John Anderson - Contiki Founder & Speaker
From hearing you speak, it sounds like intially the Contiki empire was built not out of a desire for entrepreneuralism but out of your desire to see Europe! Obviously, the two co-existed well - but if you were speaking to an aspiring entrepreneur today, what would be the 3 - 5 points of advice you would give them?
- Be prepared to take risks - give things a go.
- Believe in yourself and those you have selected to have around you.
- Take advice from others (experts) who can help you achieve your
objectives.
- Achieve by working together with a team as you can't do it all on your
own.
- Never settle for second best - always go for quality and excellence.
What's been your favourite mistake, challenge or misstep and what have you learnt from it?
My biggest mistake was building two resort hotels which were capital
intensive, unprofitable and difficult to operate. What I learnt was to stick
to investing and operating businesses which you understand - I was not a
hotelier!
What are some statements that best sums up your philosophy to life?
Live and share your life to the fullest. Every day is special as it
brings new experiences and opportunities. But in the end it's up to you to
make things happen!
See Kirsty's interview with John Anderson
