If We Can, You Can

Author:

Sir Tom Hunter

Business:

West Coast Capital

Published:

10/11/2008 11:14:00

I began my business straight after leaving university in 1984, selling training shoes out of the back of a van.

I then began to put the shoes in other people’s stores. One of the chains was called Keen Jeans, and they were supposed to take the money, deduct a commission and send me the balance every week.

But they weren’t really doing that. One day the chairman called me into his office and said, “Tom, I think we should change the way we do business. I think you should keep the money, and you send it to me when you’ve got it.”

Six weeks later unfortunately that company went bust, but I only lost £140. Whereas when he brought me in he owed me £30,000. So I think someone was looking after me there.

Every entrepreneur I meet now there always been something that tipped them into what they’re doing, and that event was a tipping point for me. It made me look further as to where else I could sell the shoes, and I got into much better stores, and stores who paid me as well!