Adam Oliver
At PeopleDem property we believe in celebrating our community by spotlighting black excellence in property. Today we are celebrating Adam Oliver.
Adam is a property investor and HR professional with over a decade of experience in human resources, specialising in redundancy and reorganisations. Alongside his corporate career, he has nearly ten years of experience in property, using multiple investment strategies including serviced accommodation and rent-to-rent. Outside of his full-time work and property business, Adam is also a content creator. He produces engaging reels on Instagram and TikTok designed to add value, entertain, excite, or amuse audiences, and has previously managed social media for Europe’s largest Black literature festival. Every Sunday night, Adam hosts a live property discussion on Instagram with his close friend Remell James, where they interview business owners and property professionals. Running consistently since March 2024, they have never missed a single Sunday, regardless of life’s challenges or celebrations.
Adam’s achievements are significant, but he is quick to acknowledge that he did not reach this point alone. When asked who helped him get to where he is today, he shared, “First and foremost, I would not be where I am today without the grace of God.” His life has been shaped by many trials, largely due to a hereditary condition he has lived with since birth: sickle cell anaemia. This blood disorder affects red blood cells, causing them to become crescent-shaped and less efficient at carrying oxygen, which makes him more susceptible to infections and excruciating pain episodes known as sickle cell crises. Adam has endured countless crises over his lifetime. He credits his survival and resilience to the unwavering support of his parents, who were married for 42 years until his mother sadly passed away in May 2024. He shares a strong bond with his father, whom he describes as the steady rock of the family, and feels deeply blessed to have grown up in such a loving and supportive environment. Beyond family, Adam also attributes much of his business growth to the mentorship he received through Samuel Leeds and the Academy community, which he refers to as his “Academy family.” Over the past two years, the people he has connected with there have inspired him to believe that anything is possible with self-belief and hard work, fundamentally shifting his mindset.
Adam’s interest in property began long before joining the Academy. He has always been drawn to the transformation potential of property, particularly the process of taking something run down and turning it into something beautiful. Shows like Homes Under the Hammer inspired him, as did his belief that property remains one of the safest and strongest investment vehicles. He purchased his first property in 2016 and renovated it, but it was after the pandemic that he became more focused on property as a business. In July 2023, he attended a Samuel Leeds £1 crash course, joined the Academy in October 2023, and has not looked back since. Today, Adam manages three serviced accommodation units, with another currently going through contracts. One of these is his own home, which he renovated and has operated as serviced accommodation for the past eight years, having started in April 2018 after completing bathroom renovations. In addition, he controls two rent-to-rent properties, one in Solihull, Birmingham, and the other in Smethwick. He self-manages both successfully, achieving 100% occupancy in one and 83% occupancy in the other since taking them on.
Deeply motivated and people-focused, Adam’s passion lies in helping others. When asked what drives him, he said, “I love to help people. It gives me energy to be there and support people in the moments that matter.” This is what led him into HR, where he aims to positively influence a critical part of the employment lifecycle. Having seen how impactful HR experiences can be, both good and bad, he is committed to improving those experiences wherever possible. This desire to support others extends beyond his profession; Adam loves connecting with people, networking, and learning from individuals of all backgrounds. He believes everyone has something to teach us and is continually motivated by the opportunity to learn from others.
Balancing a demanding corporate career with a growing property portfolio is no small achievement, and when asked what his superpower is, Adam gave a powerful answer “Definitely my sickle cell anaemia.” He explains that living with the condition has given him exceptional determination, courage, and resilience. He has come back from the brink of death on multiple occasions and, after repeated hospital admissions, has had to relearn basic tasks many people take for granted, such as walking, cooking, and caring for himself. These experiences have given him a strong sense of perspective and reinforced his belief that sickle cell is not a limitation but a source of strength. While he has never used the condition as a crutch, in the past decade he has become more open about sharing his story, stating, “It is my purpose and definitely my superpower.”
Despite being one of his greatest strengths, sickle cell has brought immense challenges throughout Adam’s life. At just 18 months old, he suffered from meningitis and septicaemia. His lung collapsed at the age of seven and again at eleven, requiring intensive care and breathing machines, with doctors warning his family that he might not survive. Between the ages of 11 and 19, Adam received regular blood transfusions, and after coming off them at 19, he experienced 16 separate hospital admissions within a single year. Adam believes his story needs to be told and is currently in the early stages of creating something that will raise awareness and educate people about sickle cell. His aim is to inspire others living with the condition, demonstrate that incredible achievements are still possible, and help people understand how the sickle cell trait can be passed on and its potential impacts.
Looking to the future, Adam has a clear vision rooted in purpose rather than purely financial success. While he believes he will reach a point where money is no longer a concern, his true goal is to inspire and positively impact the lives of those he encounters. He wants to leave behind a meaningful legacy, one that reflects kindness, love, inspiration, and the nurturing of God-given gifts, much like the legacy left by his mother. As part of this journey, Adam is also writing a book titled Living with Sickle Cell, a deeply personal account of growing up as a young Black man living with the condition. In the longer term, he envisions financial independence, the freedom to choose where he lives and works whether that be the UK, Jamaica, Dubai, or another warm climate and ownership of a strong property portfolio both in the UK and overseas. He also sees a future with a loving wife and children, while continuing to live with gratitude for the small, priceless moments in life: shared smiles, morning sunrises, and the simple beauty we often overlook.
For those interested in supporting Adam’s ambitions, he is actively seeking investors who want to work with him on property projects in exchange for fixed returns that outperform traditional banking options, alongside the opportunity to understand the full investment journey end to end. His focus is on buying properties, refurbishing them, refinancing to recycle capital, and holding them for cash flow and long-term appreciation. He is also open to connecting with service providers such as content creators, virtual assistants, and deal sourcers to help scale his business, as well as sourcing BRRR deals for his own investment. Adam has successfully raised finance through investors and plans to continue building his portfolio through mutually beneficial partnerships. Anyone interested in working with him or learning more is encouraged to get in touch via Instagram.
When asked to share an achievement he is particularly proud of, Adam highlighted being invited to speak on stage at the Birmingham Black Business Show. Being recognised in this way confirmed to him that he is moving in the right direction, and the moment was made even more meaningful by the presence of his family. He shared that it was an emotional experience, knowing that if his mother were still here, she would have been front and centre cheering him on. Her belief in him from the very start of his business journey continues to motivate him to keep going, making that moment stand out among many proud achievements.
Adam’s story is inspiring not only because of his career success or growing property portfolio, but also because of his resilience, purpose, and commitment to raising awareness about sickle cell. As he continues to build, give back, and share his story, there is no doubt that his impact will extend far beyond property, and many will be inspired by both his journey and his message.
