John Caudwell: The Making of a Billionaire

Making the trip to meet with John Caudwell, founder of the
Caudwell Group – which included mobile phone retailer Phones4u –
at his house in Mayfair, showed just how far this young “ginger
curly-haired boy” from the streets of Stoke-on-Trent has come.


We talk to John about his career, his new book Love, Pain and
Money: The Making of a Billionaire, selling his baby, why anyone
could do a better job than some of our politicians, and much
more.


Here's what we discussed:





Could a business like Phones4u exist today? (03:00)

If we went back to speak to a young Caudwell and told him
that one day he will become a billionaire, and help over 65,000
children through Caudwell Children, what would your reaction be?
(04:19)

Could you tell us about the early years of building the
Caudwell Group? (06:12)

When you were losing money at the Caudwell Group, did any
part of you think that it was time to pack it in and admit
failure? (08:04)

The Caudwell Group was known for having great talent. How did
you manage to retain that talent? (09:54)

When you exited the business in 2006, was it a difficult
decision or did you have your heart set on selling? (11:34)

Did you have any seller’s remorse after exiting your
business? (13:19)

Some people believe it’s best to prepare for a sale from when
you first start your company, but others believe that it can
become a distraction while building a business. Which approach do
you believe is best? (15:13)

The Caudwell Group was well known for its company culture. In
a world of working from home, do you think it would be difficult
to build a similar culture today? (17:02)

What are your thoughts on the trend of companies raising a
lot of money, with wild valuations, before even turning a profit?
(19:19)

What is your prognosis for the UK economy currently? (20:56)

There’s a train of thought that billionaires should be
brought into discussions about policy, and the delivery of those
policies because they aren’t affected by a four- or five-year
campaign cycle like politicians are. What are your thoughts on
that? (23:27)

Do you feel you've been successful? (24:51)

You’re a big advocate of sustainability, and you put your
money where your mouth is with your developments such as 1
Mayfair. You also famously predicted the 2008 financial crisis
before it happened. Looking at sustainability and what is going
on in the governments around the world at the moment, what do you
think the future holds? (27:12)

How did you find the experience of writing your book, Love,
Pain and Money: The Making of a Billionaire? (30:06)

The Good News Postcard: What has been your most challenging
moment and how have you overcome it? (31:52)

What is one fact about you that people can't find online?
(33:27)

What makes a great business leader? (34:19)






Thanks to Denis from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good
News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by
visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of
young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life
“news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to
cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.


Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader
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leading business figures.


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