ENTREPRENEURESHIPS

James Caan is a hugely successful "serial entrepreneur" and a Dragon's Den investor. He is also a massively inspirational speaker for any level of business audience and has the necessary media profile and charisma to attract delegates to a conference.

As a boy, James Caan learned two very important lessons while watching his late father work long hours, seven days a week, in order to make a success of his textile business. Firstly, nothing is achieved without dedication and effort. Secondly, there is little point in working so hard that you can’t take time to enjoy the rewards and, if you are lucky enough to be in the position to do so, try to give something back.

James Caan is CEO of private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw and has been building and selling businesses since 1985.

Having founded the Alexander Mann Group in 1985, an executive head hunting firm with a turnover of £300m and operations in 50 countries, Caan sold the company in 2002.

Caan also co-founded executive head-hunting firm Humana International with his partner Doug Bugie, growing the business to over 147 offices across 30 countries from 1993-1999.

In 2001 James Caan was awarded the BT Enterprise of the Year award for outstanding success in business and having already been a finalist in 2000 he was named PricewaterhouseCoopers Entrepreneur of the Year 2003. That same year, having successfully graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, Caan also won the Entrepreneur category in the Asian Jewel Awards.

Setting up London-based Hamilton Bradshaw in 2004, the private equity company specialises in buyouts, venture capital, turnarounds and real estate investments and development opportunities in both the UK and Europe. Investing up to £10 million in each individual transaction.

In October 2007, James Caan joined the panel in the fifth series of BBC Two's Dragons' Den. He is committed to investing in some of the UK’s most promising start-up companies. When making decisions in the Den, James’s watchword is ‘execution’. A good idea is all very well, but James is quickly able to surmise whether the would-be entrepreneur has thought it through to the market stage and convincingly demonstrated that it is commercially viable.

James’s business philosophy is based on a win-win strategy. “Most people in business go around with the attitude ‘I must win’, which often translates into doing well in business at the expense of someone else losing,” he explains. “I believe that to succeed in the long-term, you need to make sure that the people around you win too.” It is an ethos that has served James Caan, and those he does business with, extraordinarily well.

James rules of Success:

1. Observe the masses and do the opposite
It is much easier to be part of the crowd than not, but an entrepreneur may need to swim against the tide.

2. Ambition is nothing without passion 
Anyone can be enthusiastic. Passion is having the character to continue with an idea once that initial emotion has gone. You have got to have that conviction and unquestioning belief in what you are doing in order to be successful.

3. Presentation and preparation matter
If you do not make the best of yourself and present your idea in a clear manner, how can anyone believe that you will do the best for your business?

4. Prove your product
Have you got a good product with verified market acceptability? Market acceptability means that it has been demonstrated to a number of people who have come back and said yes, this is something I would like to buy. I certainly wouldn't invest in something that is no more than a plan on a piece of paper. Showing that you are able to execute your plans effectively is paramount.

5. Do your sums
Make sure that the figures stack up. Nobody is going to be interested in doing business with you if they can't see a return.

6. You can and must learn from failure
Entrepreneurs need to be prepared for things not working out as planned. They have to be prepared to make sacrifices for the business and be prepared for taking risks. Persistence is essential - who dares wins!

7. If you win, somebody else doesn't have to lose
Adopt a win-win formula. A lot of businesspeople walk around with an attitude of "I must win", which in practice often means "winning" at the expense of someone else. To really succeed in the long term, you need to make sure that the people around you win too.

8. Your people are your business
How are your leadership skills? Successful entrepreneurs are rarely one-man bands and exceptional communication skills are vital.

9. Complacency is your enemy
No matter how successful you are, you should never rest on your laurels. Every year you should be wondering how to replicate or build on the success of the year before. It's an ongoing thing - you're never home and dry.

10. Don't work too hard
There are times in business when you have to put everything on one side and really go for it, but there's no point working seven days a week if you don't take time to enjoy life.