Quick fire Q&A with Sunderland based entrepreneur Tony Griffiths, you may have recently seen him on CH4′s ‘Come Dine With Me’:

Tony thanks so much for giving your time for UKpreneur – I’m sure your story can inspire our readers. Tony, can you tell us what your business is and your role within that business?

I am the Managing Director of Wylam Leisure Limited, we own 8 venues which include a nightclub, a live music venue, 2 hotels, 3 pubs and working man’s club and a fish and chip restaurant.

How did you begin in business? Was it something you started at a young age or when you were older?

I always found it hard to work for other people so when I got the chance at age 24 I took it.

What was your first job and salary?

Washing dishes in the kitchen of the restaurant my mum worked as a waitress in, earning 10 rand per shift in South Africa – that’s about £1 per shift. I was 14.

Financially and in terms of meeting any personal goals you had – when was the day you realised you had ‘made it’ it in business?

I still haven’t had that moment because everytime there is money in the bank we take on another project.

What has been the most difficult time/incident in business for you and how did you overcome it?

I have had many, from making payment plans with bailiffs sent by the VAT man, to being barred from one of my own pubs!

Do you take risks?

I put my house on the line as security everytime we buy something new so I don’t class anything as a risk I am very confident about everything we buy otherwise I wouldn’t do it. My bank manager always says I must slow down but that’s why he’s a bank manager!

What marketing advice would you give entrepreneurs reading this article?

The thing about marketing is you can never be sure which part works but you do need it, just don’t get carried away because it can become expensive.

What does the future hold for you?

I am setting up a new company called Wylam Consultancy Limited which will take over distressed businesses for banks, breweries and receivers so I am looking forward to trying to turn businesses around.

I am also going to b doing some more television stuff later this year, the response from doing ‘Come Dine With Me’ has been really good, I have had to turn down a couple of things already because I am busy with real work.

What do you like to do in your spare time or to relax?

Most of the time is spent with my wife and dogs. I don;t get much of it though!

In current economic times, it’s never been harder for people to start up in business – any advice you can give to inspire people?

99.9% of failed business people blame other people for their failures, so just make sure you do not rely to much on other people, try and learn by their mistakes but when it comes to decision making remember to believe in yourself and trust your judgement and you will be fine.

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