Jerry Lockspeiser

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Name: Jerry Lockspeiser

York: 1972-1975

Degree: Social Science

Company: Bottle Green Ltd

Website: www.bottlegreen.com

Why did you choose York?

"Two main reasons - Firstly I liked the course, and secondly I grew up in the south and really wanted to get away! It also happened that my aunt and uncle lived in York, my uncle was the University doctor at the time, so I had a security link if I ever needed it."

Briefly describe your career progression once you left York.

"I took a gap year where I taught English in the Sudan, before starting a MA in African Studies at Edinburgh. I then passed through a number of jobs from helping disadvantaged kids find work experience to adult education. When my son Liam was born in 1983, my partner and I did a role reversal where I gave up my job and became a househusband and she continued working. At the time this was relatively rare. I had been looking after kids and doing bits of paid work for about 4 years when before I hit upon an idea for a business supplying wines that other people didn't supply. I discovered an interest in organic and unusual wines - mostly those from little known wine producing countries, mostly in the third world. I realised there might be potential, so in 1985 I put together a mail order catalogue and formed my own company, Vinceremos Wines. I ran that with a friend for over 5 years before the recession at the end of the 1980's and early 1990's almost destroyed the company. We survived, but only after we laid off all but 2 of the 14 staff. I resolved to start again and learn from my mistakes though, which led me to start Bottle Green, which is where I am now."

What do you think are the key qualities you possess that have helped you?

"Creativity and a single minded application of the creative idea. I am extremely determined, and once I decide to do something I work extremely hard and don't give up. Lateral thinking is also very important to me- being able to think of new ways of understanding and solving problems, or come up with new ideas to develop opportunities."

Luck or planning?

"Not much of either to be honest! I don't want to be arrogant but I don't think luck has had much to do with it. I am a very driven person and I have worked 12 hours a day or longer for almost 20 years doing whatever is necessary. I don't think its luck at all; we've created the opportunities and taken advantage of them. As for planning, if you mean classic strategic business planning then until 1990, there just wasn't any - just a belief we had a good idea and would seek to grow the business! It would have been a damn site easier had I known then what I know now, which a lot of people say I guess, and I would have done it differently and saved an enormous amount of time. Don't do what I did for God's sake - I mean starting a business with no capital and just working incredibly hard - without lifting your head up, thinking through what you want to do and the best way of achieving it, and making a plan before starting . I've been successful despite doing it the wrong way, if someone had told me all this then and made me learn a few lessons, it would have saved me years of time and effort."

What is your best advice to students at York looking to start their own enterprise?

"There are many things to think about, it all depends on the idea and the person really. But I think there are some points that are really important for most of us. First, decide what really matters to you in life generally. What are your values? How do you want to live? If you want to create a business and you are the driving force, then you must be prepared to devote a huge part of your mental and physical life to it. It has a big affect on the time you have for other things, namely friends, family, and any other activities you do. It's usually a dislocating and unbalancing lifestyle but it has to become the main thing in your life. It may change once the business matures, but while you are starting it up you have to drive it full time. I've been divorced, and I've had difficult times and issues when my work has dominated my life."

"Second, stand back and look at the business idea. What is your purpose? Do you want a job, or do you want to fulfil a vision? This is a really important point. There is a massive difference between making a job for yourself - and maybe a number of other people - and living the vision of a business idea. In either case for Gods sake work out where you want to end up and have some sort of plan. You are unlikely to arrive at your destination if you have not decided where it is you are trying to go before you start the journey! Lets say you have decided that you want to drive from York to Edinburgh - so you are not driving around the UK aimlessly, hoping you will arrive somewhere, you have decided on your destination - Edinburgh. This is a good start. But you do not know HOW to get there? If you just drive off hoping you will arrive in Edinburgh, turning left and right like trying to get out of a maze.. it will take a long time to get there, and maybe it will never happen. But if you buy a map and study the route BEFORE you leave York, and assess when you need to stop for petrol on the way, and how much the petrol costs and make sure you have enough money, and you have a spare wheel, and then take the map with you so that when there are diversions on the way you can consult the map and change route but still end up in Edinburgh.. now you are talking!"

"Third - and despite the basic need to know what you are trying to do and planning how you think you want to get there - do not be constrained by any rules. Remember Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious - 'do it your way'. No one ever made a significant change to the business world they occupy, big or small, by following the norm, playing safe, or following all the rules."