About
Entrepreneurship
I’ve built businesses that have failed and businesses that have been wildly successful. Although success is never a guarantee, I have learnt a few things along the way about entrepreneurship that may help a business’s odds:
A successful entrepreneur has an appetite for disruption.
Take Cloudfm – my company has been a gamechanger for the facilities management industry through our use of transformative technology, advanced systems and innovative processes. This won us the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Innovation. It recognises our outstanding contribution to the facilities management industry and was the first time a maintenance company had been credited for innovation in 10 years. Always look for ways to shake things up, seeing into the future ahead of your competitors pays off.
A successful entrepreneur is willing to do the opposite.
I attribute much of my business success to my unwavering belief in never taking the easy, straightforward path – if you challenge things and do the opposite, good things generally happen.
A successful entrepreneur knows their biggest asset is their people.
To be successful, you need to trust in your workers, and nurture their trust in you. I am a people person, but even those who aren’t can still learn the value of engaging your employees in the right ways and developing a tighter bond that will translate into increased success.
A successful entrepreneur (and leader) shows vulnerability.
I’m from the East End where showing vulnerability can be interpreted as weak. What I’ve learned, especially through the pandemic, is that showing vulnerability and being transparent with people builds trust and morale if used in the right way, at the right time.
A successful entrepreneur has grit and resilience.
For a true entrepreneur, failure will lead to success. Years ago, I was running one of my first successful businesses and my own football club, Clacton FC. Following a few hard knocks I lost it all, at one low point I had only £7.60 in my bank account. But I was determined to turn my life around, and eventually built a new business from my garden shed which made £1 million turnover in its first year. Then I took it from £1 million to £70 million within four years. Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to bounce back.
If you want to read the full story of my journey through life and business, check out my book, Doing The Opposite.
