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Peter Jones is one of the dragons on BBC Two’s investment programme Dragon’s Den in which potential entrepreneurs seek investment in their companies by giving details of their ideas to a group of five successful multi millionaire business people – the Dragons. Although many ideas fall through, the programme offers a unique platform for those individuals who have the courage of being themselves. Jones was born in 1966 in Berkshire. Right since his childhood days he had big dreams – he used to sit in his father’s office chair and pretend to be in charge of a big company – even though the company was small and he was only seven years of age. Although his family was not poor, by any standards, Jones always wanted more. Probably it was this burning desire which has made him, what he is today. Peter discovered his business acumen and flair for figures when he was still at school and aged only 16. After completing The Lawn Tennis Association’s Coaching Exams, he set up his own tennis coaching school which was, in fact, a combination of two subjects that he liked most – sports and economics. He then set up a computer business with handsome returns – that allowed him to own a nice house and prestigious luxury cars. Many enreprenuers dream of driving their own super cars. Many of them will try Experience Days that you'll love to bits! Driving supercars such as the Aston Martin DB9, Ariel Atom, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's - the fun doesn't stop with driving experience days! However things can change very quickly, especially when they change for bad as he found out. Due to a combination of bad fortune, personal mistakes and some of his top customers running out of business, Jones too ran out of business. In these lean days he tried his hand in computer support business and then a restaurant, both of which were not very successful. At 28 his difficult situation forced him to join a large corporate – Siemens Nixdorf. And then fortune smiled on him again – within 12 months he ended up in running the business in UK. At 32, in 1998, he founded Phones International Group – which provided mobile cellular solutions to a large number of clients. The main area of the business was a distribution model which he created – Single Brand Distribution. Presently this business operates under the brand name of Data Select. Today The Phones International Group is recognized as one of the most successful business groups in the UK with it being recognized as the 13th fastest growing business in the Sunday Times / Virgin Atlantic UK Fast Track League Table in 2003 turning over revenues more than 200 million pounds per annum. Also the group has a number of leading brands as its partners – whether as the collaborator, supplier or maybe the customer. Today at the age of forty Jones is considered to be one of the well known young businessmen mainly in the UK and was listed, in 2006, as one of the top ten, under 40, entrepreneurs in the UK by The Daily Telegraph. This has won him many awards including the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2001. His success has also made him one of the “dragons” on the investment show Dragon’s Den. He has also diversified his business interests, which apart from telecom, now include leisure publishing TV and media.
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