Matthew Carroll, Will Parkinson and others have built up Bloxt Eco Solutions from scratch
Matthew Carroll and Will Parkinson, who run Bloxt Eco Solutions(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Two school friends who “started with nothing” now run a million-pound business. Matthew Carroll and Will Parkinson grew up on a council estate together in Garston and felt like opportunities were stacked against them.
They left school with no GCSEs but found work as labourers. Matthew, who qualified as a plumber and gas engineer, grew very unhappy after setting up his own business. He felt it became too focussed on making money and also struggled with his ADHD. One day in November, 2023, Matthew decided he’d had enough.
After getting in touch with Will, they set up their own environmental energy firm with no outside funding.
Less than two years later, they’re making millions in part due to a seven-figure partnership with a top six UK utility provider. Bloxt Eco Solutions, based in Knowsley Industrial Park, offers free upgrades to make your boiler far more energy efficient and cuts bills by hundreds of pounds a year in the process.
Over time, they have recruited Jessica Stout, 20, from Croxteth Park, as the business manager, in addition to Sam Eaton, 25, from Huyton, as the eco development manager and Bait Ur Rehman, 25, from Anfield, as a software developer.
Speaking to the ECHO about his background, Will, 30, who now lives in Croxteth Park, said: “There wasn’t much prosperity after school. We had good friends who were really clever and went to good schools. There wasn’t much hope for the likes of us.
Matthew, 30, who now lives in West Derby, added: “We don’t even have GCSEs. I’m dyslexic. Will’s got a bit more brains than me, but we don’t have qualifications.
“Every day is a mental health day for me. That’s how ADHD works. Three of my mates took their own lives and I think that was the eye opener for me, seeing that people need help.”
Will Parkinson and Matthew Carroll(centre left & right) with Bait Ur Rehman(software developer) and Sam Eaton(development manager)(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Matthew became a plumber and then a gas engineer before running his own environmentally friendly energy business, but he felt the investors made it too focused on making money and he struggled to get his ideas across to them.
Matthew said: ”I hated it. One day I just had enough and hit my rock bottom with my mental health. I remember sitting on the couch in my old office with a lot of the lads I employed. They didn’t want me to leave.
“After they left Jessica said, ‘what are you going to do? You have to get out of here and chase what you want’. I will never forget it – I was sitting in the car and said to Will, let’s just go for it.
“We started with nothing and I knew I needed someone who I could trust. We built it up with no money.”
However, they soon began to build up a reputation. Will, who previously worked in house building, said: ”We started out with home emergency stuff, roofing, plumbing, drainage, working lots of weekends.
“Then we got in with the energy supplier and that was a huge opportunity to push even harder with government grants and home installations for people that are living in fuel poverty – trying to give them boiler upgrades and solar panels, in a better future for net zero basically.”
Matthew added: “We’ve made £1.8m so far, and with the contract it’ll be about £3.5m.
Jessica said: “The eco side is big for us. We just grew up in normal, everyday households who would have really benefitted from things like this.
“I think our experience from being from those types of families helped push us to get involved, especially with the energy prices being so high. There are old people sitting in the house with a woolly hat and gloves on, it’s crazy.
“These measures that we can install genuinely do help them and it doesn’t cost them anything. It’s really heartwarming to see the things we can do.”
Will added: “We’re upgrading boilers that are 30 years old and saving people hundreds of pounds a year. We insulate the walls too, which makes the house a lot warmer.”
Matthew got in touch with Bait over the IT side of things and was so impressed that he travelled to see him. Afterwards, Matthew convinced him to move to Merseyside and work with Bloxt. Bait now lives in Anfield and feels at home.
Will and Matthew started Bloxt Eco Solutions in 2023(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Bait said: “You spoke to me about what dishes I eat, my religion, things like that. It was a great conversation. It’s been a good experience because I have no relatives here.
“Matthew told me he would help me out. Then I met the rest and they are great people. I feel very comfortable with them. It’s like being part of a family.”
The friends say they’re committed to helping Merseyside in any way they can. After the attack on the mosque in Southport last year, they used their connections with B&Q and other firms to help rebuild the walls outside.
This led to them receiving a visit from King Charles III along with other volunteers who helped out after the riots at Southport Fire Station. They were also invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace last year and are working on other charitable projects going forward.
Matthew said: “It was scary. They were attacking the mosque and we wanted to rebuild it. For me, it doesn’t matter about the money. It’s about helping people.
“With mental health, the goal is to show that you can speak up and you don’t have to be afraid. We want to calibrate with more mental health organisations to help get awareness out there.”
Receiving recognition from the royals was a major milestone for the business. Jessica said: “We’ve only been going for 18 months. It’s not a long time.
“But we’ve met the King, we’ve been to Buckingham Palace. Everyone says wow, how have you achieved that too quickly? It is amazing to see how quickly it’s turned into something really good.
Will added: “Sometimes you struggle to take that risk but life is all about risk, isn’t it? If you want to go every day without a risk, life’s going to be boring, isn’t it? Risks are there to be taken. So enjoy your life and go for it.”