You may or may of not noticed by grammar and spelling mistakes already (I hope not!). Just to make it clear, I am dyslexic, and I love being dyslexic.
Dyslexia is a gift that gives me the competitive edge
Most of my entrepreneurial idols are dyslexic. I wont list them all, but here are my top 3:
Alan Sugar
The no-nonsense tough talking Lord Sugar grew from humble beginnings in East London to a 2015 net worth of 1.4 Billion. He stars in the popular business BBC show the apprentice and his business ventures include Amstrad, Amsair, Amsprop, Amsscreen, YouView and Tottenham Hotspur FC amongst others.
What I personally really like about Lord Sugar is he never overcomplicates things, he seems to see things as they are in their simplest form.
My favourite Lord Sugar quotes:
I love this quote. It really appeals to me in the businesses I want to start. For ages I though about starting a massive inovaiting business. However, this quote tells me to start small and gradually build up the business to that inovaiting level.
I have loads of business ideas. Like literally loads. I probably think of at least one every day. However, do to this quote I am sticking to an industry and service I have over six years experience in.
What’s put me off starting a business before was the competition. In my industry there are thousands of other companies offering the same service. They all say things like “we are the best”, “we are the most professional”, “we have the most expirience” or “we are the cheapest”. I am always told there is no point starting a new business in this industry for these reasons. However, my business will be ‘the eco and best value one’ thanks in part to this quote.
Theo Paphitis
Theo Paphitis, again form humble London beginnings via Cyprus, specialised in retail business and is the current owner of Ryman, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue. He also appears on the popular BBC show dragons den. His current net worth is estimated to be around £250million.
What is like about Theo is his openness to talk about his Dyslexia and his ability to buy failing business and turn them around. Like Lord Sugar, he also seems to make complicated things seem simple.
My favourite Theo Paphitis quotes:
“A lack of profit is like a cancer. If it carries on for a long time, it will eventually kill you. But a lack of cash is like a heart attack. If you can’t pay the rent, you shut down just like you would if your heart packed up. You’re finished.”
If I think about personal or business finance – I think of this quote. Lack of profit kills you slowly, lack of cash kills you instantly. See what I mean about making complicated things simple?
“In any business I buy, I get as many of the staff together as soon possible. The first thing I ask store managers when addressing them at such an event is who they think is the most important person in the business. I‘m never surprised by the answer, it’s always the same – the customer. Not so, I say. Then they point to me. Wrong again, I say. Eventually, I have to tell them the answer and I point to all of them, the workforce. They’re the most important people in the business.”
Something I totally agree with. The work force are the most important people in a business… and they will be in mine too.
“There’s not much difference between a fantasist and a visionary. We all have dreams and without dreams in business, I don’t believe you can be successful. The trick is to turn them into reality.”
I have spent and continue to spend so much time dreaming of my businesses. That’s all well and good. However, counts for nothing without action.
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Branson is the richest of the 3. His current net worth is around £3.5 Billion. Richard Branson left school at 16 and started Virgin Records. Now he has over 400 companies under the Virgin Group brand.
Out of the three Richard talks openly about Dyslexia the most:
“I used my dyslexia to my advantage and learned to delegate those tasks I wasn’t so good it. This freed me up to look at the bigger picture, and is one of the main reasons I have been able to expand the Virgin brand into so many different areas.”
What I really admire in Richard is that he always what’s to do what’s good, he wants to do the right thing which I will try to emulate.
My favourite Richard Branson quotes:
“If you aren’t making a positive difference to other people’s lives, then you shouldn’t be in business. Companies have a responsibility to make a difference in the world for their staff, their customers – everyone”
This is very true and gave me the idea to have living wages paid to my employees in an industry where minimum wage is the norm.
“If your staff are having fun and genuinely care about other people, they will enjoy their work more and do a better job. Find people who look for the best in others, praise rather than criticise, and love what they do”
Getting employment right in my opinion can make or break a business. Again, the industry of my prime business is full of people who criticise. However, as a innovative company we want to find the right employees to change that.
“Employees must feel free and encouraged to openly express themselves without rigid confines so they can do better work and make good, impactful decisions. It takes an engaged, motivated and committed workforce to deliver a first-class product or service and build a successful, sustainable enterprise”
When working in my industry, I have seen time and time again people with very good ideas unwilling to speak up and put them across because they are scared of being laughed at or shot down. However, in y businesses, employees will be encouraged to express themselves.
Our Entrepreneurial Journey 