Product Description

After dropping out of school at just sixteen, James Caan started his business life in a broom cupboard with no qualifications and two pieces of fatherly wisdom: 'observe the masses and do the opposite' and 'always look for opportunities where both parties benefit'. Armed with this advice, natural charm and the Yellow Pages, he built a market-leading business with a turnover of GBP130 million and swiftly became one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs.From Caan's childhood as a Pakistani immigrant to the phenomenal success of his first company and beyond, "The Real Deal" traces both his financial and personal achievements. It offers a frank account of what success at thirty really signifies and brings us right up to the present, including his impact on Dragons' Den and what his charity work, from saving a hospital in London to building a school in Lahore, means to him. Ultimately, it is a story of learning what money is really worth, told by one the country's most insightful businessmen.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2549 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

From the Inside Flap
James Caan is one of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs. Dropping out of school at just sixteen, he started his business life with no qualifications and two pieces of advice: ‘observe the masses and do the opposite’ and ‘always look for opportunities where both parties benefit’. Armed with just these two pieces of fatherly wisdom, extraordinary charm and the yellow pages, James Caan built a market-leading business with a turnover of more than £130million from a broom cupboard.

The Real Deal is the incredible story of James’ remarkable life. From his childhood as a Pakistani immigrant in Brick Lane in the 1960s and his decision not to go into the family business, to the phenomenal success of his first company this book traces James Caan’s journey to both financial and personal maturity. It deals with his disappointment upon realising his goals too early, and offers a frank account of what success at 30 really means. The Real Deal brings us bang up to the present, including the truth about his role on Dragons' Den, what his charity work in Lahore, Kashmir and Kosovo means to him, and how he has come to completely re-evaluate what money is really worth.

This rag-trade to riches story is an intimate account of an exceptional journey. It is a searingly honest exploration of James’s journey to success and a source of inspiration for anyone looking to emulate his phenomenal business acumen.

From the Back Cover
'Money's great, but it's what you do with it that counts'

After dropping out of school at just sixteen, James Caan started his business life in a broom cupboard with no qualifications and two pieces of fatherly wisdom: 'Observe the masses and do the opposite' and 'Always look for opportunities where both parties benefit'. Armed with this advice, natural charm and the Yellow Pages, he built a market-leading business with a turnover of £130 million and swiftly became one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs.

From Caan’s childhood as a Pakistani immigrant to the phenomenal success of his first company and beyond, The Real Deal traces both his financial and personal achievements. It offers a frank account of what success at thirty really signifies and brings us right up to the present, including his impact on Dragons' Den and what his charity work, from saving a hospital in London to building a school in Lahore, means to him. Ultimately, it is a story of learning what money is really worth, told by one of the country’s most insightful businessmen.

About the Author
James is CEO of private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw and has been building and selling businesses since 1985. He was awarded the 'BT Enterprise of the Year' award in 2001 for outstanding success in business and was named PricewaterhouseCoopers' 'Entrepreneur of the Year' in 2003. He is married with two daughters. He is currently appearing on BBC's hit show Dragons' Den.