But there is only one person I blame for getting shafted, and that's myself. I went into the deal which I thought would secure the future of Orange Aids with culpable impetuosity. I had been used to doing business on a handshake and my work of honour, and I made the error of actually believing what the men in the pin-striped suits told me.

Do what gives you a buzz.

Invention isn't some impenetrable brand of magic; anyone can have a go.

The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress.

That was the Alka-Seltzer moment, the moment when the tablet hits the water and begins to fizz.

A good idea turns every cog in your mind, making you scared of bed in case the whole machine grinds to a halt.

But having had your bright, fresh, original idea, the really hard part is turning it into a successful product. That's what takes all the sweat.