'I was homeless at 17, now I've got a multimillion pound business but worry it'll vanish too'

Harry Sanders is the tech entrepreneur behind StudioHawk, a company specialising in SEOthat has just now opened offices in its third country. Despite reporting a turnover of £10million and international operations, the 28-year-old still lives with the fear that his stable foundationsmight suddenly disappear like it did just over 10 years ago.

At 17, Harry was living with his dad while his mum face tough times and tragically found himself caught in an ultimatum with his father’s girlfriend. He recalled: “It's unfortunately a common story.

“I was living with my dad because my mum was going through a tough time. Dad ended up with a woman who didn't want me talking about my mum in the house. One day, she gave my dad an ultimatum: 'It's me or the baggage.' And he chose her. I ended up homeless.”

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Forced onto the streets, Harry found himself sleeping under bridges in Melbourne and relying on gyms to shower. While he continuously tried to get work, his appearance, confidence and motivation steadily declined.

He said: “My mental health was shot. People think you get off the streets with grit, but I had none left.”

While mainstream employment wasn’t working out, Harry did have a little experience in freelance SEO, Search Engine Optimisation, which helps businesses get found by customers online. Trying to capitalise on this skill, he applied to a business programme through the Australian government and was paired with a mentor who encouraged him to start StudioHawk.

The business began with just one client, and Harry can still recall those times: “I was relying on that money for rent. Luckily, my first client referred me to someone else, and I managed to keep going. Hiring my first employee was another scary moment, as suddenly I was responsible for someone else’s livelihood.

“There’s a psychological concept about running from something being more powerful than running toward something. Someone chasing a million dollars may work hard, but someone running from homelessness is often going to outpace them.

“That urgency made me grow up fast... I still don’t feel like I’ve made it. That fear that it could all vanish, it’s what keeps me pushing forward.”

A few years later, StudioHawk expanded in the UK Market and has now recently branched into America too. Recent figures reported by the company show £10million revenue.

Harry said: “There’s no way I could’ve imagined this. Honestly, it feels like a dream. At 17, I would’ve been happy just to have a job. I was stoked when I got my first share house at 18.

“I’d never travelled, and now there’s an office in the UK, another in the U.S., teams in both, and we’ve got million-pound and million-dollar businesses operating. It’s crazy."

The company has also become known for its unconventional hiring philosophy as it prioritises self-taught professionals, gamers and people Harry describes as “wholesome nerds” over traditional CVs. The entrepreneur believes his own story is proof enough that success doesn’t always hinge on a university degree.

Although Harry kept quiet about his journey for the first few years of his business, he now openly talks about his toughest moments and is an ambassador for the Lighthouse Foundation that supports mental health and housing for homeless youth, where he donates all of his speaking fees.

He explained: “At first, I was embarrassed, but I realised if I’m embarrassed, how will others feel confident talking about it? It’s like mental health; change only happens when people speak up. I’m open about the ups and downs.”

As for other budding entrepreneurs, Harry recommends: “Take baby steps. Put one foot in front of the other. If you improve 1% every day, that adds up fast.”