Well, I think that there's a very thin dividing line between success and failure. And I think if you start a business without financial backing, you're likely to go the wrong side of that dividing line.

Anyone who makes an effort at whatever they hope to accomplish can, and will, seriously improve their chances of succeeding.

A good idea for a new business tends not to occur in isolation, and often the window of opportunity is very small. So speed is of the essence.

Whenever I see people getting a bad deal I want to step in and do something about it. Of course, this is not pure altruism - there's a profit to be made too.

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.

The time to go into a new business is when it’s badly run by others.

Free publicity and word of mouth is probably the best and cheapest form of advertising. Learn to use it to your advantage.