A SAVVY teenager who used to work in a call centre is now running a £2million business years later and has become a TV star.
Colin Horton, from Essex, went from zero to hero when he set out to carve a niche within the property industry.
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The now 34-year-old is currently starring in Channel 4’s new show, Selling Super Houses, a reality TV series that follows aspiring estate agents who will demonstrate their skills to earn the privilege of selling high-end properties.
When Colin left school at age 18, he started working in a customer service call centre for a bank.
He said: “This was a bit of a dead-end job, and I was earning £14,000.
“But back then, in my late teens, I had very little belief in myself.”
Despite these humble beginnings, the savvy youngster was determined to strive for bigger and better things.
“My dad left when I was four, so I was raised by my mum Vanda on her own,” he said.
“I’ve never blamed dad for leaving, but I did miss having a male icon in my life.
“As a result, my mum kind of became my icon – and remains so today.
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“Despite having little money growing up, mum gave up everything to make sure my sisters Melanie and Holly and I were safe, fed and loved.”
Colin said the family had to be really careful with food shopping, making £5 feed all four of them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
They also never went on holiday as a family, and often had to live in properties that were poorly managed by landlords.
Yet, thanks to a nudge in the right direction, Colin left the call centre after ten months in the job and went off to study.
“My friends managed to persuade me to go to the University of Portsmouth,” he said.
“I graduated three years later in 2011 with a degree in Property Development, Design and Marketing.”
After graduating, Colin managed to land a job in asset management in Essex, working for Regis Group – one of the largest freeholders in the country.
He rose to become head of asset management before leaving to go it alone in 2017.
While it was a difficult decision, Colin said he knew he had to go solo to follow his dreams and goals.
“Coming from a broken family and challenging childhood, I wanted to do something more with my life,” he said.
“I had a real drive to achieve, and was prepared to work really hard to get to where I wanted to go.”
He now co-owns an award-winning surveying and valuation firm, Project & Co, where he’s the commercial director.
The company turns over £2million a year.
He also co-owns leasehold valuation firm Hortons Group, where he’s the managing director.
So far in his career while working at his two firms, Colin has handled more than 5,000 lease extensions, valued more than £4billion worth of property, and won a host of awards within the surveying industry.
He’s also making moves by snapping up properties himself.
“I own five properties [worth a collective £700,000] with my business partner as well as a home of my own [worth £500,000],” said Colin.
“I worked so hard to get where I am, and feel so grateful that it all paid off.”
The successful businessman is also the host of a property networking group and recently organised an event with 300 paying guests.
“I was really proud of this achievement,” he said.
“When I first entered the industry, I felt so nervous and inferior, it was my aim to prevent others from feeling that way.
“That’s why I launched my event business, Proparty, to bring people together from different backgrounds and create an environment that makes networking fun and easy.”
Colin now hopes to host more events like this going forward.
He said: “I want to make the Property event in spring 2024 even bigger.
“I’d love it if we could sell more than 700 tickets for the next one.”
In addition, Colin has his own podcast series, Candid. This was once voted number 11 in the podcast charts.
The property aficionado now invests his money – mostly in property.
“I’m really careful about putting money away, as I want to build a secure future both for me and for my family,” he said.
“Everything I do is for mum. In fact, she’s a tenant in one of my flats.”
At the same time, Colin also enjoys spending his hard-earned cash.
He loves sports cars and drives the new Lotus Emira and a Range Rover SVR.
He also has a luxury watch collection stored away, and is helping his sisters buy their homes.
How easy was it getting to where you are now?
Colin puts his success down to hard graft – and a big dose of charm.
“I’m a happy-go-lucky guy, but I’ve also had to work really hard to get here,” he said.
“I want to inspire young people in showing them that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.”
You can do it too
The entrepreneur shared his top three secrets to success.
“Be kind and nice to everyone,” he said.
“You’ll be surprised how much more you can achieve by treating people with respect.”
He also advises keeping fit, both mentally and physically.
“Running a business is hard, and even more difficult if your mind and body aren’t in a good place,” he said.
“And finally, never expect anything from anyone. Business can be very dog-eat-dog.”
