Codie SanchezFounder @ Contrarian Thinking

He dropped out of school to start a company

19 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In this short narrated video, Codie Sanchez tells the story of Charlie Mullins, who left school at 16 and started Pimlico Plumbers in 1979 with a second‑hand van and a bag of tools. Over the decades the company grew into London’s largest independent plumbing firm, employing about 400 people and generating roughly $70 million in annual revenue. In 2021 Mullins sold 90 % of the business for $130 million, cashing out of his London penthouse and moving to Marbella. However, he later regretted the sale because the hands‑on, owner‑driven culture that made the company special faded. He returned to the market with a new venture, WeFix, emphasizing that true success is not just about exits or money but about building culture, maintaining ownership, and staying engaged in the game.

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They called this guy crazy for dropping out of school at 16 to start a plumbing company, but that decision made him the richest plumber in the world. His name is Charlie Mullins, and he launched Pimlico Plumbers in '79 with nothing more than a secondhand van, a bag of tools, no formal qualifications. Fast forward, it became London's biggest independent plumbing company. 400 employees, 70 million in annual revenue. In '21, he sold 90% of it for $130 million. He even cashed out of his $12 million London penthouse and moved to Marbella to live in the sun. Sounds like the dream, right? But here's the twist. Charlie regretted selling. Why? Because once he stepped away, the personal hands-on vibe that made the company special disappeared. So what did he do? He came back with a brand new venture called WeFix. And here's the lesson. Success isn't just about the exit or the money. It's about what you build, the culture you shape, and how you stay in the game. Because sometimes the real reward isn't the paycheck, it's the ownership.