Robin Deller | From Failed Apprentice to $200M CEO: The Power of 'Marmite' Honesty

On Thursday's episode, entrepreneur Robin Deller takes us through a remarkable journey from a "failed apprenticeship" to building companies sold to giants like Virgin Holidays and the Emirates Group. Deller, a global multimillion-pound CEO , reveals the core principles that allowed him to grow a business to over £200 million.

Deller started his career on an unfulfilling path, choosing a draftsman apprenticeship largely to please his parents. It was a world he found "monotonous" and "boring," but it inadvertently led him to the sales arm of the company, an environment he found exciting. He views cold calling—a "brutal" but foundational sales experience—as the "best apprenticeship" anyone can have in business.

A chance job loss led him to a telesales role at Gemstone Travel, an experience he credits with giving him the opportunity to understand the seed of business. From there, Deller and three friends, pooling $65,000 borrowed from family, founded their first company, Fast Track. The pressure to repay the family loans meant that the "concept of failure was non-negotiable," fuelling their commitment and success.

The Evolution to Imagine Cruising

After selling Fast Track to Virgin Holidays , an experience that resulted in "seller's remorse" , Deller applied his learnings to his next venture, Imagine Cruising. He was driven by a desire to challenge himself by building an international business. Imagine Cruising now boasts offices in the UK, Cape Town, Brisbane, and Perth, with a US launch imminent. His vision for the company's growth was validated when the Emirates Group propositioned him, leading to a majority stake sale of 51% in 2015. Deller highlights the Emirates Group as a supportive partner that gives him the "confidence" to grow and enjoy the process without forcing rapid changes.

Robin Deller's Non-Negotiable Core Values

Deller's business philosophy is anchored in several powerful principles:

• Honesty as the Non-Negotiable Core: After 25 years in business, the number one principle is honesty. He describes his communication style as "Marmite" , being brutally honest to establish trust and ensure decisions are based on facts, not fiction.
• Embracing the Journey: Deller focuses on the journey of building, learning, and creating, believing a specific end game is often "disappointing". He views his ambition as having no ceiling, consciously choosing not to emulate the competition.
• Common Sense as a Superpower: Lacking academic credentials, Deller believes he was left with an "abundance of common sense," which he regards as a superpower for making sound business decisions.
• Recruitment Beyond the CV: Deller places little value on CVs, preferring to prioritize personality, gut feeling, and common sense. His famous example is hiring a future business partner after she skillfully up-sold him lunch at a TGI Fridays. He also purposely sells the "worst version" of the job to candidates to test their commitment and save time and cost for all parties.

Key Takeaways:

• Formal education or initial "failure" doesn't define long-term success.
• A core value of unwavering honesty is the foundation for all productive partnerships.
• The process of building and learning is more valuable than a fixed, predetermined end goal.
• Effective leaders are teachers who constantly seek knowledge and are open books to their teams.

Full episodes of the Beyond the Boardroom podcast are available on Youtube for more business insight, advice and entertainment. Check out Robin Deller's Linked-In for more information on his story.