Fourteen years ago when I returned from Marbella, after living there for a couple of years, I began what is known today as Heat IQ. Beginning with a small box of hand tools and £100 borrowed from my late gran, I bought a red Ford Orion (with a couple of rust spots), because making the right impression is everything! And so it began!
The countless lessons and ups and downs were minuscule in comparison to the endless opportunities that were in front of me. All of these opportunities have helped become the building blocks to grow my business upon and strive for continual growth.
From humble beginnings to the present day, we’ve achieved so many of things but this post isn’t about bragging, it’s to express the massive amount of gratitude I have for all the people who have been involved along the way.
My strong and diverse team and I have been able to improve the lives of thousands of people in the UK by installing thousands of energy efficient boilers, regardless of the medium of payment or what line of business they were sourced from. Moving forwards, the stability within my business will allow for continued growth, develop new opportunities and exciting ventures.
If I have any advice for anybody ‘in’ or ‘getting in’ to business, mentors are invaluable. Reading books to grow in all areas and disciplines can be a game changer and widen your horizons to where you want your business to head. Listening to others and your gut instinct along with really understanding your industry can position you miles ahead of your competition, but most of all raw determination, drive and passion for good ethical business combined with a desire to improve the lives of others has brought me this far.
It should go without saying but it’s often the bit that’s missing is that while planning and strategically are key, putting it all into action is the real key to making sure that your vision is brought to life. It can be difficult to drive through plans when the going gets tough, but have faith.
Today with the extra knowledge and experience I have gained… the sky really is the limit! So buckle in, and buckle in tight!
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination” Jimmy Dean
Richard Firth
