A MAN whose family lost everything has revealed how he went from rags to riches – and now has a £3 million business.
Henry Pearman went from a childhood of financial struggle to successful business owner by following his passion for cars.
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He said his parents lost everything in 1971 when they bought a print shop just before a six month postal strike.
Henry, who is from Kent, said: “The business went under and my parents basically lost everything, going from a four-bedroom house to never owning another house again.”
They moved around a lot and he said having to start a new school every year got him used to dealing with different people.
He started fixing family cars and was taken on at his local car club aged just 12-years-old, eventually saving enough money to buy old cars and sell at a profit.
By age 15 he had bought his own car, and at 17 he started a work experience placement at a Rolls Royce and Bentley specialist.
Henry took a dramatic risk by selling his stock of cars to start his own business- Eagle E-types, which was reportedly worth a whopping £3.1 million in 2021.
Persistence was key as he was initially borrowing money from the bank and used overdrafts to buy cars he couldn’t afford.
He told Evo Magazine: “Sometimes you have to take a hit; go backwards to move forwards.”
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He said: “It was being able to keep the plates spinning and eventually sell those cars that started Eagle, so I suppose you could say that’s the root of everything you see here.”
Some of his company’s restorations have been worth up to £850,000.
They have owned iconic cars like the Rothmans Porsche 956-001 and the Mercedes CLK GTR race car.
But it does come at a price as Henry said he never really switches off and works seven day weeks – needing to be constantly alert to the market.
Henry said: “I suppose most people would describe me as a car dealer. But I’ve never really seen myself that way.
“I think I’m a passionate collector who occasionally has to sell things to pay for the next thing I can’t afford.”
This comes after one high school dropout became a self made millionaire at 23-years-old.
Another man who grew up on a council estate revealed how he became a multi-millionaire.
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