Inside Virgin Media Business
- By Jack Preston -
- Aug 16, 2012
Wired’s regular column, What I’ve Learned, has focused on many business leaders in its time. Virgin Media Business Managing Director Mark Heraghty was himself recently under their spotlight, read some exclusive extracts from his frank interview here…
What is the most common mistake you see entrepreneurs make?
I sometimes see entrepreneurs that fail to see the wood for the trees with their own ideas and are too proud to ask for help. Collaboration and tapping into the experience of others is crucial in order to learn, avoid the same pitfalls, and to develop what they have beyond simply a good idea.
Entrepreneurs should be looking at competitors, peers, providers and soaking it all up. Each will have a unique perspective on the market and can be an incredibly valuable resource.
What can you learn from emerging talent?
Their energy, enthusiasm and willingness to take risks is something we can all learn from.
What - in your career - have you been most proud of?
Successfully riding the telecoms boom in the late 90s and growing a company from £600m through to £1bn within four years during that time.
What has been your worst business decision to date?
As with all investors, particularly as the market has become more volatile over the last few years, some investments have paid off better than others. I like to think I've made more wise than unwise choices, but I've certainly had my fingers burned once or twice.
Which single device could you not live without?
It's a bit obvious, but I have to say it's my Tivo. I rarely watch shows when they are scheduled, so the Tivo is great for sorting all that out and making sure I don't miss anything.
If you’d like to read the full piece, head over to Wired.
By Jack Preston. Content Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
