He is ranked 23rd on the City & Guilds Vocational Rich List of 2008 and is worth £143m, therefore making him not only one of the UK’s richest vocational heroes, but also one of the most successful people too.
Kevin Linfoot has been able to achieve his success (despite being self-admittedly illiterate) by creating KW Linfoot Plc, his very own property business which is currently constructing Europe’s highest residential tower. He originally started out toting bags of coal around assisting his father.
His inability to read or write stemmed from the acute dyslexia he has had to live with, but this never stopped his hunger for ambition. Soon after leaving school he embarked on a career in carpentry and began his carpentry apprenticeship.
He has had to rely on his own personal assistant reading documents out to him while having to rely on his own memory which he has honed over the years and developed.
Given that he was able to overcome such an adversity made him hope that his story would too encourage others who were suffering with dyslexia to overcome their difficulty and prosper.
Ironically, it was a motorbike accident which brought him his first big opportunity when he used his compensation to invest in a joiners shop by purchasing a half share for £1,800 and later selling his share for £22,000.
The proceeds formed the catalyst for Kevin Linfoot to renovate properties and sell them creating KW Linfoot, which has had a role the restoration of Leeds City Centre. His business today has approximately 4,000 properties planned or currently underway including the construction of the 700 flat twin tower Lumiere scheme in Leeds.
