Quotes from Karren Brady

Running your own business can be the loneliest job in the world. You are the MD, answer the phone and make tea, handle the invoices and have to make payments on time.

In my experience, not all women want to run the world. Not all women want to run a big banking conglomerate. Not all women want to be prime minister. What a lot of women want is a good career that respects them... and high-quality, affordable childcare.

I hate fad diets.

I am a faithful companion of Jesus. I probably wasn't when I was 12 or 13 when I was in the convent, but I think having a spiritual side means that you live your life with an open heart, and you embrace things that are difficult, you want people to do well.

It's rubbish to say you can't be proper friends with the opposite sex.

I don't have any fears.

I believe that hardworking people should retain as much of the money as they can in terms of the taxes that they pay. But I think everybody should pay their taxes.

I didn't really know what I was going to do with my life. I've taken every opportunity, pushed myself in ways I'm not sure I knew were even possible, I've made the best of my life and career. So yes, I do feel proud of myself.

I was called fried eggs and all that at school. Size does matter.

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. When I was seven, I remember sticking a sign on my bedroom window that read, 'Manicures and massage, come on in.' My mother rushed in, saying, 'All these weirdos are knocking on the door.'

I couldn't think of anything worse than drinking a load of gunky-green stuff and sweating in a gym. I would rather sit in front of the TV and have a glass of wine.

The most important characteristics you need to succeed in business are resilience, determination and persistence.

The one thing I wanted was independence. And I realised to have that independence, you needed financial independence.

If I'm going to spend money, I'd rather it be on a fabulous location or food, not gambling.

If I can encourage other women to think about setting up their own businesses and being entrepreneurs and making a contribution then I think that's a good thing.

You have to have a very thick skin to run a business.

I'm very rational. I tend to let my head rule my heart.

It's really important that young people realise very rarely do you become an overnight success.

The world is divided into three types of people in business: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

Let's face it, when is it actually ever funny to joke about hitting someone? Never, right? The threat to give someone a slap, no matter how you look at it, is aggressive.

To any man currently thinking it's not safe to say anything to women these days, allow me to offer you a rule of thumb. If you're in any doubt about something you're going to say to a woman, just ask yourself if you'd say the same thing to a man.

Deep in my soul, I'm secretly a redhead.

Though I don't have time to go to the gym, I am fit and active, and have a healthy diet.

Good managers ensure good outcomes, but great leaders can deliver a vision by getting people to work together.