Ideally, since 80 percent of your life is spent working, you should start your business around something that is a passion of yours

I think sometimes when you come from a conservative background, you want to rebel a little bit. I dropped out of school at 15 and learned early in life that saying yes was a lot more fun than saying no. If you have the opportunity to explore the skies and attempt something people haven't done before - well, I was damned if I was going to sit around watching television while someone else was doing it.

Give your employees a mission that matches their ambitions. When you challenge people, they surprise you.

Learn to use your brain power. Critical thinking is the key to creative problem solving in business.

Growth does not always lead a business to build on success. All too often it converts a highly successful business into a mediocre large business.

With all my employees, I listen to them, trust in them, believe in them, respect them and let them have a go! I never believe I know better than they do and have been fortunate over the years to build up a very strong management team whom I can trust and take advice from.

To me, business isn't about wearing suits or pleasing stockholders. It's about being true to yourself, your ideas and focusing on the essentials.