James Caan CBE

James Caan CBE James Caan CBE is an influencer

Hamilton Bradshaw | Serial Entrepreneur | Investor on BBC's Dragons’ Den (2007-2010)

London, England, United Kingdom
3M followers 500+ connections

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About

James Caan CBE is deeply passionate about building enterprises and nurturing talented individuals. Since 1985, he has been actively engaged in developing and scaling businesses, firmly believing in the importance of investing in people over products or business entities alone. He staunchly advocates the idea that a business's success largely hinges on the passion and conviction of its people. Caan consistently upholds the principle that "It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude."

He is the founder and chairman of Recruitment Entrepreneur, recognised as the leading investor in building and exiting recruitment businesses.

Additionally, Caan established Hamilton Bradshaw (HB), a private equity firm that offers management advisory services. HB specialises in seed and growth capital for service-based industries including recruitment, real estate, business services, and property investment.

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Experience

  • Recruitment Entrepreneur Graphic

    Chairman

    Recruitment Entrepreneur

    - Present 11 years 10 months

    Recruitment Entrepreneur is a Seed Capital investment company. They invest in small or start-up businesses that want to grow to real scale and size and become respected competitors in their chosen market.

    Recruitment Entrepreneur look to back passionate, ambitious people who want to build real capital value for themselves, rather than run boutique, lifestyle businesses.

    Not only does the model provide the capital required to scale, but you also get access to James’ successful and…

    Recruitment Entrepreneur is a Seed Capital investment company. They invest in small or start-up businesses that want to grow to real scale and size and become respected competitors in their chosen market.

    Recruitment Entrepreneur look to back passionate, ambitious people who want to build real capital value for themselves, rather than run boutique, lifestyle businesses.

    Not only does the model provide the capital required to scale, but you also get access to James’ successful and experienced team who will support, mentor and advise you in your journey to growing a sustainable and profitable recruitment business.

    James Caan has an unparalleled track record in recruitment start-ups. With 30 years recruitment experience, James began backing start-up businesses in 2009. Between 2009 and 2013, James invested in 6 entrepreneurs across multiple sectors. In 4 years, these 6 companies turned over £125 million and grew to a combined headcount of 135, all from a standing start and during a recession.

  • Hamilton Bradshaw Group Graphic

    Founder

    Hamilton Bradshaw Group

    - Present 21 years 2 months

    London, United Kingdom

    Hamilton Bradshaw is a management advisory company that specialises in seed capital and growth capital for service based businesses such as recruitment, real estate, business services and property investment. HB provides tailored, expert support to provide an incredible platform to promote rapid growth.

  • Investor

    Alexander Mann

    - 17 years

    I founded executive headhunting firm Alexander Mann in 1985 and went on to sell the company 17 years later, at which time it had a turnover of £130m and operations in Australia, Europe and Asia.

Education

Skills

Publications

  • Start Your Business in 7 Days

    James Caan/Penguin

    Everybody wants to be an entrepreneur. Every single day of my life I am bombarded by people with pitches. But 90% of new businesses fail, because their founders failed to ask themselves the simplest of questions.

    I can save you years of wasted time and thousands of pounds of wasted money by giving you the ammunition to ask the right questions, and helping you make the decision that is right for you.

    I will show you how to spend a maximum of seven days deciding if your idea is…

    Everybody wants to be an entrepreneur. Every single day of my life I am bombarded by people with pitches. But 90% of new businesses fail, because their founders failed to ask themselves the simplest of questions.

    I can save you years of wasted time and thousands of pounds of wasted money by giving you the ammunition to ask the right questions, and helping you make the decision that is right for you.

    I will show you how to spend a maximum of seven days deciding if your idea is workable and bankable. How to say 'I'm in', but equally importantly, to have the courage to say 'I'm out'. How to become your own Dragon.

    Each piece of advice in this book is based on my thirty years of starting businesses. You will find all the fundamental ingredients for any new company, whatever sector you want to be in, whatever size of business you have in mind, along with the tools to make it work.

    Answer all the tough questions I am going to get you to ask yourself and you will have a business that genuinely has a chance of success. You can be one of the 10% of businesses that do make it.

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  • Get The Job You Really Want

    James Caan/Penguin

    Before rising to fame on the BBC's Dragons' Den, James Caan spent thirty years setting up and running recruitment companies, placing hundreds of thousands of candidates in the jobs they really wanted.

    Now in Get The Job You Really Want James brings his experience to bear to help everyone from recent graduates to CEOs in their hunt for their dream job, from identifying the opportunity to making yourself stand out at interview and finally closing the deal on the job offer,

    Since…

    Before rising to fame on the BBC's Dragons' Den, James Caan spent thirty years setting up and running recruitment companies, placing hundreds of thousands of candidates in the jobs they really wanted.

    Now in Get The Job You Really Want James brings his experience to bear to help everyone from recent graduates to CEOs in their hunt for their dream job, from identifying the opportunity to making yourself stand out at interview and finally closing the deal on the job offer,

    Since publishing the first edition James has been inundated with testimonials from real readers who have used the tricks and tools in this definitive guide to jobhunting to finally land the job that they really wanted.

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  • James Caan Business Secrets App

    James Caan

    James Caan is one of Britain’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs. He has been building and selling businesses for over 25 years.

    Known by many for his run on BBC2's hit show Dragons' Den, James now shares his Business Secrets for the first time in this app.

    The app includes over 100 secrets in video and audio format - all created custom for the app. They offer tangible, easy-to-understand business advice and tips for everyone - from the seasoned entrepreneur to the…

    James Caan is one of Britain’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs. He has been building and selling businesses for over 25 years.

    Known by many for his run on BBC2's hit show Dragons' Den, James now shares his Business Secrets for the first time in this app.

    The app includes over 100 secrets in video and audio format - all created custom for the app. They offer tangible, easy-to-understand business advice and tips for everyone - from the seasoned entrepreneur to the beginner with a dream.

    Also included is an audiobook of James' best-selling autobiography, 'The Real Deal' - at no extra cost! Find out how James built a market-leading business with a turnover of more than £130 million... from humble beginnings.


    The app covers 8 subjects, essential to any entrepreneur.

    - People & Hiring: finding and keeping the best people & getting the most out of your staff
    - Raising Money: raising money from banks, angels & and other sources
    - Managing Finances: budgeting, dealing with customers & making best use of profits
    - Growing Your Business: preparing for growth, options for growth, networking & innovating
    - Overseas Expansion: understanding currency, regulation & different business cultures
    - Marketing: internet marketing, social media & the importance of selling yourself
    - Leadership: mentoring, management, nurturing & developing people
    - Exiting Strategy: knowing when you're ready to sell, creating value & making your exit

    Let James tell you everything you need to know for sure-fire business success!

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  • The Real Deal: My Story from Brick Lane to Dragons' Den

    James Caan

    After dropping out of school at just sixteen, James Caan started his business life in a broom cupboard with no qualifications and two pieces of fatherly wisdom: 'observe the masses and do the opposite' and 'always look for opportunities where both parties benefit'. Armed with this advice, natural charm and the Yellow Pages, he built a market-leading business with a turnover of £130 million and swiftly became one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs.

    From Caan's childhood as a…

    After dropping out of school at just sixteen, James Caan started his business life in a broom cupboard with no qualifications and two pieces of fatherly wisdom: 'observe the masses and do the opposite' and 'always look for opportunities where both parties benefit'. Armed with this advice, natural charm and the Yellow Pages, he built a market-leading business with a turnover of £130 million and swiftly became one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs.

    From Caan's childhood as a Pakistani immigrant to the phenomenal success of his first company and beyond, The Real Deal traces both his financial and personal achievements. It offers a frank account of what success at thirty really signifies and brings us right up to the present, including his impact on Dragons' Den and what his charity work, from saving a hospital in London to building a school in Lahore, means to him. Ultimately, it is a story of learning what money is really worth, told by one the country's most insightful businessmen.

    See publication

Organizations

  • Start-Up Loans

    Chairman

    - Present

    In May 2012 I was approached by Lord Young, advisor to David Cameron on Enterprise, to help the Government drive an initiative to provide start up loans to young people across the UK. Young people across the country, from 18 – 30 years old will have the opportunity to access on average £2,500 to start their own business. Every recipient of the loan will be provided with an expert mentor who will be able to provide much needed guidance, a sounding board and networks to help the young…

    In May 2012 I was approached by Lord Young, advisor to David Cameron on Enterprise, to help the Government drive an initiative to provide start up loans to young people across the UK. Young people across the country, from 18 – 30 years old will have the opportunity to access on average £2,500 to start their own business. Every recipient of the loan will be provided with an expert mentor who will be able to provide much needed guidance, a sounding board and networks to help the young entrepreneur along the way. .

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