John Roberts, Founder and CEO of the online electrical retailer AO, recently shared his life lessons and pragmatic perspectives in a conversation with professional interviewer Linda Walmsley.
Hailing from Bolton, John Roberts is an entrepreneur, businessman, investor, and dedicated philanthropist. He launched AO from a small room in 2000, and since then, he has grown it into a FTSE 250 company with 3,000 employees.
Linda Walmsley, of executive recruitment firm Walmsley Wilkinson, commented: “I was delighted when John agreed to take part in our Inspiring Leaders interview series. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of the UK’s top CEOs, but John’s insights and approach really stood out to me. He has a strong belief in hard work, treating everyone with respect, and always being open to learning from others.”
AO’s chief executive admits that his school years were not particularly successful and, though he’s never been formally tested, he suspects he may be dyslexic as he continues to find reading difficult. John’s entrepreneurial streak emerged early, as he began selling anything he could profit from during his school days, including misshapen gingerbread men. While university was not in his future, he thrived in the working world, beginning his career at a local hotel. The lessons he learned there, especially about customer service, remain with him today.
Reflecting on that experience, John Roberts said: “The concept of a tip in Bolton is very different to that in the USA. People in the UK don’t feel an obligation to leave a tip, and they certainly didn’t then. You have to inspire somebody to tip you. People think they are coming out for a meal but they’re not; it’s a night out or an experience. 90% of the job is actually just turning up, looking smart, having a clean uniform on and putting a smile on your face.
“It’s incredible to me how many people don’t get past that hurdle. They’re late, or their scruffy, not smiling, their uniform is dirty, and they don’t take pride in step one. Step two, is just to be really nice, thoughtful and engaging. Being just in on time is being late. Being on time is being early and being ready to go from minute one. Stay until the job is done. Little simple stuff.
“I’ve just always had an incredible work ethic because I enjoyed working, whatever the job. We talk about that in AO, namely being a high performance culture. We have people here that enjoy working hard and I want you to work hard. Others look at you like you’re some kind of draconian Lancashire mill owner, but I think working hard is more fun, you get much more out of it.”
Though John Roberts has undoubtedly inspired many throughout his career, he is equally driven by being inspired by others. He is deeply committed to personal development, constantly learning from others, both in what to do and what to avoid, through observation and asking questions. When preparing for AO’s listing on the London Stock Exchange, he found himself in uncharted territory and needed guidance.
He recalled: “What I knew was that I was playing a game that I didn’t understand against people who did. Be they Bankers or Advisors who not only knew the rules, but they also probably invented them and played them every day. I felt at a distinct disadvantage because I didn’t know what I didn’t know and only had one chance to find out before it was too late. I call this conscious incompetence, so I wrote a list of all the companies that had done an IPO from 2008 – 2014 and basically, I wrote to them saying ‘look, I’m a lad from Bolton that sells washing machines and I know I’m going to get screwed but I don’t know how or when, would you mind giving me an hour to share some of your experiences on the journey you went on in your IPO, good and bad, who you trusted and what you learned?’ Everyone I asked said yes. I often say that if you ask nicely and you ask well, most people will say yes.”
This approach offers sound advice for anyone with ambition and dedication but lacking in certain insights. John views AO’s IPO as a pivotal moment for the company, achieved through sheer grit and determination. Unsurprisingly, his favourite quote is “if you believe you can, you can”, and his frequently used phrase around the office is “chop, chop, let’s get on with it”. His boundless energy, honesty, and optimism help him accomplish ambitious goals.
Linda Walmsley reflected on her conversation with John: “If John Roberts would have allowed me, I could have listened to his insights for hours. His stories were fascinating, and the passion he has for life and business is palpable. There were lots of takeaways for me from the time I spent with him, but the values he spoke about that particularly resonated with me were, the importance of building trust in the workplace, to treat every customer like your gran and to do things that make your mum proud – in my opinion that’s how we should all be operating in business.”
Walmsley Wilkinson, founded by partners Linda Walmsley and Taryn Wilkinson, offers executive and management recruitment services, working with a variety of organisations including large corporations, family-owned businesses, private equity firms, and the third sector to secure top leadership talent across the UK and internationally.
