An entrepreneur who whisks his wife away on six holidays a year has opened up about what it really takes to be successful, including the personal sacrifices you’ll have to make.
Karl Hudson is a born-and-bred Geordie who owes his success to his work ethic, pulling in 7 figures a year through his various investments and agencies, as well as the entrepreneursHis own personal website (www.karlhudson.co.uk).
The money affords the 33-year-old a luxury lifestyle but this comes at a steep personal cost.
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Karl, who still lives in Newcastle, admits that his job takes a toll on his marriage to his wife, Charlotte, 33, because he can never really switch off.
He can sometimes work 18-hour days and the laptop comes everywhere – including on their belated honeymoon.
The entrepreneur, who grew up living in council housing in a rough area, says extreme dedication is necessary for anyone who wants to succeed in business.
‘My constant working can cause issues and arguments,” said Karl, who got married earlier this summer.
“My wife knows that I can get absorbed in the job but that this is a sacrifice we have to make to live the life we now have.
“We’ve had six holidays in this year alone – visiting places such as Thailand, Poland, Vietnam, Spain and the Philippines.
“But the work doesn’t stop.
“If I have to jump on the laptop while we’re out there, then I’m going to do it because that money means the next trip will be even better.
“My work allows us to have the finer things in life, which she definitely enjoys.
“I’ll never change.”
Karl has been with Charlotte for the past eight years but is not just her husband – he’s also her employer.
She is a content manager at one of his companies, a backlink building company-Searcharoo (https://searcharoo.com).
The couple live in a £350,000 house with their two Yorkshire Terriers and are travelling in Australia and Bali during a four-week honeymoon, following their wedding in July this year.
While Karl reinvests much of his earnings, he occasionally likes to treat himself to fun toys, too – his latest purchase is a £35,000 Ford Ranger Wildtrak, while his wife drives a £55,000 BMW X5, which the entrepreneur paid for.
But this life of luxury is a far cry from his upbringing.
Karl said: “Growing up in a rough area in a council home has always helped me stay humble.
“Despite the area we lived in, I had a great upbringing and my SEO journey actually started in that house.
“My dad, who worked as a life coach, needed help with designing a website and with 14-year-old me being a big fan of computer games, he called on me for some help.
“Back in those days it was a lot of trial and error, with a big emphasis on error – it was the perfect way to learn. “
So, how exactly did the entrepreneur build his successful business?
Karl said: “When I started out, you didn’t need much in terms of financial backing.
“My first website was launched from my parents’ bedroom.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been involved in multiple businesses and platforms, helping investors get their websites ranked.”
Searcharoo launched in 2018.
He said: “When I started SEO, it was hugely different [to how it is now].
“You were capable of just spamming and things would rank, the trickiest part is all of the algorithm changes and trying to test what is working, because Google doesn’t tell you.
“So networking with other people, testing and sharing ideas, is what I’ve done for many years to help give me the edge, which has definitely helped contribute to my success.”
Karl also believes his financial success is down to his willingness to never give up or stop when times get tough.
It’s a concept he believes today’s generation struggle with.
He added: “I’ve had some days in my career where I’ve been working for 18 hours straight but it doesn’t phase me.
“I find it impossible to switch off as I love what I do.
“I’m not one to flash the cash, though – I’m actually quite a reserved person.
“The harder you work the more you get.
“Unfortunately, with how easy technology has made everything, I fear that the younger generation has lost that fire.
“Gen Z expects everything to be handed to them but that’s not the real world – I’ve got out exactly what I’ve put in.
“Younger lads wouldn’t dream of working on holiday but if they want a life like mine, it’s part of the grind.”