PEOPLE IN LIFE
I most I like to spend time with … my family and friends- especially in Mallorca. The biggest influence on my career … is fearing being poor. I’ m genuinely frightened of not having enough money and this prompts me not to be reckless with investments. I’ m currently looking at some big new investments. I think they’ ll work out very well- but everything carries a bit of risk. The person who makes me laugh is … my youngest son, Buster. He just comes up with unique one-liners and all of his teachers say he says really funny things. When Lizzie and I were having a bit of an argument recently and as she was storming out to the shops she said to me“ So you’ re not even going to say‘ Goodbye’?” Buster immediately sat on the floor with his head in his hands and said“ This is the saddest love story ever!” The people who inspire me … I’ ve never had a hero or idol, though I do sometimes wish I had the compassion of Jesus but I also wish I had the mental focus, and money, of Elon Musk. The people who make me angry are … those who think the world owes them a living. Everyone has the right to be protected by society but there are some people who don’ t want to offer anything in return. I also think most politicians are a dreadful bunch- they’ re so obsessed with their careers that they genuinely can’ t see how stupid they are.
WORKING LIFE
My greatest achievement was … I don’ t ever feel like I’ ve achieved much- but it did feel like a relief when I become financially independent in my 30s. I’ m very happy to have created Teesside Philanthropic Foundation from an idea. With the support of an incredibly strong group of trustees and patrons, the Foundation pretty much runs itself and continues to change lives and make Teesside a better place. I also opened The Fork in the Road as a not-for-profit restaurant, got it going, helped it win a strong reputation and even made a small profit which we’ ll reinvest in the restaurant and its people – that was pretty difficult! My biggest disappointment was … losing the 2015 Middlesbrough mayoral election by a couple of hundred votes- not for me personally but for my friends, family and supporters who helped to create a fantastic campaign. So many people who don’ t get credit put so much of their own time and energy into it, so I felt disappointed for them and a little embarrassed to lose because I feel like I let them down. My greatest regret was … not having the chance to carry through what I’ d planned to if I’ d been elected Middlesbrough’ s mayor. I think I’ d have been far from perfect but I’ d have had a completely new way of doing things. I’ d have challenged bureaucracy, fought against politicians and empowered people to make change in their communities, workplace and in their own life. I genuinely believe I could have made a real break from the past and energised people. Also I frequently think of people who’ ve been kind to me in the past – some of them no longer around- and wish I’ d let them know how grateful I was and what a difference that made. My business mantra is … work harder than other people. It’ s not a mantra but it is what I teach. You don’ t have to be a genius, but you’ re guaranteed to prosper- so long as you work harder than everyone else. My remaining ambitions are … to see my charity CEO Sleepout become a phenomenon that makes millions of pounds and changes hundreds of lives. I don’ t want to cease helping and growing charities but, after a few years focusing on charity, I now have an ambition to make some money for myself and my family over the next few years. The advice I would pass on to my children is … be ambitious with everything you do- your sport, your education and financially too but it’ s really important to look after people who aren’ t as fortunate, both with some of your time and with some of your money.
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