From carpentry apprentice to property entrepreneur - how an MBA helped Phil Baily build his own future
A student case study with Phil Baily
Average read time: 8 mins
19 October 2026
After two decades delivering housing developments across London, Phil Baily had reached a crossroads in his career.
He wanted to start his own property development and consultancy businesses, but knew there were gaps in his knowledge.
He explains how an MBA at the University of the Built Environment helped him turn a long-held ambition into reality.
A career in carpentry came to an abrupt end for a young Phil Baily when he accidentally cut through his arm with a circular saw.
Despite the gruesome injury, it proved to be the catalyst for him to acknowledge that carpentry wasn’t the career for him.
“I didn't have the patience for carpentry or the sort of intricate skill,” he said. “Then I cut through my arm, so I was like, right, I need to go down a different route here.”
More than two decades later, Phil, 39, from St Albans is a first-class honours graduate in Construction Management and has built a successful career in residential development, helping to deliver thousands of homes across London.
"The fact that it's online and I was able to do it at my own pace, sometimes during the day, sometimes in the evening, was very attractive to me.”
He has held senior positions with some of the industry's best-known developers including London Square and St James, and, in January 2026, fulfilled his ambition of establishing his own businesses, Elizabeth Homes and Baily Consult.
He also returned to education, completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with the University of the Built Environment, which provided the knowledge and confidence to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions.
“I've always wanted to have my own business,” he said. “That was always the dream and the goal for me, so it was just working out how I was going to do that.”
Why Phil chose an MBA in the built environment
Although he had extensive technical and management experience, he wanted to develop his commercial knowledge and gain a better understanding of the financial and strategic decisions involved in running a business.
An MBA seemed the logical next step, but choosing a programme specialising in the built environment was particularly important.
“The MBA with the University of the Built Environment was attractive because the university was a specialist in property and construction,” he said.
Phil was particularly interested in the Investment Appraisal and Portfolio Analysis module, which examined how commercial real estate investments are evaluated, alongside Planning and Development.
“Whilst I worked closely with the planning and development team at London Square and St James, I wanted a deeper grounding in the subject.”
A fully online MBA programme
The programme's online delivery was another attraction. With a demanding full-time job and two young sons, Phil needed a qualification that would fit around his professional and family commitments.
“The fact that it's online and I was able to do it at my own pace, sometimes during the day, sometimes in the evening, was very attractive to me.”
Turning MBA research into a business venture
Perhaps the most significant aspect of Phil's MBA was the opportunity to use his research project to investigate something directly relevant to his future.
Rather than examining a hypothetical business problem, he explored the most viable funding and delivery strategies available to small and medium-sized property developers seeking to address the UK's housing shortage.
It meant researching the very challenges he would need to overcome to establish Elizabeth Homes.
“There were definitely parts of the leadership module and the finance module that really helped me,” he said. “Using those skills I learnt in the first year in the more usual MBA-related topics helped me with the research project.
“Essentially, it was me researching the best strategies I could employ to start this business.”
Alongside Elizabeth Homes, he has established Baily Consult, advising clients on investment decisions, development opportunities and challenging sites.
His MBA studies have proved particularly useful in this second venture.
“The Investment Appraisal and Portfolio Analysis module gave me the grounding in commercial real estate analysis that allows me to help people and clients with their investments,” he said.
Balancing work, family and online study
Having previously completed his undergraduate degree part-time, Phil was familiar with the demands of studying alongside a career.
An early riser, he would often arrive at the office by 7am or 7.30am, taking advantage of quieter periods to complete his weekly learning activities. Recorded lectures also allowed him to study when it suited him.
Weekends were generally reserved for assignments, although he found ways to make the experience enjoyable.
“With the actual coursework itself, that was generally me on a Saturday and Sunday morning, going off to the local Gail's or something and sitting there and working for the morning.”
And the prospect of a decent breakfast helped. He said: “If you're going to be working hard like that, you might as well treat yourself a little bit at the same time!”
Why understanding the bigger picture matters
Having worked across several areas of residential development, Phil believes one of the industry's weaknesses is the tendency for professionals to concentrate too narrowly on their own specialisms.
“I think there's far too many people in a silo in their jobs, and I don't think businesses in general do a good enough job of giving people the bigger picture,” he said.
“If you've got staff that understand the overarching bigger picture better, then I think that would help organisations and individuals so much better.”
He believes an MBA can offer that broader perspective to professionals across construction, property development, investment and the wider built environment.
And what advice would he offer someone considering an MBA but questioning whether it would make a difference to their career?
“I would say do it. You never know what's going to come of it. You never know what you're going to learn.”
For the former carpentry apprentice who once wondered where his career might take him, the journey has already been considerable. And with two businesses now occupying his attention, there is plenty more to come.
Take the next step in your career
Whether you're looking to progress into senior management, strengthen your commercial expertise or establish your own business, the University of the Built Environment's online MBA is designed for professionals working across property, construction and the wider built environment.