Big Ideas... For Small Businesses: Simple, Practical Tools and Tactics to Help Your Small Business Grow

JOHN LAMERTON is a lazy entrepreneur and investor, a former civil servant, who started a dotcom company back in 2000, despite having no skills, knowledge or experience - "but then neither did most of the other dotcom businesses at that time, so I was in good company!" He has run more than 60 small businesses since 2000, making millions of pounds, and thousands of mistakes along the way. Nowadays, he balances running what he calls an "ambitious lifestyle business" with raising two young children. A former "hustler," he now earns more money "working" 20 to 25 hours a week than he used to pulling all-nighters and "grinding" for 100+ hours per week. He now mentors fellow ambitious lifestyle business owners, teaching them how to design their business around the lifestyle they want. He's owned a website that told students where to get free sachets of shampoo, one that told people they'd been caught speeding (when they hadn't!), and one that told football fans where to get the best pies. Before he knew it, he was running a dating website, selling office space, working with florists to sell online, and selling package holidays to the Algarve. He's also owned a bingo website, a finance blog, sold mobile phone insurance, and streamed live sports events. He now works primarily in three sectors: sports betting, mentoring, and investing. He's a perennial optimist, firmly believing that the mighty Plymouth Argyle will one day play in the top-tier of English football. So far though, he's witnessed four promotions and five relegations. Still, it only takes a couple of back-to-back promotions... He lives in Plymouth with his wife Sarah, and two children, Jack and Harry. He's also a bit of a fanboy of Warren Buffett. And he can always, ALWAYS be bribed with cake. Mmm, cake...