The UK property training industry is competitive, but one entrepreneur appears to be shifting the standard for mentoring and value. Samuel Leeds, founder of the Samuel Leeds Academy, has launched a model that offers unlimited one-to-one support to his students, a sharp contrast to rival firm Touchstone Education, whose mentorship structure and pricing have recently come under scrutiny.
Touchstone’s website lists its full academy package at £22,000, with promotional offers occasionally bringing it down to around £15,000. By comparison, the Samuel Leeds Academy charges £11,997 yet includes unlimited mentoring, a national support network, and hands-on deal guidance.
It is a difference that is quickly being noticed.
Mentoring: Twenty Minutes or Unlimited Access?
One of the biggest contrasts between the two companies lies in the support their students receive. Touchstone’s standard model reportedly offers around twenty minutes of one-to-one mentoring per month, while Leeds’ academy provides unlimited access to qualified mentors, accountants, solicitors, and finance experts.
“If someone invests thousands into their education, they should not be rationed to twenty minutes a month,” Leeds says.“When you join my academy, you can book mentoring calls whenever you need. Whether it is legal advice, deal structuring, or mindset, help is always available.”
Leeds’ approach has been praised by many former Touchstone clients who joined his academy and went on to succeed in property. Several have appeared on his long-running YouTube series Winners on a Wednesday, sharing how the extra mentoring time helped them complete deals and reach financial independence.
A Market Divided
Both companies promote property education as a pathway to wealth, but their methods and pricing reflect two distinct philosophies. Touchstone’s higher fees place it closer to the traditional seminar-style coaching model. Leeds’ academy operates more like a long-term mentorship community providing direct contact with experts and no upsells.
Leeds explains, “We do not sell extra programmes. Everything is included: mentoring, legal guidance, tax planning, networking, and live events. I even fund some of my students’ property projects personally through Samuel Leeds Finance. Many trainers pitch you to invest in their deals. I do the opposite, I invest in yours.”
Independent Data and Real Results
To verify the effectiveness of his academy, Leeds commissioned Survation, one of the UK’s most respected independent polling and research firms, trusted by organisations such as the BBC, The Telegraph, and leading universities. Survation’s findings were striking:
- 86% of graduates completed a property deal within their first year
- 43% completed a buy, refurbish, refinance project within that time
- 95% said they would recommend the academy to a friend
For full transparency, the complete Survation report is publicly available: Survation Samuel Leeds Academy Data.
An Open Challenge to the Industry
Leeds’ open approach and transparent results have reignited discussion across the training world. Earlier this year, he made a direct appeal to former Touchstone students, offering a full month at his academy for £1,000 fully refundable, an offer that drew widespread attention in the sector.
Many saw the move as a clever marketing challenge to the industry. “I am not here to attack anyone,” Leeds says. “I just think property education should offer real support. If you are charging people fifteen or twenty thousand pounds, give them what they paid for.”
As competition in the property education space grows, observers are now asking whether Touchstone and other companies will follow suit and increase the level of direct mentorship on offer.
A New Benchmark
Since founding his academy in 2016, Leeds has built a personal portfolio worth over £20 million, owns three boutique hotels, and recently funded a 64-bed hospital ward in Uganda. His training business continues to expand, and his model of unlimited mentorship and shared success is influencing how property coaching is viewed.
For now, Touchstone remains silent on whether it will match Leeds’ mentoring model or adjust its pricing structure. But the question many in the industry are asking is clear:
Will other property trainers rise to the challenge, or has Samuel Leeds already set a new benchmark for value and results in property education?