Owen observed the gap in global student accommodation and decided to venture into the industry, helping international students find the perfect home near their university. Dedicated to making higher education accessible, Best Student Halls offers safe and comfortable accommodation options, making the entire process seamless. Empowering students in the entire process, Owen Dixon is successfully bridging the gap in the student housing market.
The Beginning
We started the interview by asking, “How did you get started, and what led you to where you are today?”
Owen shared, “I first envisioned Best Student Halls when I was an undergrad student at Northumbria University. I had a lot of difficulty finding a safe and reliable student accommodation provider near my university. Many of my classmates, both domestic and international students, also struggled to find student halls with transparent pricing. A friend who pursued a semester exchange programme in Italy had similar complaints. He explained that there were limited options for students looking for short-term stays.
My classmates often said that while they aspired to study in the UK, finding accommodation was the most frustrating part of the experience. Stressful booking processes and slow responses from agents were common complaints. Many found it exhausting to sift through thousands of listings while comparing locations, prices, and amenities, only to end up with subpar rooms that didn’t reflect their efforts.
I often wondered why no one had launched a global accommodation marketplace to help international students find the perfect home near their university. It was then that the idea for Best Student Halls was born – a comprehensive platform where students could compare rooms and prices from several providers before making a booking. Little did I know that my contribution would impact the lives of millions of students today.”
Filling the Gaps: Accessible Accommodation for Students
We requested Owen Dixon to share more about his current role and the core services offered by his business.
He explained, “As the Founder and Managing Director of Best Student Halls, it is my mission to ensure higher education is accessible to all students, both domestic and international. I firmly believe that students’ academic success should not be hampered by the lack of quality accommodation. Best Student Halls combats the gaps in the market by partnering with verified accommodation providers to ensure students can find comfortable and safe rooms with all-inclusive bills. Our tech-based platform allows students to search and compare budget-friendly rooms near their university.
The company’s constantly ascending trajectory prompted us to expand our reach into new markets across the UK, Australia, and Europe. We now provide over 2 million beds in more than 250 cities worldwide. Students can choose from a myriad of rooms fitted with state-of-the-art amenities for an elevated living experience. Our free service guarantees safe and affordable accommodation at unbeatable prices. Student well-being is our top priority, so we ensure our clients find the best accommodation as they explore and study in a foreign country.”
Sharing about his recent additions, Owen even mentioned, “I recently introduced Best Student Stays, a tech-based platform for safe and affordable student housing. The business partners with a diverse range of housing providers that guarantee a comfortable stay for students on a budget. With Best Student Stays, we ensure that your budget is not an obstacle to your dreams. The platform allows students to customise their search and filter through Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), hostels, and shared flats. The company currently features 10,000 fully furnished rentals with a target of 50,000 across the globe by the end of 2025.”
Navigating through Challenges
We further inquired, “What challenges have you faced as a business leader, and how have you overcome them?”
“I have always enjoyed a challenge and prefer to face any obstacle with a solution-oriented mindset. This principle has carried me over many hurdles and has been instrumental in Best Student Halls’ success. In the company’s maiden year, one of the biggest challenges was building our database of high-end properties. Our recently launched platform needed to partner with well-established accommodation providers to ensure students would have the best rooms and facilities on the market.
Through sheer determination, I contacted and personally inspected several properties in the UK to guarantee the highest quality of accommodation for students. My efforts paid off as we soon partnered with the best in the industry and had over 100,000 rooms listed on our website after only a short period from the company’s inception,” he added.
Redefining Businesses with AI: Keeping Up with the Latest Trends
While technological advancements have transformed industries, we were interested to learn Owen Dixon’s perspective on the impact of AI and if there are any innovative practices he is implementing at the moment.
Owen explained, “Don’t let anyone tell you that your journey is complete once you have established your business. There is a constant race to evolve and stay up to date with the latest market trends. The recent boom in Artificial Intelligence has exerted its influence on the student accommodation sector as well. As a tech-based marketplace, Best Student Halls is constantly applying revolutionary new ways to ensure student accommodation is accessible to all. A recent development is the use of an automated messaging system that compiles personalised recommendations according to the student’s needs and budget.”
Envisioning the Future
We further asked, “What are your views on the future of the industry you’re associated with?”
He added, “I believe the student accommodation sector will flourish for many years to come. As a real estate company, we provide an essential service that significantly contributes to a student’s quality of life and university experience. The demand for higher education has always been high, and I believe our business model is an enduring part of the higher learning experience.”
Thriving as a Leader
Addressing the future leaders, we asked Owen Dixon, “What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs or leaders looking to make an impact in your industry?”
Owen responded, “During my tenure at Best Student Halls, I have coached many professionals who want to make an impact in the education and real estate industries. As any good mentor will tell you, grit and determination are necessary if you want to thrive as an entrepreneur. There will be many obstacles along the way, as a business leader your modus operandi should be perseverance towards solutions. Resilience and patience are key if you want to successfully launch and sustain a business.”
The Art of Balancing
We ended the session by asking, “How do you maintain a work-life balance while managing a business?”
“As you can imagine, a large portion of my time is geared towards the company’s success. Every day brings forth invigorating new opportunities and challenges. It can sometimes be hard to unplug from the excitement of it all. However, I make it a priority to spend any free time on personal development. Whether it is delving further into the latest market trends or networking with prominent business leaders, I invest my free time in exploring new ways to improve and grow both personally and professionally,” Owen shared.
Follow Owen Dixon on LinkedIn.
Find Best Student Halls on LinkedIn and visit their website https://www.beststudenthalls.com/
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