Positive business quotes from one of media's most powerful mogul, Simon Cowell:
"People won’t buy rubbish. It only works if it’s good.
"I work very, very hard and I expect people who work with me to do the same. I don’t believe in a five-day week or an eight-hour day. I believe in 24/7.
"I want to be able to get hold of someone on holiday or at 3am if there’s something I need. The same goes for me.
"You have to do it by the head and not the heart -- and I run my businesses that way.
"The good news is I am far from being an expert. I’m not that musical. I don’t really know how a record is produced, and, funnily enough, I don’t want to. I listen from a punter’s perspective, as somebody who would buy a track. I base it on gut instinct.
"I think America is a hard nut to crack. But once you get a toehold it's a great place for an entrepreneur because people are so enthusiastic, and you have the most enthusiastic audiences in world.
(On first job in the music business) "From my first day on the job I began planning and scheming my way to the top of the business.
"I learned much over the years, from people like Pete Waterman - real tough love. He once said to me, "You don't know what you're talking about. You're bloody useless. Come back when you've got a hit." I took it as a challenge. I don't like bull****. I don't like hype.
"When I was 30 the company that owned Fanfare went bust, and I effectively lost everything. I had to move in with my parents. In hindsight, it was the best thing that happened in my life because I learned the value of money: not to borrow money and not to live beyond my means. And I learned that getting there is more fun than being there.
"I learnt that if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. It took about five years to get back on my feet, but I did it.
"Work hard, be patient, and be a sponge while learning your business. Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don’t compromise.
"Don’t live beyond your means, nothing comes for nothing, you’ve got to work hard, be patient and believe in quality.
"I always look at the eyes, because I can tell everything in a person’s eyes. If you look at Madonna’s eyes you can see steel. Look at anyone right at the top of their game and you’ll see the same steel.
"I have seen that the American Dream is a reality - and I would love to feel the British Dream is also a reality. To enable that, we have to bring back some common sense and encourage family values, a proper sense of justice and make people believe they have a decent chance to build a business or career for themselves.
"I do a couple of hundred press-ups a day but I haven't been to a gym in years.
