INTERVIEW and his team see potential in can also expect to receive expert mentorship and guidance .
As part of the package , startups will benefit from Just Develop It ’ s expertise in finance and exit strategies to sales , marketing , HR , branding and design , giving any kind of company the opportunity to succeed .
A culture of togetherness is fostered in the company ’ s new Fareham headquarters just outside Portsmouth , where a number of its businesses have gathered under the same roof . Phillips is careful to create a collaborative environment where resources are pooled and ideas shared , but his primary focus is on the people he works alongside , from the CEOs to Just Develop It ’ s growing team of workers . “ Any business that we invest in is more for the person than the business ,” says Phillips . “ With most business ideas , it ’ s not necessarily that business that ’ s going to make them money or be their success , but the person behind it . We like that because the idea might not be great , but we ’ re going to go along for the ride because , eventually , they ’ re going to have something else . “ I work directly with the CEOs of every company , sometimes with the COO , and you learn things as you go just by being involved in the businesses . The knowledge I have is probably 5 % of what each of the CEOs has within their company , and we give complete free range to anyone that runs whatever company , which allows them to make some mistakes and learn from them .
“ They take everything on personally , and they ’ re responsible for their own section and their own company . That kind of helps the businesses run themselves , and we don ’ t have to get too involved on a day-to-day basis .”
But what of his own personal profile ? Phillips has achieved a remarkable amount not just for himself but for a number of other business owners in his short career , but has he grown used to his wealth being compared to that of some of the country ’ s most famous musicians and sportspeople ?
“ When it was the first time that it ( The Independent ’ s list of the 24 richest people aged 30 or under in Britain ) came out , it was like five years ago and I didn ’ t know I was actually going in the paper ,” he reveals . “ I can remember someone telling me and I leaned down in shock , right there . That first one was specifically cool !”
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