FOUNDER #21. £4 Billion Exit for British Entrepreneur - Richard Harpin

About this episode

<p>If you're a Founder and would like to come on the podcast, then you can apply on the link here 👉 <a href="https://dodgewoodall.com/guest" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://dodgewoodall.com/guest</a></p><br><p><strong>Richard Harpin</strong> reflects on the journey of building HomeServe from a struggling startup into a multi-billion-pound business - a story shaped by risk, resilience, and relentless belief. From nearly going bust in the early days to transforming a simple plumbing emergency service into a global home assistance giant, he opens up about the pressure, pivots, and hard-won decisions that defined the ride.</p><p>He shares the reality behind scaling a company over three decades - making painful mistakes, giving away equity to survive, almost running out of money more than once, and learning when to back people better than himself. From cracking the UK market to navigating the brutal lessons of France, Australia, and America, Richard reveals what it really takes to build internationally, lead through uncertainty, and keep growing without losing focus.</p><br><p>But this isn’t just a story about money. He speaks honestly about the sacrifices behind success - the family time missed, the emotional weight of leadership, and the lessons that only come from building something the hard way. He also reflects on life after the HomeServe sale, why wealth never became the end goal, and why he’s now focused on backing the next generation of entrepreneurs.</p><p>This is an insightful look at what it really takes to build at scale, survive the setbacks, and create lasting success.</p><br><p>This is the eventful life of <strong>Richard Harpin</strong>.</p><br><p>Find out more about Richard Harpin here: <a href="https://www.richardharpin.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.richardharpin.com/</a></p><br><p><em>All Enquiries</em> - <a href="mailto:Hello@DodgeWoodall.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hello@DodgeWoodall.com</a></p><p>Website: <a href="https://dodgewoodall.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DodgeWoodall.com</a></p><br><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DodgeWoodall" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dodge Woodall</a></p><p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dodgerwoodall" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dodge Woodall</a></p><p>Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/dodge.woodall/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@Dodge.Woodall</a></p><p>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dodgewoodall" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@DodgeWoodall</a></p><p>LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dodgewoodall/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dodge Woodall</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>