Liv Cooke's winning goals

From being a football world champion to setting new goals in property, Leyland’s Liv Cooke is redefining winning in life.

The former top level freestyle footballer has swapped sport for real estate - and this year, she’ll be stepping onto a new pitch as an Angel Investor on the Amazon TV programme Property Elevator.

The show hits our screens in the autumn and Liv will be offering aspiring property entrepreneurs the opportunity to get their deals funded.

Despite some initial nerves about appearing, it was too good an opportunity to turn down.

She says: “I said no at first, and that’s because I saw the panel and I understood the magnitude of the show, and my instinct was. ‘oh, my gosh, I don’t feel qualified enough.’

“They convinced me and gave me the confidence I needed to tell me, ‘No, you are absolutely qualified. Look at what you’ve built’ and now I’m so excited.”

Liv adds: “I’m only 26. I’m a young woman in this industry but when I look at the metrics going from zero to £75m in a few years, that’s probably better than these developers that I’m sitting next to.

“When I step back, I do deserve to be on this panel and I’ll let my work do the talking.”

Liv’s path in property saw her losing £80,000 in her first house of multiple occupation (HMO) and was part of her learning curve which propelled her to success.

She says: “Back then that was a loss I couldn’t really afford to take but it’s where the game switched for me.

“This isn’t a bit of Sunday League football and I needed to learn it and master it. I did and we’re probably one of the biggest HMO developers in the country.

“HMOs solve a big problem in this country as you look at the supply and demand of property and we cannot keep up.

“They’re great assets and are very much needed. With the cost-of-living crisis people just can’t afford homes, especially young people starting out in the workforce.”

Liv says that her business journey evolved from her sporting career. She is a former freestyle football world champion, a world record holder, a BBC sports presenter and global ambassador for UEFA.

She says of her sporting life: “I really learned discipline and handling pressure  and the importance of repetition. But sport has a shelf life and I think that’s the bit no one really prepares athletes for.

“I was also making some decent money in the social media world, and I thought this isn’t going to last forever. My body, my asset, will not be able to do this my whole life.

“I needed to start securing my financial future and I thought ‘what better way than getting into property’, as everyone needs a house.”

She adds: “Being a young woman in property hasn’t always been easy as you’re often underestimated before you even speak and you soon learn to let your work do the talking.”

Liv says times are changing for women trying to reach top roles in business and has some advice for them. “Do it now. You’ve got to stop thinking and just take action. Nothing happens unless you take action."