From Tesco worker to successful entrepreneur!
Charles Burns went from working at Tesco to dabbling in many business ventures such as management consultancy, a comparison website & potentially Lord Sugar’s next Apprentice!
If Only They Knew had the pleasure of speaking to Charles, who shared the challenges he has faced in his journey as an entrepreneur as well as his tip for young entrepreneurs.
What Made Charles Want to Become an Entrepreneur?
In his audition for The Apprentice, Charle said he was the “most entrepreneurial person you will ever meet”, so we asked him what it was that made him want to become an entrepreneur - to which Charles responded:
"Growing up in a family business environment meant that I was always exposed to business. Every dinner table would be filled with constant of chatter about our family business or political, social, economic issues of the day that would/could have an impact on the business community. So I would say my entrepreneurial spirit was born there”
What is Charles Top Tip for Young Entrepreneurs?
At age 24, Charles is still very young but we wondered if he had faced any challenges in the business world and what his top tip for young entrepreneurs would be.
“I certainly am young in the grand scheme of things and I have overcome many hurdles to get to where I am, my biggest piece of advice would be that you must not let failure be a burden, rather a marker that you have tried something and are one step closer to achieving your goals. I would also say that as clichéd as it sounds, age is but a number"
"I initially struggled when I was tasked with managing 70+ people for Tesco at age 18, earning the respect at such a young age is certainly difficult but it can be done if you are prepared to work with those around you to gain the respect in the first place rather than speaking from some ivory tower and expecting people to follow you“
What is Charles Ideal Task on The Apprentice?
Charles said that his ideal task on The Apprentice was the task in which the candidates had to "source a number of products, often very unusual items from all across London for the best price possible. This task really tests your negotiation skills and practical skills as you have to both navigate around the city effectively and also deduce what it is you need to find”
If Only They Knew wish Charles the best of luck with his business journey.
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