BACKSTORY: David Burford, CEO of Beck Family Estates

What was your first job?

My first job was a part-time waiter as a student when I was 16.

How much was your first pay cheque, and how did you spend it?

My first salary was only about R1,000 and I spent it all on entertainment (in my defence I was only 16!).

What is the one thing you wish somebody had told you when you were starting out?

Listen and question more and seek to understand.

If you could fix only one thing in SA, what would it be?

Unemployment — giving  unemployed South Africans the chance to earn a wage and improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

What’s the most interesting thing about you that people don’t know?

I like to take things apart and see how they work. If something electrical breaks in our home, I enjoy taking it apart to see if I can fix it.

What’s the worst investment mistake you’ve made?

Selling my UK property.  I rented it out for three years and had enough of being a landlord. Of course, the price of property in the area went through the roof months after I sold.

What’s the best investment you’ve ever made? And how much of it was due to luck?

Investment in my kids and my own education. It was very deliberate and carefully considered, so not much luck involved.

What is the hardest life lesson you’ve learnt so far?

To let go and move on when you are not being valued and appreciated.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

All virtues by their nature are virtuous but what I believe is overrated is the use of virtues to hide agendas. For example patience used to postpone or delay difficult decisions, or people’s Loyalty used to avoid reward and recognition.

What is something you would go back and tell your younger self that would impress them?

Seek to understand and always challenge the status quo.

Was there ever a point at which you wanted to trade it all in for a different career? And, if so, what would that career be?

I think we all have those moments when we think what could have been. When I was a very young man, I had a close friend who was Mauritian and we often spoke about starting a water sports business, supplying hotels and so on. There are times when I wonder where that road may have led if we had followed it through.

If you were President Cyril Ramaphosa, what would you change, or do, tomorrow? 

Tackle unemployment; create space for SMEs to thrive and succeed in generating employment and revenue.