Chris's entrepreneurial journey began with leaving college at 16 and landing a job at HSBC's call centre where he discovered his knack for sales. A short stint as a stockbroker taught him that money doesn't buy happiness. Chris then found himself leading a team as manager of Natwest bank with little credibility at just 18 years of age, trying to persuade people who had been in the business for 30 years to listen to him. Find out how did it. With a £10k loan from his struggling parents and spotting the potential of Facebook ads, he launched his own mortgage business, fuelled by a determination to repay them.

Chris is a serial entrepreneur and has owned many businesses, and today, he continues to run The Mortgage Hut, and one of Southampton’s top restaurants, Figurati. Reflecting on his journey, he emphasises perseverance, effective communication, and leading by example. The future for Chris is not about stepping away entirely, but finding harmony between work and leisure, preferrable in the sun!

Key takeaways include mastering marketing, communication skills, defining your work ethic and embracing failure as a catalyst for growth. Tune in and discover how Chris's remarkable journey can ignite your own path to entrepreneurial success!

Chris’s businesses:

https://figurati-southampton.co.uk/

https://www.themortgagehut.co.uk/

#EntrepreneurialJourney #SuccessStory #FailForward

No one gives a sh*t about you!

What they care about is how your product or service can solve their problem now.

In this episode I talk about dropping the jargon. Stop saying, “we do this, we do that, we’ve got this kit, the latest technology.” People don’t give a sh*t. They just care about what you can do for them!

Drop the features and benefits. What problems do you actually solve?

Back in the day I would sell to anyone who would buy from me. But working with mentors, I now know who my ideal client is so I can talk to them directly through everything we do.

And it draws people in.

Who then eventually buy.

Tune in now and let me know your thoughts!

If you’re enjoying the Fail Forward podcasts, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn for all the latest on my mission to help business owners Fail Forward.

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In Episode 109 of the Fail Forward Podcast, I explore the analogy of success being a summitless mountain. Reflecting on an outdoor retreat experience led by CEO Adventurer, John Beamson last year, I draw parallels between facing challenges in the Scottish mountains and navigating business hurdles.

I share insights on the importance of appreciating the journey, embracing setbacks as part of the process, and finding beauty in the progress made. John told us to turn around and look back, and it was the most beautiful view, we had achieved so much. And this is what we do in business, we are so focused on the next thing we don’t appreciate how far we have come.

So, let’s just enjoy this moment.

Recognise that sometimes we must go back in order to go forward. But always look back and see the beauty of what you’ve created. Then the next summit will appear.

But most of all enjoy the journey!

If you’re enjoying the Fail Forward podcasts, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn for all the latest on my mission to help business owners Fail Forward.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/failforwardhenri

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/henri-ghijben-539132101/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@failforward12

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/henrighijben/