Theo Paphitis Quotes

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Theo Paphitis

Profession : Businessman

Birth : September 24, 1959

My family come from Cyprus. Both my father and my grandfather worked on the British bases there, and as the British government granted independence to Cyprus, they granted British passports to those who worked with them.

Theo Paphitis

I was useless in the classroom; I would spend my time looking out of the window after the first 10 minutes. But when you do an apprenticeship, you don't have to wait for the teacher to tell you when it's time to start, because you are on the shop floor learning for real.

Theo Paphitis

Making the first million is hard; making the next 100 million is easy.

Theo Paphitis

I didn't have a great childhood, and neither did Debbie, my wife, so we both try to give the kids not only the material things we never had but also the hugs and the love.

Theo Paphitis

I can walk all day in malls, shopping centres, high streets - I love it.

Theo Paphitis

No major technological change has ever been instituted by mankind without an array of negative consequences. The motor car has meant liberation for millions, but it has also caused congestion, environmental damage, and a disturbing death toll on the roads.

Theo Paphitis

The great virtue of the web, its ease of communication, has also become its Achilles' heel in that it has polluted the air with meaningless babble and egomaniacal drivel.

Theo Paphitis

In Cyprus, our house was right on the beach. I could walk out of our front door, cross a road, and there was the sea.

Theo Paphitis

If you really want to sort out the High Street, you ask someone like Kate Swann at WHSmith, who has done a fantastic job of running profitable shops.

Theo Paphitis

I'm a very considerate spender. I'm a shopper, and I do spend money, but I think about it first.

Theo Paphitis

When making an investment, the people are more important than the product.

Theo Paphitis

The Internet has heralded a revolution in our society. It has transformed the way we do business, entertain, communicate, and travel. In many ways, the change has been positive. The web has brought new freedoms, spurred economic growth, and extended the boundaries of knowledge.

Theo Paphitis

Businesses might have been helped by the ability to promote themselves on the Internet, but they have also been hit by the web's encouragement of time-wasting by their staff.

Theo Paphitis

Good businesses will survive good times and bad times.

Theo Paphitis

What's crucial in a High Street store is a compelling reason for people to shop there. Shops must offer excellent customer service - and 'theatre' is a must.

Theo Paphitis

Great customer service does not come by chance. It is the result of training and ensuring there are enough assistants to serve the customers.

Theo Paphitis

Small does not mean insignificant.

Theo Paphitis

A small business can survive for a while without making a profit, but if its cashflow dries up, the impact is fatal.

Theo Paphitis

The decisions you make when you leave school define the rest of your life. So, in terms of making the right choices for your financial security as you get older, my best advice is to do something you have an interest in and are passionate about, as you'll be working for a long time.

Theo Paphitis

I was lucky enough to find my passion early - in retail - and I have done well but, most importantly, loved doing it.

Theo Paphitis