John Roberts
Like many successful businesspeople, Roberts did not make the grade at school and failed his A-levels in mathematics, geography, and economics.
After starting as a waiter and kitchen salesperson, he founded Appliances Online in 2000 after a friend bet him £1 to start a business. And it certainly worked out with the resulting AO World now selling white goods online to produce revenue of £1 billion a year against operating costs of £3.8 million.
The Bolton local has not left his hometown where he lives with his wife Sally and their five children. But despite being worth a reported £210 million, Roberts has said he will not be giving his offspring jobs with AO or leaving them in his will - instead, looking to help worthy causes through a trust.
Roberts is said to run AO with the motto “treat every customer like your gran and make your mum proud”.
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