What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include?

I ran my own car washing business in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

How much was in your first pay packet and what did you spend it on?

I received about £6-8 a week depending on who was in!

(This was 1976). I saved it.

Describe how your career developed to the present day.

Randomly — a confluence of fate, luck and graft has taken me where I am. Wherever that is.

What are the key responsibilities in your position?

Strategically positioning the business to make the maximum of every opportunity and aligning the people within the business to deliver it.

Describe a typical day I get up at 5.15am, and I am in the office by 5.40am. I work until 7am, before going to the gym for an hour. From 8am I work until I go home, the time of which can vary.

Who/what have been the biggest influences on your career?

Margaret Thatcher (negative — she killed Barnsley where I lived); Jim Collins and JK Galbraith positive — economists); Karl Marx (positive — ethics and principles).

What has been your best decision?

To realise that developing our own software was the only way to ensure you were ahead of the crowd.

And your worst?

Not understanding the true value of people until a few years into running my own business — it has cost millions of pounds in lost opportunities.

What is the best advice you can give to someone starting out in your business?

There is no substitute for hard work and tenacity, no matter what you are doing.

What is the secret of good management?

Aligning the individual’s needs to the business needs, so if one wins the other has to win. Dead easy.

Do you have a good work/life balance?

It is a constant challenge, not helped by technology. I'm very aware of it. but have had some spectacular failures . . .

What hobbies/interests do you enjoy in your spare time?

I have a lot — motorcycling, mountaineering, running, relaxing with family and friends, good beer, trance music, travel and Barnsley FC.

Is there anything in business that really irritates you?

No — in the UK we are very lucky.

How do you see your company developing over the next five years?

My aim is to get to £100m turnover with 50 people, and deliver a case study on why Marxist-capitalism is better than capitalism alone.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

Growing a world-class team from nothing and continuing to have the privilege of leading them.

Do you believe there is enough help and support from government and agencies for growing businesses?

Yes — the only thing I would like is better levels of numeracy and literacy from school-leavers. Right now they are shocking.

What is your attitude to the environment and do you have any green policies in place?

The environment is a key consideration in all our major decisions. We are passionate about doing the right thing before doing the most profitable thing.

What is the secret of a happy workforce?

Sharing with them and trusting in them. We have a simple aim — to maximise their emotional, financial and intellectual condition while working here. We do that and there is nowhere better in the world to work.

Is there any other job you would like to have done and why?

I would like to have been a farmer in the Pennines. I love the outdoors, although I'm sure it is romantic clap-trap really. I did study agricultural economics at university to try and get there but, sadly, I got booted out. Twice!

What would you like to do when you retire?

Retiring is a stupid concept and, rather like the tooth fairy, I don't believe in it.

Name: Simon Biltcliffe Age: 45 Job: Managing director, Webmart, Bicester Time in job: 14 years Contact: 01869 321321 Web: www.webmartuk.com