16/12/2024

Growth, resilience and tea: Mick on 16 years of the business

Next image
Bubble People
Bubble People

Manchester is seen as a real success city in terms of how it’s grown, something we’ve harnessed during our 16 years.

Michael Howard, CEO

It’s an oddly sunny afternoon in Manchester, but inside CEO Mick’s office, there’s no time to acknowledge the great turn of the weather after his swift arrival at the Head Office in Manchester to sit down for a debrief after speaking at a roundtable held by The Business Desk, of course with a cup of tea to hand, one that he had candidly asked for us to prepare ahead of the questioning: “Milk and one sugar please. If you can get the tea right, you’re going far” he exclaims from experience.

Going far’ is nothing new for Mick, who founded urbanbubble 16 years ago after seeing a clear gap in the property management market. It’s a decision (over that famous Espresso Martini) that has led him to be the figurehead of one of the most renowned property management companies in the UK, now having 20,000 homes under its ever-growing belt.

After being called upon to speak at the roundtable event, it’s clear he has made a name for himself thanks to his business knowledge and positive outlook, but also his strongly evident Liverpudlian sense of humour (despite his clear opinion of Manchester being the best city for growth in the North for businesses).

Even though the roundtable was an ‘economic growth-focused’ small segment of his day, it served as an opportunity to reflect on both the past and the future of the company. As a timeframe, the next 12 months is as unpredictable as the next. Many events such as COVID, Brexit and the current Cost of Living crisis saw the company having to adapt and overcome. The political climate has not been easy-going to say the least, especially with the fact that this same day, the Bank of England interest rates were being released.