If you are glass half empty type of person, maybe you just haven’t been holding the right glass

I have learnt so much over my 40 years of business which would have been valuable to me when I was younger.

Giving back has to do with the way I was brought up and the fact that I've traveled widely and seen terrible situations in the world. To sleep well at night, those of us who are in a position to help must address these situations. I'd get far greater satisfaction out of, say, walking into a hospital I'd built in South Africa than I would by sitting on a beach. I'm fortunate enough to be in a position to make a difference, and I don't want to waste that. I suspect I was also lucky to have parents who drove me from a young age.

Good customer service begins at the top. If your senior people don't get it, even the strongest links further down the line can become compromised.

A business can be started with very little money.

When I was young, every time I criticized someone, my mother would stand me in front of the mirror and say: 'The flaws you see in others are actually a reflection of yourself.' That taught me to pay close attention when I looked at others.

In the beginning it was just about the business - now it's about the brand.