August 3, 2016 9.34 am
This story is over 90 months old
Karl Hick: Changing with the times
Having jumped out of a plane, snowboarded down a mountain and tried his hand at tobogganing, Karl Hick has an appetite for pushing himself to the extreme. As CEO of Larkfleet Group, he uses the same philosophy to run the companies under his umbrella. Enjoying a bit of competition, Karl has always been a sporty…
Having jumped out of a plane, snowboarded down a mountain and tried his hand at tobogganing, Karl Hick has an appetite for pushing himself to the extreme. As CEO of Larkfleet Group, he uses the same philosophy to run the companies under his umbrella.
Enjoying a bit of competition, Karl has always been a sporty person and runs competitively. After graduating from university with a degree in chemistry before obtaining a qualification as a chartered accountant, he was unsure what he wanted to do in life – until he saw the perfect job advertised.
“I saw an advert in The Sunday Times that said a construction company wanted an international athlete who was also a qualified chartered accountant. I applied and became the FD.
“The chairman was particularly interested in athletics, so I had three days where I was Finance Director of the property division and I had two days off to train and race.”
When Karl was injured he worked full time at the office, but he became so indispensable that it wasn’t long before he was unable to go back to training. He moved on to a new company in the London Docklands, which acquired Spalding-based Allison Homes shortly after he joined.
“They asked me to go up to Spalding from London to integrate this house building company into their group ethos. At that time, no one had any computers, it was just manual typewriters. I had to computerise it all and try to get everyone into the modern way of life.”
When he was asked to stay on full-time in Spalding, he moved his life to Lincolnshire, but it wasn’t more than a few years before Allison Homes got into financial difficulty. “I did an MBO of the company and myself and three other guys bought it out with the help of HSBC. I then became the owner, at quite a young age, of a company that was in quite a bit of debt.”
Nothing broke Karl’s determination to make the company into a success, even when the recession hit in the early ‘90s.
“At that time, I survived on my wit, without the knowledge base I have now. I didn’t really know what I was doing because I was new to owning a business. Surviving a recession is hard enough anyway, but clearly, it’s difficult when you haven’t got the experience and you don’t know whether you’re making the right decisions or not.
“Somehow I managed to get through that process. I was in debt to the bank by a lot of money so it was quite difficult and everything was on the line because I’d put everything into it.”
Karl managed to build the company up, paying off the debt and gained a stable footing. He continued to build the company up around the Lincolnshire area until September 11th, 2001, when he sold the company on.
Karl Hick, CEO of Larkfleet Group. Photo Steve Smailes
Building foundations
Unable to trade in the property market for a year, Karl looked for new income. With an interest in science, he ventured into the waste technology industry, building another company up and selling it on in that time.
“I learned a lot in one year and got into a completely different industry. I became an expert on that within a year. But I always had a love for the property market and it’s what I have naturally done well in, so I went back and set up Larkfleet Homes.”
Karl grew the business by buying land as well as a construction company. He then started to diversify into sustainability.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
August 3, 2016 9.29 am
This story is over 90 months old
Karl Hick: Changing with the times
Having jumped out of a plane, snowboarded down a mountain and tried his hand at tobogganing, Karl Hick has an appetite for pushing himself to the extreme. As CEO of Larkfleet Group, he uses the same philosophy to run the companies under his umbrella. Enjoying a bit of competition, Karl has always been a sporty…
Having jumped out of a plane, snowboarded down a mountain and tried his hand at tobogganing, Karl Hick has an appetite for pushing himself to the extreme. As CEO of Larkfleet Group, he uses the same philosophy to run the companies under his umbrella.
Enjoying a bit of competition, Karl has always been a sporty person and runs competitively. After graduating from university with a degree in chemistry before obtaining a qualification as a chartered accountant, he was unsure what he wanted to do in life – until he saw the perfect job advertised.
“I saw an advert in The Sunday Times that said a construction company wanted an international athlete who was also a qualified chartered accountant. I applied and became the FD.
“The chairman was particularly interested in athletics, so I had three days where I was Finance Director of the property division and I had two days off to train and race.”
When Karl was injured he worked full time at the office, but he became so indispensable that it wasn’t long before he was unable to go back to training. He moved on to a new company in the London Docklands, which acquired Spalding-based Allison Homes shortly after he joined.
“They asked me to go up to Spalding from London to integrate this house building company into their group ethos. At that time, no one had any computers, it was just manual typewriters. I had to computerise it all and try to get everyone into the modern way of life.”
When he was asked to stay on full-time in Spalding, he moved his life to Lincolnshire, but it wasn’t more than a few years before Allison Homes got into financial difficulty. “I did an MBO of the company and myself and three other guys bought it out with the help of HSBC. I then became the owner, at quite a young age, of a company that was in quite a bit of debt.”
Nothing broke Karl’s determination to make the company into a success, even when the recession hit in the early ‘90s.
“At that time, I survived on my wit, without the knowledge base I have now. I didn’t really know what I was doing because I was new to owning a business. Surviving a recession is hard enough anyway, but clearly, it’s difficult when you haven’t got the experience and you don’t know whether you’re making the right decisions or not.
“Somehow I managed to get through that process. I was in debt to the bank by a lot of money so it was quite difficult and everything was on the line because I’d put everything into it.”
Karl managed to build the company up, paying off the debt and gained a stable footing. He continued to build the company up around the Lincolnshire area until September 11th, 2001, when he sold the company on.
Karl Hick, CEO of Larkfleet Group. Photo Steve Smailes
Building foundations
Unable to trade in the property market for a year, Karl looked for new income. With an interest in science, he ventured into the waste technology industry, building another company up and selling it on in that time.
“I learned a lot in one year and got into a completely different industry. I became an expert on that within a year. But I always had a love for the property market and it’s what I have naturally done well in, so I went back and set up Larkfleet Homes.”
Karl grew the business by buying land as well as a construction company. He then started to diversify into sustainability.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
Enhance profile & credibility: Securing an award or being shortlisted acts as a powerful endorsement, signaling trustworthiness to potential customers and helping to distinguish your business from competitors. Displaying the award on your communications can significantly boost your brand’s perception.
Insightful focus & feedback: The application process encourages deep reflection on your business strategy and direction, offering invaluable feedback and clarity, even for new ventures.
Team confidence boost: Recognition from the awards can significantly uplift your team’s morale, affirming the value and potential of your business in the eyes of industry experts.
Marketing & PR boost: Being associated with the awards, even as a nominee, can enhance brand visibility, providing ample content opportunities for social media and other marketing channels.
Networking opportunities: The awards connect you with local business leaders and experts, offering a platform to seek advice, share ideas, and foster future partnerships. The ceremony itself is an excellent occasion for networking with peers and celebrating mutual successes.
Potential to win: Entering offers a chance to win and gain all the associated benefits, but even without taking home a trophy, the process can yield significant advantages for your business.
A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.