My business failures
This week, I wanted to share a conversation I had on ‘How I Failed in Business.’ (Find a link to watch/listen below)
As the title suggests, we talked through my failures in business, both before and during the journey of building Hortons. It’s a topic I’ve become passionate about—not only because I now see how each of those failures was a crucial stepping stone in getting Hortons to where it is today, but also because I wish our society viewed failure differently. Our perspective is fundamentally different in countries like the USA.
In the USA, failure is often celebrated as a vital part of the journey to success. Silicon Valley is a prime example - entrepreneurs who’ve experienced failure are often admired for their resilience and the lessons they’ve learned. The mantra “fail fast, fail often” reflects the belief that mistakes pave the way for innovation. Take Steve Jobs: he was famously ousted from Apple, the company he founded, only to return later and lead it to unprecedented success.
In the UK, failure tends to carry more stigma. Cultural conservatism and a preference for cautious risk-taking often mean that setbacks are seen as potentially career-ending events rather than opportunities for growth. This attitude discourages entrepreneurs from taking big risks, for fear of being labeled a failure.
There are also countless examples of the mainstream media tearing down successful individuals in ways you don’t see in America. Steven Bartlett is a recent example. Despite his success being something the UK should celebrate—he’s globally recognised and fast becoming one of the world’s most renowned entrepreneurs - the BBC chose to initiate detrimental investigations, despite him not breaking any laws. It's perhaps not just the wrong attitude towards failure, but success as a whole.
I hope attitudes change in the future, as current perspectives have undoubtedly held back many otherwise promising entrepreneurs.
The more we talk about failure, the sooner it will change.
Click the image below to listen:
