John Caudwell
John Caudwell
John David Caudwellis an English businessman, philanthropist and co-founder of mobile phone retailer Phones 4u. He also invests in fashion, real estate and other industries, and chairs Caudwell Children, a charity which benefits ill or disabled children and their families. He is also known for being the UK's biggest taxpayer...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth7 October 1952
amount freedom great huge lucky position privilege
I'm in the lucky position that I can help a huge amount of people. It's a great privilege and freedom to have.
biggest business low lowest primarily risky
In any business opportunity, you'd be looking, probably, primarily at the risk and return. Some business can be very risky with a low return; what you want is the lowest risk with the biggest return.
I just wasn't academic. I wanted to be in the real world.
born brought careful definitely factor family frugal known money success value
I'm known for value for money. I was brought up to be frugal, and it's definitely a factor in my success. I was born in the Fifties, which was a frugal era, and my family had to be very careful with money out of necessity.
I'm addicted to the deal, to the next thing. It's irresistible.
break leading life maybe people
I'm a capitalist. I'm not going to feel sympathetic to people leading a life they don't have to lead who, with effort, could maybe break out of it.
amount money needed
OK, I've made a preposterous amount of money. But I was born with the attributes needed to do it.
create encourage government money people rich strangle taxes
Taxes aren't the way to go. They'd strangle the economy; you wouldn't create the wealth. And nothing squanders money as well as a government. What we need is to encourage rich people to give.
affection children invest love moral time
It's important to show children love, affection and balance and invest time in their moral upbringing.
admired drive term understood
Before I really even understood what the term meant, I wanted to be wealthy. I wanted to be able to drive the beautiful old Rolls-Royces my father admired when I was a child.
great managerial
At the end of the day, if you've got the great idea, and someone judges you've got the managerial capability, you'll probably get the backing for it.
people
People can come to me, and no matter how expert they are, I can virtually always see a way of doing something better.
epitaph gave instinct john knew lies life time
I didn't want my epitaph to read 'Here lies John Caudwell, billionaire.' I knew that wasn't enough. I've had a charitable instinct all my life, but working gave me no time for it.
average expensive incredibly tastes
I do not put my tastes as incredibly expensive, but they are incredibly expensive for an average man.