John Roberts, the Founder and CEO of AO, the online electrical retailer, recently shared his life lessons and pragmatic outlook during an interview with Linda Walmsley, a professional interviewer and recruiter.
Born and raised in Bolton, John Roberts is an accomplished entrepreneur, businessman, investor, and philanthropist. In 2000, he established AO in a small room and has since grown the business into a FTSE 250 company, employing over 3,000 people.
Linda Walmsley, from the executive recruitment firm Walmsley Wilkinson, said: “I was delighted when John agreed to participate in our Inspiring Leaders series of interviews. I’ve had the privilege of speaking with several of the UK’s top CEOs, but John’s perspectives and approach really struck a chord with me. He has a strong belief in work ethic, treating people with respect, and is always keen to learn from others.”
Although now the head of a successful company, AO’s chief executive acknowledges that he did not excel in school and suspects he may be dyslexic, as he still finds reading difficult. He began showing signs of entrepreneurship at an early age, selling anything he could turn a profit on during his school years, including imperfect gingerbread men. University wasn’t his path, but he found a passion for work, starting at a local hotel, where he picked up customer service skills that he continues to use in business.
John explains: “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.”
Throughout his career, John Roberts has inspired many, but he also seeks inspiration from others. He is passionate about personal development and is always eager to learn, particularly from other people’s experiences, both good and bad. When he was preparing to lead AO’s listing on the London Stock Exchange, he sought guidance from those with more experience in that area.
John 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.”
John’s story offers valuable advice for those with ambition and drive but who may lack certain insights. He considers AO’s IPO to have been a turning point for the business, achieved through sheer grit and determination. His favourite saying is “if you believe you can, you can”, and his most repeated phrase at the office is “chop, chop, let’s get on with it”. John’s relentless energy, honesty, and positivity have helped him reach impressive milestones.
Linda Walmsley said: “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, led by partners Linda Walmsley and Taryn Wilkinson, provides executive and management recruitment services. They support a range of organisations, from large corporations and family-run businesses to private equity and third-sector groups, to secure leadership talent both in the UK and globally.
