds 90+ individual properties, including:Residential property, Commercial units, HMOs, LandBlocks of flats and a hotel

And here’s the part that turns heads…

Many of these properties were secured using LOW MONEY DOWN strategies, with negotiations handled through proven email templates — straight from his laptop.

Mark is now financially free and officially “retired” — yet remains highly active in the market as both an investor and mentor. He runs the Lifestyle Investor Mastermind Programme twice a year, helping others replicate his blueprint.

Reshma Thakore – Sitefindr

Reshma Thakore is the Co-Founder of Sitefindr — the pioneering marketplace connecting qualified property deals with serious investors.

Sitefindr is transforming how deal sourcers and investors work together, streamlining deal qualification, investor matching, sourcing compliance, and sales progression — all in one ecosystem.

With 11+ years as a multi-award-winning estate agency owner in South London, Reshma brings deep, real-world expertise in residential transactions — backed by successful property projects of her own.

In her session, you’ll discover:

• How to create a consistent income stream from deal sourcing
• How to purchase more deals, faster and more efficiently
• How to unlock new opportunities in today’s property market

Reshma’s mission is simple: help property professionals scale smarter and succeed faster.

If you want to work sharper, source better, and close more — this is a talk you won’t want to miss.

Click the link below to book now to secure your place at the upcoming event.