Prince’s Trust, I have no respect for, none whatsoever. I tried to get a grant from them and because of my circumstance I got put through to someone quite senior. Their comment was that they did not believe that anyone under the age of 21 is capable of running their own business, although they will provide knives if you want to be a chef or decks if you want to be a DJ.
Prince’s Trust do these huge events and you see three or four success stories coming out of it. For me, it’s disgusting. They are making millions of pounds, where is it going? It’s going on their Mayfair offices, it’s going on their swanky parties, it’s going on their swanky concerts and it’s pleasing these multi-millionaire Sirs and Lords that are at the top of the charity. It’s crap.
They wanted me to be a judge, but I think they are very understaffed. I gave up with them. I don’t see so much as a role model, but I see myself as someone who has done it, so why can’t you?
I made the mistake of thinking I could do anything, and I lost a lost a lot of money. I had about 30 goals, which was the problem. You really need to consolidate your interests, I guess take time out to work out where you’re going next.
I didn’t do that, I rushed in to everything, I wanted this and that and wanted to do it all and ended up losing a lot of money.
It was depressing because I didn’t expect it, but I will say that I’ve taken a route in life in which I will experience serious highs, but I will also experience serious lows. But if I wanted to be a teacher, I would experience those lows, but I also wouldn’t experience those highs.
When I hit 17, I pulled back and did a lot of work for the government and managed a band. It burnt a hole in my pocket but it was worth it.
I’m the business careers adviser for Hachette Filipacchi (a publishing company) and I do careers supplements for Elle Girl and other titles they have.
I’m writing a book, it’s not a biography, and it’s not about myself, but it refers to my experiences in life about me as a businessman.
I’m very involved in the pharmaceutical industry now, manufacturing products for some very high-end retailers and brands, which I can’t mention because they like to pretend they manufacture them.
I’m involved with customer service telephone lines. We have these huge call centres where you can call in to say “my Johnny has reacted badly to this cream.” Customer service in the UK is crap, it’s all being shifted out Bombay. We’re going to manage the infrastructure of restaurants, hair salons, whatever it is, you will not need a receptionist any more, we take all the bookings, all the credit card details.
We’ll do all this for free, unless you sell products, in which case we will charge you a very small fee.
Well, when someone’s telling you that you are doing wrong, turn that into positive energy and prove them wrong. Have enough drive in you that you do not see those brick walls and no-one stops you, whatever happens you have got to get there.
You have to look upon yourself as someone that is a failure, because you have to fear not succeeding. Because if you don’t, you have no drive pushing you in the right direction.
You’ve just got to get on with it, you’ve got to focus on one thing and go for it. Stop talking about it, don’t talk about it with your family and friends, get on with it. Because if you don’t, in a year’s time you will see someone else doing it.