John Griffin
John Griffin explains his dislike for business books, why he looks up to Virgin boss Richard Branson, and what he thinks is the next big thing.
John Griffin
Founder of Addison Lee
Name: John Griffin
Age: 69
Company: Addison Lee
Turnover: £105m
First job: Articled to an accountant.
Dream job: Manager of Arsenal FC.
Car: Bentley Continental GT
Economy, business or first-class: Business
Most extravagant purchase: My Bentley Continental GT.
Most played song on your iPod: "Caledonia" by Celtic Woman.
Business book: I don’t do business books. I think they're too simplistic – there are no shortcuts in business, success is down to hard work.
Worst business moment: A few years ago I had to sack a long-serving employee who couldn’t make the transition to the new technology-driven business. It was a hard decision but necessary for the business to continue to grow.
Proudest business moment: When my two sons both chose to join the company.
Business mentor: I admire Richard Branson – people speak highly of him as a person and he’s got a great gift for generating free publicity which is an important skill.
Next big thing: I have a lot of outside interests including property, iron ore, a puncture repair kit that will make spare tires obsolete, as well as a virtual world learning website for kids. I expect all of these to be very successful in the next 12 months!