BusinessCar’s Paul Barker puts 13 testing questions to another victim
1. What was your first job? Whilst at school I started a weekend door-to-door car-cleaning business. I was around 14 at the time and ’employed’ about 10 other kids in total – we all made what seemed like a fortune at the time.
2. What was your first company car? Triumph Acclaim – awful car, never worked in the rain – but I had the good sense to keep my MGB GT. Mind you, that didn’t work in the rain either.
3. What did you listen to on your last car journey? Journey by Tony Blair – I love audible.co.uk and my iPod, and felt I had to listen to Blair explain himself. He doesn’t, of course, but he is very articulate.
4. What one thing do you wish you could do better? Speak better French.
5. What’s your biggest achievement? Tough picking only one. It would be between launching the first home-use Macintosh Computer (the LC with pre-loaded software) or the Newton for Apple. Also developing and launching pay-as-you drive insurance for Aviva.
6. Who are your role models? Steve Jobs for his genius, Peter Dyson for his determination, and Richard Branson for the sheer chutzpah. Each one is a visionary.
7. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done? Crashing into the central reservation of the M3 in a ‘sporty’ Ford Orion when I was much younger – no accidents since, thankfully.
8. What was the most hotly debated topic at your last meeting? Who’s buying the coffee.
9. What’s in your garage? Junk that won’t fit in the house mainly, and dozens of chairs awaiting restoration for my wife’s business.
10. What’s the worst thing about your job? My office is freezing in the summer, the rest I love.
11. What one law would you make or change? I’d tackle small mindedness.
12. What keeps you awake at night? Nothing.
13. Who is your ideal celebrity date? The cast of Mock the Week.
