Luke Johnson



Profile:
Full name: Luke Johnson

Area of interest: British business, Entrepreneurship

Journals/Organisation: Financial Times

Email: [mailto:lukej@riskcapitalpartners.co.uk lukej@riskcapitalpartners.co.uk]

Personal website: LukeJohnson.Org

Website: FT.com / Luke Johnson

Blog:

Representation:

Networks:



Biography:
About:

Education: Studied medicine at Oxford University, graduating 1983

Career: Began career at BMP Advertising Agency; analyst at Kleinwort Benson investment bank; organised acquisition of PizzaExpress, floating the company and then overseeing a 20-fold increase in its share price; sits on the board of many companies (info); from 2000 has run Risk Capital Partners Ltd., focusing on private equity deals; governor of The University of the Arts, 2000/2006. Wrote regular column 'The Maverick' in the Sunday Telegraph, 1998/2006

Current position/role: FT columnist


 * also writes/has written for:

Other roles/Main role: Current Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corp

Other activities: RSA's Chair designate

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight: 'Capitalism is not a dirty, grubby pastime', interview with Richard Wachman, The Guardian, 1st April 2011

Broadcast media:

Video:

Controversy/Criticism:

Awards/Honours:

Scoops:

Other: Son of historian and journalist Paul Johnson



Books & Debate:
Latest work: Start it up: Why running your own business is easier than you think - ISBN 978-0-670-91941-3, August 2011
 * The maverick: Dispatches from an unrepentant capitalist OCLC14459603, 2007

Speaking/Appearances:
 * The Entrepreneurs' Summit, 17th April 2007
 * Entrepreneurs' Forum Annual Conference, 17th May 2007
 * Unquote Private Equity & VC Congress, 28th June 2007

Debate:



Financial Times:
Column name: The Entrepreneur

Remit/Info: Challenges facing British businesses, Entrepreneurship

Section: Business life

Role: Columnist

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:lukej@riskcapitalpartners.co.uk lukej@riskcapitalpartners.co.uk]

Website: FT.Com / Luke Johnson

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Wednesday

Regularity: Weekly

Column format:

Average length: 700 words



Articles: 2012

 * All great leaders need great lieutenants - You can’t do your job if you are buried in admin - 15th February
 * Setbacks that lead to success - Too many people who think about launching a start-up don’t take the plunge because they suffer from an irrational fear of failure - 8th February
 * Stop demonising the wealth creators - If societies want to stimulate enterprise, they need to applaud risk-takers and cheer on positive role models - 1st February
 * Don’t shoot the private equity messenger - Many of the onslaughts against the buy-out barons stem from envy or are politically motivated - 25th January
 * Spotting winners is not always rational - Judging risk is as much an art as a science, and external influences will often decide whether a venture succeeds or fails - 18th January
 * There’s no sense clinging to a golden age - The duty of the successful entrepreneur is to evolve in tandem with dynamic capitalism and not mourn past glories - 11th January
 * Ten pieces of advice that should be ignored - I have received some very poor guidance over the years from various sources. Here are my greatest – or worst – hits - 4th January



Articles: 2011

 * A difficult path can lead to greater success - Many successful entrepreneurs have found that apparent disadvantages have turned out to be assets - 28th December
 * University shake-out will benefit us all - The best experience during his three years at Oxford was starting a business, which had nothing to do with his physiology degree - 21st December
 * The west has its work cut out on jobs - When lawmakers pass legislation the primary focus should be on ways to stem the brain drain and boost opportunities for work - 14th December
 * Creative destruction is a sign of progress - There are many positives for business and investors springing out of these difficult times - 7th December
 * Social media help bosses tell their story - More practitioners in business should be out there describing their experiences and giving their opinions – it might correct anticapitalist misinformation - 30th November
 * Banking is a sector in need of fresh ideas - Metro’s ambitious plans are just what the oligopoly of banks needs to improve offerings to the public and small business - 15th November
 * A guide to shaking off the doom and gloom - Luke Johnson offers a list of suggestions that might boost morale among those entrepreneurs who are finding it tough in the downturn - 9th November
 * Companies close to home need your help - Free markets are all well and good, but societies must support local businesses and defend against wholesale offshoring - 2nd November
 * How to sack slackers and end free lunches for layabouts - Remove employment barriers and animal spirits will flow and opportunities for gainful work will surely increase - 29th October
 * A new lexicon to celebrate capitalism - Too many people in public life are suspicious of business and slant their commentary to demonise wealth creators - 26th October
 * Why big businesses are bad for business - Large public companies have more in common with government than with entrepreneurs and start-ups – and frequently do not generate jobs, but destroy them - 18th October
 * We need a Darwinian stance on start-ups - Politicians should forget about fairness – focus instead on talent where there is a better chance of a breakthrough - 12th October
 * How to avoid choosing the wrong partner - Fluff this, and the consequences could be disastrous in every different way - 5th October
 * Airy talk of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ business is wide of the mark - I do not believe our business culture is rotten and needs wholesale reinvention - 1st October
 * Down your tech tools, get out and mingle - Communications technology has fooled us into thinking that being there doesn’t matter, but it does. The internet, videoconferencing – these are all substitutes for the real thing - 28th September
 * A crisis is the only way to test your value - An entrepreneur’s essence is revealed when faced with a disaster; it is the best measure of how they will perform - 21st September
 * A national epidemic that hurts the young - Japan and Italy demonstrate challenges that face most advanced economies – each is dominated by cadres of elderly men, content to manage decline - 14th September
 * Real-life trial and error drives innovation - Acquiring a low-cost business education is a sound philosophy - 7th September
 * Only a bold Start-up Act can help us - We should pass specific legislation that gives entrepreneurs irresistible reasons to take the plunge - 31st August
 * Ditch the derision, salute the amateur - Luke Johnson salutes the people who are free to invent as they please, try new ideas, fail, and get up and do it all over again – but better - 17th August
 * There is only one way to be a success - Growth is a necessity both for business and a fulfilled society - 10th August
 * Zuckerberg wannabes squander careers - Meteoric rise of Facebook founder has inspired entrepreneurs to pursue unrealistic start-ups instead of viable companies - 27th July
 * Big breaks require a bit of rule-breaking - Everyone is a chancer when they start their own business – it is only later that they can afford to be respectable - 20th July
 * When two’s company but three’s a crowd - Many of the great concerns have been forged by two individuals working together, but three-partner firms usually don’t stay that way - 13th July
 * To escape the broken system, go it alone - Working for yourself, in a business or as a freelancer, tends to make you more resilient and flexible about your livelihood - 6th July
 * Creative thinking is often good business - Intelligent entrepreneurs – especially inventors – allow their creative juices to flow through their business endeavours - 29th June
 * Visionaries need not be mad, but it helps - Many of the finest entrepreneurs I know are extremists – and might be considered a little psychotic - 15th June
 * The dismal science is bereft of good ideas - The fact that most economics textbooks barely mention entrepreneurs shows that economists are out of touch and unversed in the real workings of marketplaces - 8th June
 * The US and Britain as start-up rivals - British and American entrepreneurs may speak the same language, but they have different values, skills and motivations - 1st June
 * A private lesson for the not for profits - I have interacted with various charities that appear to be run for the glorification and enrichment of their employees rather than the good causes for which they were established - 25th May
 * The right café can perk up a start-up - Many an entreprising plan is hatched in a coffee shop. Different surroundings help clear one’s head, avoid the immediate issues and explore grander visions - 18th May
 * Publishers must seize the digital challenge - Bestselling writers will soon gain the confidence to self-publish unless publishers are more generous with the digital dividend they pay - 11th May
 * Empire builders fall prey to their vanity - Making attractive returns from acquisitions is extremely difficult, yet momentum, vanity and impatience too often play a big part in the process - 4th May
 * Raise your glass to maverick magnates - A new generation of spirit entrepreneurs is originating innovative brands for cocktail drinkers - 27th April
 * The past is paralysing, face the future - Regret is an emotion that serious entrepreneurs cannot afford: they must keep pressing onwards and should not look back with remorse - 20th April
 * Enterprise remains rooted in the land - More farmers are needed to ensure food security, competent stewardship of the environment and a productive economy - 13th April
 * The biggest groups are ill with inefficiency - The deck may be stacked in their favour, but, just as the dinosaurs could not adapt and became extinct, so giant businesses are likely to be less motivated and focused - 6th April
 * Partners should not always be equal - In negotiations over shareholdings, everyone should emerge feeling a little disappointed – but able to live with the consequences - 30th March
 * The business creation bug is incurable - Once someone has enjoyed the soaring highs of creating a new venture (and despite the inevitable lows), they can never revert to working for others - 23rd March
 * Drink and drugs can make us all confused - Many live vicariously through the madness of characters like Sheen – apparently 75,000 applied to be his intern - 16th March
 * How to spot an impending calamity - What are the symptoms of a company headed for trouble? Here is a rather selective list of warning signals from the boardroom that all is not well - 9th March
 * Capitalism can help weed out the crooks - If you cheat customers, suppliers, staff or other stakeholders involved in a company in a free market, they will take their trade, products and labour elsewhere - 2nd March
 * Plan your exit to prevent a sticky end - It may sound morbid, but exit planning is a necessary process if you want to maximise the proceeds from a disposal - 23rd February
 * Multiple careers are better than one - There is no good reason why anyone should be obliged to stick neurotically to a single work trajectory for half a century - 16th February
 * Rules of the game have been rewritten - The world of business has changed dramatically since I entered it in the 1980s – an important factor has been the all-pervading influence of the internet - 9th February
 * It is time to lift the lid on my trade secret - Competent trade organisations offer a wonderful insight into the peculiarities of an industry - 2nd February
 * When the price of business is too high - In a sense a company becomes a ravenous, selfish child who must be fed with cash, energy and passion – in the hope that one day it will repay all that effort - 26th January
 * Custodians of finance make the difference - A great finance director is a tremendous asset, but a bad one is a dangerous liability who can kill even a sound business - 19th January
 * Don’t be fooled by illusory numbers - So often the wrong financial figures are used to analyse how well a company is doing - what really matters is not profits, but margins - 12th January
 * Rough diamonds are our lifeblood - Upstarts, who make their fortunes through trade rather than inheritance, are what keep an economy thriving and inventive - 5th January



Articles: 2010

 * basic rules for a happier future'' - Commercial life is an unpredictable rollercoaster for most of us but there are some key objectives that make it all worthwhile - 29th December
 * forth, young business founder'' - The hope and ambition of someone entering the world of work at the start of their adult life should be boundless. Who else can believe in the impossible? - 22nd December
 * in need of lessons in commerce'' - Only a handful of MPs has ever built and owned a company, while too many appear to see capitalists as milch cows whose role is simply to generate employment and taxes - 15th December
 * good PR consultant is worth the money'' - A US Supreme Court judge damned the pioneers of public relations as ‘professional poisoners of the public mind, exploiters of foolishness, fanaticism and self-interest’ - 8th December
 * tale of the vanishing IPO market'' - It seems the investment management industry in the west prefers to channel our savings into emerging markets or commodities – almost anything but growth companies going public - 1st December
 * rights and wrongs of going bankrupt'' - It does not pay to oversimplify the process, writes Luke Johnson, as he examines the contrasting cases of Lehman Brothers, Ireland and General Motors - 24th November
 * of charisma and buzz words'' - The less glossy, more mundane business proposition – not the flashy plan promising high returns – is the one worth backing - 17th November
 * need to go beyond the City'' - We should all hope that the pendulum has now swung away from high finance - 10th November
 * out the welcome sign for immigrants'' - Caps stem the flow of talent that has played such a major part in Britain’s renaissance in the past quarter century - 3rd November
 * office looks good by looking simple'' - Luke Johnson asks if a workforce is more productive in a wonderful building, or are the surroundings almost an irrelevance - 27th October
 * shine a light on informal enterprise'' - Over-regulation and high taxes are some reasons why the black economy flourishes - 20th October
 * me to unleash British enterprise'' - Luke Johnson starts a think-tank to promote and defend entrepreneurs in Britain - 13th October
 * rules for being an angel investor'' - Patience and demanding ‘skin in the game’ are two important points - 6th October
 * kids are your paramount investment'' - Today’s parents spend far more hours a week with their children than in the past yet being a great parent is harder than building a business - 29th September
 * are an obstacle to progress'' - Militant, confrontational unions are a throwback that the west can no longer afford - 22nd September
 * buzz of business creation never dies'' - Retirement doesn’t suit entrepreneurs – they are restless beasts who need stress and challenge to feel alive - 15th September
 * name is Business, and I’m a recovering debtaholic'' - The capital structure of deals has changed beyond recognition - 8th September
 * to work on the jobs of the future'' - What are the industries and professions that represent our salvation? - 25th August
 * perfect partner to provide a new spark'' - Big groups might discover the creativity that founder-led companies seem to enjoy by finding an implant entrepreneur - 18th August
 * the cost of hidden extras'' - Many concerns only succeed because of ‘ancillaries’, such as insurance policies and selling replacement parts - 11th August
 * needs a touch of business'' - If high achievers devote enough of their time and fortunes to the voluntary sector, then it will have a material impact - 4th August
 * does business a dramatic disservice'' - It takes little imagination to produce shows like ‘The Apprentice’ and ‘Dragons’ Den’, which pander to popular misconceptions - 28th July
 * tips for saving money in tough times'' - Creative and worthwhile ways companies can save money to help entrepreneurs keep afloat in spite of the challenges - 21st July
 * job may be the best launch for a start-up'' - The advantages of holding down a job while plotting to become an entrepreneur are plain - 14th July
 * books for the holidays'' - Books that do not offer the sort of escapism you can find in a novel, but are invigorating and educational, and one or two could even be described as uplifting - 7th July
 * body, healthy business'' - An exercise ritual requires discipline and motivation, and entrepreneurs tend to possess both of these character traits - 30th June
 * focus on the true prize'' - Many large companies are in a state of almost perpetual war with themselves. This diversion of effort impairs productivity and drains enthusiasm - 24th June
 * and don’ts to get ahead in the game'' - There are probably many ingredients to business success but here are some of the contributing factors you should watch out for - 16th June
 * trouble with trying to spot a winner'' - There is no single gene for entrepreneurial success - I think we can take comfort from that - 9th June
 * rarely fit corporate culture'' - Despite all their resources, large corporates cannot replicate what entrepreneurs do - 2nd June
 * ready to pounce if opportunity knocks'' - For many the spark lies latent until it is ignited by an unplanned meeting or a lucky opening - 26th May
 * for passion but don’t forget the money'' -What happens when entrepreneurs get carried away with their emotions is that they tend to suffer - 19th May
 * need start-ups not civil servants'' - There’s no easy formula for making any city more dynamic - 12th May
 * is the time to take the plunge'' - and a double-dip recession, technology and global markets are creating real advantages for anyone tempted to give it a go - 5th May
 * of envy will kill wealth creation'' - Socialism, or “progressive” politics as it is now called, essentially encourages envy under bogus intellectual arguments about equality and egalitarianism - 28th April
 * better gauge for public spending'' - No one knows what good value in state provision even looks like, and the taxpayer loses out, exploited by unions and politicians - 20th April
 * I have signed up to political change'' - A new UK government with fresh leadership and a working majority must be given power next month - 14th April
 * are above the law of decency'' - The blame culture and a pervasive sense of entitlement encourages increasing numbers of citizens to take legal action - 7th April
 * all successes are a series of failures'' - What separates the winners from losers in business – and probably in life – is how they handle disappointment - 31st March
 * focus groups tell you the obvious'' - Over-reliance on researchers means owners and managers are separated from the consumer - 24th March
 * demands a clear-out of old guard'' - The only golden rule in a turnaround is to remove the unsuccessful management...dramatic steps to reorganise are vital as old models fail - 17th March
 * the myths of private equity'' - Luke Johnson tackles the common miscperceptions about the relationship between private equity and entrepreneurship - 10th March
 * good gut feeling is a secret weapon'' - Risk-taking is often more an act of faith than a carefully balanced choice. Frequently, such moments require decisiveness above all else - 3rd March
 * the boon of business diversity'' - Broadening of the entrepreneurial gene pool has been of huge benefit to the British economy - 24th February
 * can seize the business initiative'' - Creative types pay a heavy toll to distribute their works, and in ’the internet age’ they can and should be doing it for themselves - 17th February
 * value of falling into the parent trap'' - As he becomes a father for the third time, Luke Johnson realises that rearing children is tremendous training for managing staff, and that having a family can help make you a more humane boss - 10th February
 * Gladwell’s business blindspot'' - The best-selling author’s assertion that most successful entrepreneurs are not risk-takers is not only wrong but damaging - 3rd February
 * goodbyes are a bad idea'' - I always like to make a swift exit from a party: say ‘thanks’ to the host, and then get the hell out. The same applies in business - 26th January
 * we need an optimistic America'' - Confidence made the nation great but there seems to be a disturbing and broader case of doubt among its citizens - 20th January
 * with a dash of going concern'' - Buying an existing business lacks the romance of commencing with a blank sheet of paper but the acquired momentum is worth a great deal - 13th January
 * to tell a CEO from a dummy'' - Luke Johnson is confident most organisations would carry on without a hitch – some would even run smoother – if chief executives took an extended vacation - 6th January



Articles: 2009

 * stakeholder should get priority?'' - Business leaders should learn to create harmonious partnerships between staff, shareholders and customers - 23rd December
 * parlour game for the highly motivated'' - Whether you can give a straight answer to this question says a lot about you. Luke Johnson is won over by a highly motivated parlour game - 16th December
 * of annual to-do lists'' - Every December, Luke Johnson draws up a list of personal objectives, an eccentric mix of the impossibly ambitious and the trivial, as a motivational tool - 9th December
 * call to arms for ex-soldiers in business'' - Former services personnel often make gifted business leaders and more should be done to help them - 2nd December
 * beyond the perils of partnerships'' - They are the oldest form of business structure and can often be complex and boisterous, but they have their advantages - 25th November
 * easy ways to murder a business'' - Luke Johnson puts together a top 10 “not-to-do” list for entrepreneurs. Among them? Take on too much debt, get sick, never evolve and forget your customers - 18th November
 * and risk – the secret of happiness'' - Most successful business people live contrary to the view espoused by many philosophers that contentment means stability and tranquillity - 11th November
 * who create drama of business'' - Making sales, hiring new staff, generating a profit are all very well – but what really excites the boardroom is corporate intrigue - 4th November
 * leader who fails will emerge stronger'' - While we are suspicious of someone who has suffered a serious setback, we also respect hard-won experience - 28th October
 * is a dangerous game for business'' - Politics is a dangerous game for business leaders, as they are unlikely to find what they are looking for - 21st October
 * the positive'' - There is no room for complacency, and no one said achievement is easy – but there are solutions to almost any problem - 14th October
 * game redefines business'' - The conflict marking the Digital Age reminds Luke Johnson of the battles between the young and old in the 1960s over the Vietnam war - 7th October
 * genuine nobility of manufacturing'' - Service and support sectors are all very well, but their output feels so much less tangible than a production business - 30th September
 * who use charm to reach the top'' - Humour and charm are a surprisingly powerful combination as a means of ascent in life. I have met a number of entrepreneurs who have built fortunes on the back of their wit and general popularity – and not much else - 23rd September
 * to optimise your board'' - They are the central device for supervision of companies. But the make-up of boards and how they meet are crucial to coming up with the right answers - 16th September
 * ties that bind leaders of industry'' - It seems every profession has a small circle of characters who basically commands things. They compete ferociously for power, fame, money, market share, staff, property, awards. Could one characterise these gangs as mafia-like? - 9th September
 * are our greatest heroes'' - It is a great shame that so much innovation now seems to stem from nameless teams inside large corporations. The whole idea of technological progress had so much more personality in the era of giants like Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison - 2nd September
 * part of a good education'' - Entrepreneur columnist Luke Johnson recalls the insights he gained during early-life stints as a postman, lathe turner and disco king - 26th August
 * up lenders with borrowers'' - There are huge disconnects in lending that make no sense and it will require corporate financiers with imagination to solve the conundrum - 19th August
 * to go on the offensive'' - Now is the time to consider recharging the entrepreneurial batteries, and take the chance to consolidate – if you have the confidence, the cash and the people - 12th August
 * needs a national will to reform'' - We need a common sense of purpose and a realisation that our system is unravelling - 5th August
 * path to a superior business'' - Executing the best principles within outstanding companies consistently and over long periods is very hard - 29th July
 * have got out of hand'' - Some people just cannot keep secrets: they get a kick from revealing something hush-hush – even if it damages the business they serve - 22nd July
 * the customer at your peril'' - Last week I sat, increasingly miserable, in an establishment I own, as a catalogue of incompetence saw a series of customers treated poorly - 16th July
 * and perils of a partnership'' - Great teams can comprise smooth negotiator and hard nut or a creative brain matched with a commercial mind - 8th July
 * snare for top executives'' - Male leaders tempt fate by misbehaving with women. Perhaps they believe it enables them to manage better - 1st July
 * quiet word beats sending e-mail'' - E-mail can be a terrible distraction but is hard to beat as a transmitter of documents and data – a marvellous economical tool - 24th June
 * pact of a guarantee'' - The single most important thing to remember is never, ever to give any lender a personal guarantee - 17th June
 * guys you can count on'' - A proper company cannot function without a decent finance director at the helm, supervising, informing and warning - 10th June
 * out for an epidemic of petty fraud'' - I suspect industry is enduring a spate of crime right now, as incomes fall with the economy and integrity becomes a casualty of the recession - 3rd June
 * diamonds dazzle as entrepreneurs'' - Entrepreneurs are unlikely to be educational high-flyers but instead make their own way in the world of commerce from a fairly young age - 3rd June
 * diamonds dazzle as entrepreneurs'' - Entrepreneurs are unlikely to be educational high-flyers but instead make their own way in the world of commerce from a fairly young age - 27th May
 * of trial brings out our litigious side'' - It seems that whenever the economy gets difficult, people start falling out with each other, and often the row ends up with a vicious battle in court - 20th May
 * demonise business at their peril'' - The government has parked its tanks on capitalism’s lawn, and that spells trouble for those who invest, add value and create jobs - 13th May
 * children of the rich and successful'' - Many entrepreneurs, born with a hunger for recognition and material advancement, end up spoiling their beloved daughters and sons - 6th May
 * making excuses and get started'' - Most business projects can be launched on a budget if your life’s dream depends on it, and even now there is equity backing out there - 29th April
 * will always have their day'' - There is a passion and engagement within an independent enterprise that large corporates, with their managerialism and uniformity, can only envy - 22nd April
 * sense of dread ails the opinion-makers'' - The downsizing is having a disproportionate effect on the morale of the educated classes, and therefore our outlook on the world - 15th April
 * slide from star to survivor'' - Traditionally the top talent in every sector always did well. But that model is breaking down - 8th April
 * those risk-taking animal spirits'' - The spontaneous urge to action that stimulates any recovery will be triggered if entrepreneurs are unshackled by the lawmakers - 1st April
 * a packed diary betrays a busy fool'' - If you have no space to see someone at short notice about something that matters, you have allowed the mundane to overwhelm you - 25th March
 * to get buyers and sellers talking'' - The mergers and acquisitions field needs a boost, as sellers show reluctance to lower price expectations and buyers have little ammunition - 18th March
 * consumer’s new mantra is value'' - With everyone looking for a bargain, unless you are the dominant low-cost operator, it can mean a profitless existence for many organisations - 11th March
 * hot money is in live performance'' - Whether music, comedy, literature or theatre, stage shows seem to be in decent health, considering the overall state of discretionary spending - 4th March
 * riposte to investors’ rush to gold'' - Intelligent societies should direct their savings towards things that can grow and transform lives – in other words, private sector companies - 25th February
 * restraint is just the job or Britain will pay the price'' - Of all the jobs I do, sitting on remuneration committees is one of the least satisfactory. No matter what you decide, it seems everyone ends up feeling cheated - 22nd February
 * start-ups could come of age'' - Society must do much more to protect the greying generation with its entrepreneurial potential - its olderpreneurs - 18th February
 * talk behind the boardroom door'' - Meetings used to be about exciting things such as capital expenditure plans, but now job losses, debtor days and retention of title dominate - 11th February
 * tragedy for champions of free markets'' - Our banks are on the rocks because a true sense of ownership, obligation, responsibility and prudence went missing in recent years - 4th February
 * I fear the west’s luck has run out'' - Expect years of weak growth, high unemployment, declining property prices, higher taxes, crumbling currencies and falling living standards - 28th January
 * need tax breaks for capitalists'' - Those who are brave enough to invest immediately and save jobs should be permitted to claim 100 per cent income and capital gains relief - 21st January
 * not genes, brings success'' - The debate about what makes us who we are has carried on since Charles Darwin put forward his theory of evolution in 1859 - 14th January



Articles: 2008

 * Reaper stalks corporate corridors'' - Suicide often reveals its gruesome presence in the aftermath of financial scandal - 31st December 2008
 * equity must prove its value'' - Unless things are done differently, the backers will disappear, the money will dry up and credibility for the profession will be destroyed - 24th December 2008
 * toughest year I have ever had to call'' - Judging next year’s financial outcome for the companies I am involved in is the hardest such task I have known in a quarter of a century in commerce - 17th December 2008
 * struck off the restaurant menu'' - The public mood has changed in the downturn: a meal out represents discretionary spending – items such as mortgage payments do not - 10th December 2008
 * tough medicine of bankruptcy'' - There are two possible directions to take if your business is bust: you can get an administrator, or you can ask the government to bail you out - 3rd December 2008
 * to the brave young entrepreneur'' - Many options remain in spite of an economic slump that means there is minimal funding for new businesses just as there are few plum jobs - 26th November 2008
 * a return to the thrill of small ads'' - I have a sentimental attachment to the role of luck and industry in ferreting out obscure opportunities among old-fashioned classifieds - 19th November 2008
 * publicity today is old news tomorrow'' - The truth about unfavourable coverage is that there is a lot of noise out there in the media jungle, and stories soon get forgotten - 12th November 2008
 * need courage to survive this turmoil'' - It isn’t easy being a corporate cheerleader when the economy is having a heart attack yet there is no choice but to soldier on - 4th November 2008
 * thugs must not be allowed to prevail'' - If corporate cowardice spreads, boardrooms will become a weak underbelly, inspiring every lunatic sect simply to aim at the executive suite - 28th October 2008
 * to tame the beast, ambition'' - Who can give up the limelight? I suspect that all entrepreneurs who get involved in show business eventually get seduced by the bright lights - 22nd October 2008
 * public ownership is a failed model'' - On stock markets the mad gyrations of a share price during a few days can determine the destiny of an institution that has been going for 200 years - 15th October 2008
 * killed by well-meant rules on work'' - Hiring and firing is a quagmire, and the list of employment red tape introduced in the past 10 years from Westminster is mind-blowing - 8th October 2008
 * to dodge the downside of democracy'' - Private sector organisations are better at innovation because they have a boss and motivated owners, who choose a direction and take risks - 9th September 2008
 * practitioners of a confidence trick'' - Contemporary art is mostly a folly, dreamt up by wily promoters to spoof those who have limited taste and too much cash. The bubble will burst - 2nd September 2008
 * car crash waiting to happen'' - The 2008 slowdown is a double whammy for car dealers, who face a cyclical economic downturn and a savage structural upheaval = 26th August 2008
 * value of keeping investments close by'' - Bold British investors may be right to flee the country and seek opportunities abroad, but I shall continue to stick to what I know and can see - 19th August 2008
 * of the business superstar'' - I am much more impressed by the performance of sound companies where the founder steps back but the operation continues to thrive - 12th August 2008
 * of the effort with none of the impact'' - The majority of entrepreneurs work in mundane industries for mediocre returns. Few see exponential returns and it is the big winners who make all the money - 5th August 2008
 * owner in need of a listening ear'' - The less structured mentoring arrangements are the better they work. What ultimately matters is that each side gets something out of it - 29th July 2008
 * Merchants of death display mixed virtues - Close to my office in London is a blue plaque attached to a converted warehouse, which says that this was the first arms factory of Sir Hiram Maxim, inventor of the single-barrelled machine gun - 22nd July 2008
 * Rites of passage for young entrepreneurs - They say the X and Y generations are the most entrepreneurial in history. But neither of them has been in business during a recession. I wonder if the vertiginous descent of the British economy is beginning to make some feel a touch nauseous... - 15th July 2008
 * Private sector needs some public spirit - I was delighted to see the unspeakable Ken Livingstone defeated in the London mayoral elections. He debased the office he occupied, and sent a toxic message to wealth creators - 8th July 2008
 * Bank leaders are a disgrace to capitalism - If you want to get a British entrepreneur worked up, one topic is bound to raise their temperature to boiling point: the behaviour of the clearing banks - 1st July 2008
 * A child will make a new man of you - The life of a self-made man is not always pleasant. Driving hard bargains, dealing with litigation, juggling creditors, making staff redundant, fighting for customers – these are all part of the craft of running your own show - 24th June 2008
 * Ideas for challenging times - What tools does a fledgling business have to cope with challenging times? - 17th June 2008
 * Tools for every founder’s kitbag - One of the great pleasures in life is the matter of gadgets. Every profession has its preferred toolkit and entrepreneurs are absolutely no exception - 10th June 2008
 * Scandal that threatens to bankrupt us - Here is a true horror story: the black hole in the UK’s public sector pensions. This colossal hidden deficit will starve British industry of investment and impoverish the wealth-creating portion of the economy for decades to come - 3rd June 2008
 * Gambles in a risqué business - Certain industries seem to attract more than their fair share of entrepreneurs – lingerie is one of those - 27th May 2008
 * What’s so terrible about making money? - One thing that has always baffled me is why certain people hate capitalism so much. They really are missing something - 20th May 2008
 * Why prisons could become business schools - Watching a recent documentary called Cocaine Cowboys about the growth of the drug trade in Miami in the 1980s, I was reminded that many forms of crime are simply uninhibited capitalism – but on an illegal basis - 6th May 2008
 * Go it alone with style, caution and thrift - There are quite a few advisers out there helping start-up companies - banks, accountants, small business agencies. Much of what they say is sensible. But few of these mentors have actually done it themselves - 30th April 2008
 * Courage, money and essential brass bells - I am a compulsive buyer and reader of business periodicals. As the son of a one-time magazine editor, perhaps it was inevitable. I get news, inspiration, ideas and contacts from them - 22nd April 2008
 * Look further afield to fund a good idea - The most common excuse I hear from those who want to start a business – but haven’t had the courage – is that they can’t raise the money - 15th April 2008
 * Optimists always have the last laugh - If you want to get depressed every morning, tune in to Today on BBC Radio 4. There you will hear an unremittingly grim view of the world – a diet of political wickedness, terrorism, global warming, looming recession and other catastrophes - 8th April 2008
 * Private lives that cause public disasters - One of the more extraordinary official statements I’ve read recently was published on the suspected suicide of Michael Todd, the former Manchester police chief - 1st April 2008
 * The incalculable appeal of good service - I recently spoke at an event hosted by Walpole, the association for makers of British luxury goods. And in conversation with the senior executives we all agreed – it is not so much the products you sell that guarantee success but the service you provide to customers - 25th March 2008
 * What’s wrong with the right entrepreneurs - I enjoy what I do partly because I like working with entrepreneurs. They tend to be inspirational, energetic individuals, fizzing with ideas and optimism. But like most of us, they have their flaws. If you want to succeed in backing them, it pays to look out for the drawbacks and come up with solutions to compensate - 18th March 2008
 * Audit waffle that smothers small business - Last week I sat in an audit committee meeting of a smallish listed company. I was intrigued to hear both the finance director and audit partner declare that the accountancy profession had “lost the plot”. Or rather, the mandarins who decide on accounting standards had - 11th March 2008
 * Seek hidden value, not surface glitter - Not long ago I was visited by a former management consultant who had gone into the health food industry. He had no experience of running a company, but that didn’t put him off. He had raised significant funding for his start-up concept and had rolled out a number of branches - 4th March 2008
 * There will be blood in the boardroom - I recently read a wonderful phrase by Joseph Conrad: “To be a great autocrat you must be a great barbarian.” It sums up the theme of the brilliant film There Will Be Blood - 26th February 2008
 * Self-starters in the Strangers’ Gallery - Politics exerts an overwhelming fascination for many entrepreneurs. Having conquered one walk of life and with little need of money but still plenty of ambition, they see the political arena as a fresh challenge. Sadly, most retire hurt from the fray before the battle is won... - 19th February 2008
 * Founders in search of some face time - The life of an entrepreneur can be lonely, so there is much to be said for gatherings where business owners can share their war stories or hear new ideas - 12th February 2008
 * Buy and build, but keep the entrepreneur - There are two ways to build a large company: either organically, one step at a time – which is harder work, but probably more enduring; or by merging a series of companies, which gets you there much more quickly - 5th February 2008
 * The truth about the HR department - Human resources is a management term that should strike fear into the heart of every self-respecting entrepreneur - 30th January 2008
 * Self-made sorts kick back and relax - When entrepreneurs are not running their empires and amassing wealth, what do they do with their time? Children? Travel? Television? Or the obvious business sport: golf? Surely they must indulge in extraordinary leisure pursuits, in keeping with their unusual careers? - 23rd January 2008
 * A nation of shopkeepers and world beaters - How well suited are British culture and our national character to the world of enterprise? We may not have coined the word “entrepreneur”, but Richard Arkwright did help launch the industrial revolution here in 1769 with his spinning jenny, and we pioneered the concept of the joint stock company, which paved the way for modern capitalism - 15th January 2008
 * Novel inspiration for would-be entrepreneurs  - We all need inspiration in life, and never more so than when starting or buying a business. So I believe that heroic examples of entrepreneurs in fiction can serve an important purpose beyond their literary merit – 8th January 2008
 * Hard times reveal the true opportunists - It is said that during car crashes there is a moment of clarity before the collision – before the noise and havoc and pain – when everything becomes clear and stark - 1st January 2008



news & updates:

 * Luke Johnson: lessons I've learned in business, The man behind Pizza Express talks to The Sunday Telegraph's Business Editor Kamal Ahmed about how he started in business and what he's learned, 28th August 2011



Links:
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