chig.gs - start of a new chapter

October: Time for a change

For some reason, the final quarter of the year always seems to bring big changes in my career. Looking back, it’s surprising how many milestones have happened during this time of the year:

• October 2010 – Began my heat pump journey as an Internal Sales Engineer with ICS Heat Pumps.

• October 2012 – Joined Solfex Energy Systems as a Product and Technical Manager.

• October 2020 – Transitioned from Sales Director to Managing Director at Freedom Heat Pumps.

• October 2022 – Freedom Heat Pumps was acquired by Certas Energy.

With another end of the year fast approaching, it feels right to make another change.

November 2024 – Moving on

This November, I’m taking a step back from Freedom Heat Pumps to give myself a break. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside incredible friends, colleagues, customers, and partners who have been vital to Freedom’s success. It might come as a surprise that I’m choosing to step away from a business that’s meant so much to me, both personally and professionally, but it feels like the right time to step away.

Why the Change?

Simply put, it's time for a change.

While I feel fortunate to have been part of the evolving heat pump industry for over a decade, now is a really good time to reflect on the past 14 years and decide what's next for me.

Certas has been wonderful to work with over the past two years. I’ve gained what feels like an MBA’s worth of business insight, growing the company with incredible support and learning countless lessons that people often pay thousands of pounds for. While my early career was rooted in small business, where I learned from passionate founders, stepping into a larger corporate role has been eye-opening and rewarding in its own way.

What’s Next for Freedom Heat Pumps?

For Freedom Heat Pumps, it’s business as usual. We’ve gone through a lot of changes over the past year, but I’m confident we have a fantastic management team in place. With the support of Certas, they’ll continue the work started back in 2010 by Graham, Paul, and Gary, the original founders. I fully support Freedom’s future and look forward to watching it grow, hopefully one day becoming the UK’s leading independent heat pump distributor to the trade. While I won’t be directly involved, I wish the business and everyone involved every success.

What Will I Miss The Most?

There have been so many things that have made working for Freedom Heat Pumps so amazing over the years. If I had to pick one thing I'll miss above all others, it's probably the passionate conversations about heat pumps and heating systems in general with people both inside and outside of Freedom HP. Engaging in a deep conversation about heat pump specification or how to integrate a heat pump into a project sparked a real passion in me. Factory tours also gave me the opportunity to really get stuck in to the construction of the equipment, and I've been blessed over the years to visit some amazing manufacturers and have conversations with equally passionate engineers.

What’s Next for Me?

Over the years, I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to support the business, and now it’s time to give back to those who supported me—especially my family and friends. I’ll certainly stay connected to the heat pump industry, but in what capacity, I haven’t yet decided.

The heat pump industry has been incredibly good to me. Fourteen years ago, bringing someone up to speed on how a heat pump worked was a challenge as it was perceived as a magical box of tricks which produced a warm home from a cold garden. Now, we see heat pumps on TV, in news articles, and even discussed in Parliament. These milestones felt like distant dreams when I first started, and now they’re reality. The industry feels so close to going mainstream, and I’d love to keep contributing to reach our goal of 600,000 installations a year by 2028, as envisioned back in 2020.

Personally, i've got a number of projects I'd like to take some time out for, most notably supporting my son through his GCSEs. My son was born in 2009, just before I entered the world of heat pumps . All he's ever known is that his dad works in heat pumps, and while that stability has been important for him, with his GCSE exams fast approaching, it's important I take some time out to support him through a very stressful time in his young adult life.

Gratitude

I type this sat in my office in a house paid for by heat pumps, on a laptop paid for by heat pumps, in a room heated by a heat pump, and lit by electricity which has been paid for, for many years, by income generated from heat pumps. Simply put, I have a huge amount to thank heat pumps for. But it's not all about the material bits and pieces. I've made some incredible friends and worked with some amazing people over the years many of whom have inspired me to keep improving and being a greater contributor to the heat pump industry.

I started compiling a list of people who had supported me over the years, and then I realised that there are just too many people to thank. 100's of individuals have supported me in one way or another since 2010 and it would be unfair of me to compile a list, as it's guaranteed i'll end up forgetting someone. With that in mind, I want to say a genuine thank you to each and every person who has either directly or indirectly benefited me or contributed to the success of Freedom HP over the years, especially my wife, Laura.

So, here’s to the future – both for Freedom Heat Pumps and the entire industry. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with me. I look forward to seeing where we all go from here.

Please take some time to leave a comment below. I'd really appreciate. Also, stay tuned for my next update. I plan to keep this blog regularly updated as I open the next chapter of my career.

Thank you for taking the time to read

Chris Higgs