In this interview Michelle Cairns talks to Rex Mackrill about the benefits of working with Tim Matcham and having him as a mentor
Michelle Cairns:
Hi, and welcome to our testimonial for Tim with Rex Mackrill.
Hi Rex.
Rex Mackrill:
Hi, Michelle. Pleasure to be here.
Michelle Cairns:
Great to have you on. And so let’s just start off by, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you met Tim and your background before you met him?
Rex Mackrill:
Yes, certainly. So my background, actually I’m an engineer and I started out in the aerospace industry, researching Spitfire and working with Eurofighter Typhoon, that’s now in service with the Royal Air Force. I then went and developed business in the Soviet Union, actually starting in 1990, just after the Berlin Wall came down. And got involved with mining equipment businesses and construction businesses across both Russia and Republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
Rex Mackrill:
Then I spent 10 years with Deloitte consulting and in the latter years became involved in property, really as an owner of a business where I had a property that needed some development. And became a little bit interested in property and wondering how that might work as a business opportunity. And I found myself coaching with clients and clients in the property business, and I came across Tim in that sector and Tim’s expertise at attracting armchair investors. But also his really engaging approach and really engaging personality attracted me to get closer and to work with him. So at that point I chose to work with him and he’s been able to coach me and that went in really interesting directions and perhaps unexpected directions.
Michelle Cairns:
And what was it about a mentor that you were looking for? Were you actively looking for a mentor before you had met Tim or did you just meet him and it evolved from there?
Rex Mackrill:
So I met him and it evolved from there. I’m always interested in my own development and invest heavily in my own development and in new directions. But I’m interested to experiment and this was really an experimentation. And it was under the banner of property, but in fact it has worked out in a different and very fruitful direction.
Michelle Cairns:
And what do you think are the key takeaways that you’ve got? Is it more about shifting your mindset or has it been more practical in terms of logistics around working with investors that you’ve found more useful?
Rex Mackrill:
Well, shifting mindset has been really powerful. What I found in my conversations with Tim was that it didn’t go particularly in the direction of investors and what happened was that my core business as a coach and consultant is something that we found ourselves talking about. And he was able to put me in touch with people who’ve been really helpful.
Rex Mackrill:
And that’s led me on the journey to create my own branding, which is the Business Distiller. And that’s something that I’m launching at this very moment. So we thought it was going to be about property, we thought it was going to be about investors and it may well yet be. But the way it really launched was in the direction that of the Business Distiller. And I think what was important about that was that Tim was really sensitive to that, really aware of what was really important for we. And it wasn’t the thing that we both first thought it was, but it was the thing that mattered. And he was able to help me with that.
Rex Mackrill:
And he, yes, has undoubtedly helped me with attracting investors. And indeed, as I say, that may well come to fruition. I’m doing things in that space as well. But what was interesting and unique about it was that it wasn’t constrained. So it wasn’t, this is the box, we’ve got to stay within the box. It was a case of a real understanding and then really putting in touch with people who have helped me, and with Tim’s work, helped me to see things in a different way. And that’s really exciting, that’s greatly exciting, creating something new and different to what we both expected.
Michelle Cairns:
Yeah, I think it sounds like it’s more than just the practical skills and specific strategies. It sounds like what you’re saying is you can apply those just across different areas of your life.
Rex Mackrill:
Indeed. Yes, yes, that’s right. So it’s a holistic conversation. So it’s not a case of here is a method and we’re going from A to B, whether or not you want to go from A to B. It’s a case of, well what is it that do you really need? What is it that you really need for your business? And completely tailored and bespoke, in that sense. And we experimented with some different things and they were great experiments. So we learned something, I learned something and we both learned something. And then some of those have been fruitful and some of them have been great experiments.
Michelle Cairns:
And how was it being a coach being coached by someone else?
Rex Mackrill:
Oh, wonderful. Yeah, really wonderful because Tim’s really engaging. And so he’s completely present. He was completely present for me in every conversation, in the place where I was, in the place where I am. But I always feel that with Tim in our conversation. And so to select Tim was a very natural thing. The interesting thing was that the results that we’ve had are not the thing that I thought was going to happen.
Michelle Cairns:
Yeah. And where do see your property business going at the moment? Are you exploring new avenues or just see what happens?
Rex Mackrill:
Indeed. Yeah. Looking at development at the moment. Looking at development sites. Working in partnerships. So another thing that came out was putting the right partnerships in place. So working in partnerships with people who have got a proven track record in development. And looking at opportunities with a really good understanding of what it is that needs to be successful and therefore what would be attractive to people to invest in. And we’ve got some that we’re looking at, at the moment. And also he was very helpful to me because we’re able to see ones that you don’t do. And so, for sure, that’s the important thing is all the ones you don’t do and then the one that you do do. And so we’re working on that now and we’ll see what comes out of it. So there is a clear property dimension and we’ll see what comes of that in the future.
Michelle Cairns:
Fantastic. Well, it’s great to hear that it’s been so useful and fruitful for you. And I’m sure we’d look forward to hearing more from you in the future on the other side of your property developments and wish you all the best with them.
Rex Mackrill:
Absolutely. Thank you very much, Michelle.
Michelle Cairns:
Thanks for your time, Rex.
Rex Mackrill:
That’s a pleasure. Take care.
Rex Mackrill can be contacted at rex@rexmackrill.com
And for anyone who is reading this, here’s a link to book a call with Tim https://www.attractarmchairinvestors.com/book-a-call
So click the link if you would like to find out more about working with Tim.
You can also download a free ebook titled How I raised £2.5 million and how you can too here
Tim also has an online course – Property Ambition