Its been a while since the last newsletter, but a lot has happened in that time;  from a slowdown in the housing market, to me buggering off and backpacking around Europe, I can honestly say that there is so much opportunity out there, it seems a shame to waste it by going out to work everyday.

I normally say exactly what I want anyway - so here goes again.  And its this - if you're fed up of the rat race, of being a wage slave, of getting up at 7.30 am to sit in traffic for an hour on the way to work - then there is an alternative.

Its called entrepreneurialism.  And it comes in many, many forms.

Look, probably like you, I don't want to be rich beyond our dreams, I simply want to be able to do what I want when I want.  In the time since the last newsletter, I have travelled around Europe with nothing more than a backpack and a train ticket, seen the beautiful Lake Bled in Slovenia, travelled through the astounding  countryside of Austria on the way to Vienna, got drunk in a Beer Garden in Munich and admired the beautiful Cities of Prague, Venice and Rome.  I've seen the Berlin Wall and walked passed Hitlers bunker (which interestingly enough is now a car park).  On a much more meaningful level I've been incredibly moved at the German Prison of Dachau, and stood in stunned silence at the Vatican city and the Sistine Chapel.

Believe me, on journeys like this, you tend to get an idea of what you should be doing more of, and what you should be doing less off.

Also since the last newsletter, I have provided many one to one consultancies and met lots of people I wouldn't normally have the opportunity to meet.  The people I have done the consultancies for actually seem very much like me - they have an unfathomable spirit, and a drive that keeps them going, and a quiet confidence that if they keep persisting, they will succeed, despite what others say.  The best thing about this is that - its absolutely true. Persistence is the secret ingredient they never told you about at School, College or University and if you give up too soon, you might just miss the greatest idea you've ever had.

This newsletter is here to provide you with ideas that will allow you to escape from your current confines of work, allow you to break free from the traditional ideals of working hard, paying lots of tax, and being trapped in a job that you hate.  It is based around property, but that is not the only way forward.

You see, in the time since the last newsletter, I've started new businesses and taken on new staff.  One of the first things you realise about leaving work is that everybody else still does.  That structure that you have always had - of having somewhere to go everyday, is actually the thing that keeps your life in balance.  I soon found a need to replace that structure with something else - and that's exactly what I've done, but now on my terms, with my staff, and with my ideals.

The other businesses by the way can be found at www.thethinktankgroup.co.uk.

So what else has been going on ?  Well I now have my own column in Let's Go Lettings Newspaper in Yorkshire, sorted out an editorial in the Chamber Of Commerce local paper which goes out to 10,000 small businesses and finally, started up the First Wednesday Events again.

First Wednesday is targeted at property investors, and basically, we get together the First Wednesday of every month at a restaurant in Leeds and talk about property, deals, hints and tips - and pretty much anything else that seems to be of interest.  If you're interested in this - then email me@thethinktankgroup.co.uk.  All are welcome.

Newsletter format - the format has been changed so you can now view it on line rather than having to download a large attachment which can be annoying and some servers wont allow it.  You can print out each page if you decide to do so, just make sure you set the printer up to fit each page on a sheet of A4 (fit to size on your printer settings probably)

As usual, any feedback - email me at me@thethinktankgroup.co.uk.