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John Caudwell: Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
By the time John Caudwell sold his company in 2006, the business was selling 26 phones a minute. It employed 10,000 people in the UK and abroad. It was turning over £2.25…
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Entrepreneurship: Interviews with World Leaders
In this exclusive interview series, we speak to some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs: Sir Richard Branson (Founder of Virgin Group), Robin Li (Founder of Baidu), Sir James Dyson (Founder of Dyson), Professor…
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By founding my own charities, I solved that problem. Charity occupies around a third of my life, it's a big challenge and a big responsibility. Around eight years ago, I decided to donate at least half my wealth to charitable causes during my lifetime or upon my death.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
I'd had 20 years of the most indescribable intensity and focus; and not many people can appreciate what that means, because there are very few people that have grown a business organically from one person to over 10,000. After 20 years of that, I had sort-of 'had enough.'
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
I scaled the business from just me, to 10,000 people some 20 years later. Scaling and keeping control of that business was practically impossible- I failed many times, but managed to succeed overall through sheer determination, hard-work and having very, very good people.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
Without truthfulness I would never have been able to grow anything of any significance, I would have been 'found out.' Having truthfulness and ethics within a business creates trust among employees at all levels and is critical. I led the company with an approach of complete honesty.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
In line with most highly-tuned talents, I absolutely believe that entrepreneurship is a genetic gift that you're born with. What you do with that gift depends on your upbringing, opportunities and inspirations; you either make them massively better or neglect them. That combination of genetics and sheer hard work is the 'secret' of getting to the top.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
I used to say to all my people that yes- we can celebrate our successes, and we have to succeed, but the failures are what will sink the business or hold it back.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
Without truthfulness I would never have been able to grow anything of any significance, I would have been 'found out.' Having truthfulness and ethics within a business creates trust among employees at all levels and is critical.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
You cannot run a business without great people, who are incentivised to be great; and so, you must protect them, and pay them appropriately.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
In line with most highly-tuned talents, I absolutely believe that entrepreneurship is a genetic gift that you're born with. What you do with that gift depends on your upbringing, opportunities and inspirations; you either make them massively better or neglect them.
— John CaudwellBillionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer
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