He Sold for £4.1B— These 9 Lessons Changed How I’ll Do Business Forever - Richard Harpin

In this episode of We Have a Meeting, hosts Jack Frimston & Zac Thompson sit down with Richard Harpin — founder of HomeServe, investor, and author of Secrets to Building a £Billion Business.

He reveals the 9 principles that helped him go from early failure to building one of Britain’s biggest success stories. Whether you’re a founder, leader, or scaling operator — this is the episode you share, save, and watch twice.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

How Richard nearly lost it all in Year One
Why “copy and pivot” often beats innovating first
How to choose the right investor (not just any money)
The value of a CoachMent (yes — both a mentor and a coach)
Why paper, post, and catalogues are still king in marketing
When and how to replace yourself as CEO
Going global without going bust
Why evolution, not revolution, drives real growth
The single most underrated leadership tool: a Not‑To‑Do list
These are real, repeatable strategies from 45+ years of wins, losses, and lessons — now passed directly to you.

🎙️ Listen to We Have a Meeting Anywhere:

🎧 Apple Podcasts
🎧 Spotify
🌐 Acast
📺 Subscribe right here on YouTube for new episodes weekly
🔗 Follow Richard Harpin:

Website: https://www.richardharpin.com
Growth Partner: https://www.growthpartner.co.uk
X (Twitter): @richard_harpin

Buy his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Billion-Nine-Steps/dp/0349445389
📣 Share this with a founder or business builder — they’ll thank you.
💬 Drop a comment below: Which of Harpin’s 9 rules hit hardest with you?

#RichardHarpin #StartupLessons #WeHaveAMeeting #HomeServe #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #ScaleUp #BillionaireAdvice #BusinessStrategy

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction & Reflections on Success
• 00:01:18 Meet the Guest: Entrepreneurial Journey
• 00:02:50 Key Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
• 00:06:40 The Nine Steps to Building a Billion-Pound Business
• 00:06:46 Step 1: Copy and Pivot
• 00:11:24 Step 2: The Power of Coaching and Mentorship
• 00:14:53 Step 3: Finding the Right Investor
• 00:17:02 Step 4: Bricks, Clicks, and Paper – The Omni-Channel Model
• 00:23:32 Step 5: Hire Your Replacement
• 00:26:59 Step 6: International Expansion
• 00:33:31 Step 7: Evolution, Not Revolution
• 00:37:36 Step 8: Focus and the 'Not To Do' List
• 00:41:45 Step 9: Closing Advice & Next Steps