BACKSTORY: Jurie Bezuidenhout of The Capital hotels group

What’s your one top tip for doing a deal?

Make a trade-off. Before entering into deal negotiations, understand which aspects are non-negotiables for you and which ones you are flexible with. This way, it is easier to walk away from a deal or close the deal in a relatively short time.

What was your first job?

Article clerk at PwC. 

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

R1,800. Enough to afford rent at my parents’ house and buy a second-hand VW Jetta.

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

Employ people better than you so that the bar is raised for you and the company as a whole and you will start practising the principle of true leadership.

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

It must be our leadership and constant failure to fix key economic structures and policies. I would also make South Africa attractive for investors and individuals alike. 

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

I collect nostalgic items from the 1980s and 1990s.

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

Must be any car I’ve purchased from when I turned 18.

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

Investing in PSG at R13 per share in 2008. I was working there so I had some insight on Capitec, Curro and some other good investments through the years.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently and why did you like it?

Scale at Speed by Felix Velarde. I liked it because Felix addresses key aspects from strategy to people and simplifies key principles in today’s corporate world from his lessons as an entrepreneur.   

What is the hardest life lesson you’ve learnt?

You are owed nothing. Go and work for it.

What phrase or bit of jargon irks you most?

“Brutal honesty” — always just say it as it is as part of who you are. Straight up.

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

Start deregulating power generation.