E69: Lessons from Losing £500m, with Gerald Ratner

I’m interviewing the person at the centre of perhaps the most famous story in business history: Gerald Ratner.

 

Gerald Ratner is a British household name. He took over his family’s jewellery business in 1984 which had at that time 130 stores. By 1990 it had 2,500 stores, 25,000 employees, annual sales of 1.2 billion and profits of 121 million. 

 

By 1991 he was then Chairman-Chief Executive of Ratners Group, the world’s largest jewellery retail company which included H Samuel and Ernest Jones.

 

Then, disaster. 

 

When at a corporate speaking engagement in 1991 at the Albert Hall for the Institute of Directors, he described a sherry decanter (one of their products), as total crap. He joked that a prawn sandwich would last longer than the gold earrings that his shops sell.

 

The media jumped on it. The value of the Ratner group plummeted by around £500 million. Gerald was dismissed from the business, and lost nearly everything.

 

Since then he has reinvented himself, built two 7-figure businesses, writing two best seller books: the Rise and Fall and Rise Again, and Reinvent Yourself co-authored with Rob Moore, and has become an excellent business mentor and public speaker. 

 

In this interview, Gerald takes us behind the scenes, reflecting on the impact of that pivotal moment on his personal and professional life, and how he managed to bounce back from such a significant setback. His story is one of resilience, learning, and transformation.

 

But it doesn't stop there! As a renowned motivational speaker, Gerald shares key messages from his experiences and offers valuable advice to business leaders on how to handle crises and rebound from public mistakes.

 

In addition, Gerald shares his insights on cash management, highlighting the most significant mistakes businesses make and providing essential "What not to do" tips to avoid financial pitfalls.

 

Don't miss this captivating episode where Gerald Ratner dives deep into his past, sheds light on the high street retail landscape, and imparts wisdom for overcoming challenges and achieving success.

 

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Helpful resources for today’s episode:

 

• https://geraldratner.com/
• The Business Leader’s Guide to Improving Cashflow: https://airmanual.link/cashflow/ebook

 

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