in Profiles by Carryn Dewing. Permalink.
Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins on his hunt for a Drophead Rolls Royce.
Charlie Mullins - Founder of Pimlico Plumbers
Name: Charlie Mullins
Age: 52
Company: Pimlico Plumbers
Company turnover: £16m
First job: Bunking off school to help a local plumber before becoming an apprentice at age 15.
Dream job: I’m doing it now – running my own successful business that creates employment and offers excellent service. Once a plumber, always a plumber. Common sense tells me to do what I’m good at!
Car: Bentley Azure convertible
Economy, business or first class: Economy or private jet – nobody likes sitting still on a plane for hours, so can’t see why I’d want a slightly bigger place to sit still in, for a lot more money. Easyjet is a great way to get to my villa in Marbella. And if I want to push the boat out, putting the family on a private jet makes more financial sense than going first class – and it’s much better, too.
Most extravagant purchase: My villa in Spain, although I’m looking out for a Drophead Rolls Royce, which might take over first place if I can get it past “the accountant”...
Most-played song on your iPod: (iPod? That’s one of those gadgets for music, right?) Whatever’s on the wireless!
Best business book: Walking On Water by Brian Clough
Worst business moment: Leaving school at 15. I should have quit and gone plumbing at 14!
Proudest business moment: Restructuring Pimlico Plumbers after almost going to the wall in the eighties and building things up to the £16m per annum company it is today.
Your business mentor: Bill Ellis, the plumber I used to work for when I should have been in school. He was the only guy, in the area I grew up in, with his own car and enough money to go on holiday.
Next big thing: Getting hold of more of the market share in London.