Yorkshire entrepreneur built £4.1bn HomeServe from £50,000 investment

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

Sir Richard Harpin, founder of HomeServe, shared his business journey at the York Business Festival after selling the company for £4.1 billion in 2023.

Sir Richard Harpin, founder of HomeServe, headlined the second day of the York Business Festival at York St John University, sharing the story of how he built his company into a £4.1 billion business. Harpin co-founded HomeServe with an initial investment of £50,000 after graduating from the University of York and working for Procter & Gamble. The company, which began as a simple idea to make home repairs easier and more reliable for customers, grew into a global business serving millions of people.

Harpin's entrepreneurial journey began as a teenager when he built and sold a fly-fishing tackle business, using the proceeds to help fund his first car and contribute towards his first home. His business experiences formed the basis of his bestselling book, 'How to Make a Billion in Nine Steps'. In 2023, HomeServe was sold in a deal worth £4.1 billion, cementing Harpin's place among the UK's most successful entrepreneurs.

Addressing business leaders and professionals at the festival, Harpin emphasised the importance of discipline, continuous learning and applying practical principles consistently over time, rather than focusing on a single breakthrough moment. His keynote address offered practical lessons for business owners and aspiring leaders from across York and North Yorkshire.

How it is being reported

• How Yorkshire entrepreneur went from £50,000 investment to £4.1bn businessSir Richard Harpin, one of Yorkshire’s most successful entrepreneurs, shared the remarkable story behind building a £4.1 billion international company.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 23 Oct, 05:00
• How Yorkshire entrepreneur went from £50,000 investment to £4.1bn businessSir Richard Harpin, one of Yorkshire’s most successful entrepreneurs, shared the remarkable story behind building a £4.1 billion international company.York Press · 23 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Sir Richard Harpin · HomeServe · York · University of York · Yorkshire · Procter & Gamble

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem