Peter Hargreaves: canny pessimist who's made £85m

Baker's son Peter Hargreaves set up business selling unit trusts by post with just £5,000. When his company went public 16 years later, he pocketed £85m.

Peter Hargreaves, 62, is not a complicated man. The baker's son hates meetings, spurns expensive suits and spends his spare time growing vegetables at his house near Bristol. But don't be duped. Beneath the down-to-earth Lancashire exterior is a serious entrepreneur who believes that any business has only one real goal. "And that's profit."

Hargreaves left Lancashire for Bristol in 1979 to work as an accountant. The firm's business model didn't impress him "everything was done to try and make commission, not serve the client". But it was here he spotted an opportunity to advise investors on unit trusts (a type of fund) by post. He would advertise his services in the newspaper, sending advice on funds and application forms to investors who requested them. "Another guy was doing it, but he was probably recommending what would sell, not what would be good for the client in the long term. I thought we could do it better."

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Jody Clarke

Jody studied at the University of Limerick and was a senior writer for MoneyWeek. Jody is experienced in interviewing, for example digging into the lives of an ex-M15 agent and quirky business owners who have made millions. Jody’s other areas of expertise include advice on funds, stocks and house prices.