John Caudwell
John Caudwell
John David Caudwellis an English businessman, philanthropist and co-founder of mobile phone retailer Phones 4u. He also invests in fashion, real estate and other industries, and chairs Caudwell Children, a charity which benefits ill or disabled children and their families. He is also known for being the UK's biggest taxpayer...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth7 October 1952
bigger motivated percentage profit wanting work
I make no apology for wanting to make a profit - the more I make, the bigger percentage will go to charity. So most of the work I do now is motivated by that.
business four helicopter people rest sort south time weeks yacht
I have a helicopter that I use for U.K. business trips, and I fly myself. I have a yacht in Antibes in the south of France, which is a sort of indulgence, as we only use it for about four weeks a year. The rest of the time, it is chartered out to people as a business.
epitaph gave instinct john knew lies life time
I didn't want my epitaph to read 'Here lies John Caudwell, billionaire.' I knew that wasn't enough. I've had a charitable instinct all my life, but working gave me no time for it.
average expensive incredibly tastes
I do not put my tastes as incredibly expensive, but they are incredibly expensive for an average man.
bit felt sounds success
I always felt, right from a youngster, that it was my destiny to be a success. It sounds a little bit egotistical, but I felt I had a calling to do something.
business home switch
I always switch off from the business when I go across the threshold. Home is home, and I try to keep it that way.
admired drive term understood
Before I really even understood what the term meant, I wanted to be wealthy. I wanted to be able to drive the beautiful old Rolls-Royces my father admired when I was a child.
great managerial
At the end of the day, if you've got the great idea, and someone judges you've got the managerial capability, you'll probably get the backing for it.
When my back's to the wall, I want to fight.
brother coming died father left mark morning seven stroke work
My father was unwell when I was 11, had a stroke at 14 and died when I was 18. My mother going to work at seven in the morning and coming back to look after him and me and my brother left its mark on me.
childhood couple mine money quite traumatic work
Mine was quite a working-class childhood with very little money, and my father was out of work a couple of times, which had quite a traumatic effect.
cycle favourite helicopter home
My favourite thing is to come down to London from my home in Staffordshire in the helicopter and then get my bike out of the back and cycle into London. It's wonderful.
business corrupt cut gear jealousy motorbike people second selling sold succeeded time
My second business would have succeeded but for competitors' jealousy. I was selling motorbike gear cheap, but the people I was undercutting complained to the manufacturer and cut off my supply. It showed me how corrupt business can be. When I sold phones, the same thing happened, but this time I was ready.
buy happiness lack money
I would be the first to say that while a lack of money can cause misery, money doesn't buy you happiness.