Skip to content

CEO Secrets: 'I learned a great lesson in betting shops'

Peter Done, co-founder of the Betfred chain of betting shops and CEO of HR advisory firm Peninsula, shares his business advice for the CEO Secrets series.

Words and script: Dougal Shaw

24 November 2021

Entrepreneurship

Explore More

Twins James and John Makanjuola,

The twins cleaning London's unloved spaces

Former homeless and tour guide Andy holds guided trips around Manchester

Former homeless man becomes city centre tour guide

A Manchester woman sitting outside at a restaurant wears a grey t-shirt and talks into a BBC microphone

‘Ow much? Oasis fans react to homecoming gig prices

A man plays a guitar on stage

'We witnessed history' - video of Oasis's last gig in 2009

A Shoezone shop on fire

Cars and shop torched in violent UK protests

Alex Cole-Hamilton

'I have placed bets on election' - Cole-Hamilton

Scotland Politics

Andrea Leadsom and Sarah Jones

Leadsom would not campaign for election bet candidates

Crowd stuck in darkness at airport

'It's utter chaos': Video shows huge crowds stuck in darkness at terminal

Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer: Sunak showing 'total lack of leadership'

Joe Pike and Craig Williams

Election bet 'huge error', Tory candidate admits

Joshua looking directly at the camera, wearing a school uniform with black blazer and tie

'I'd like to start my own business in the future'

Northern Ireland

Fans at Co-op Live venue

'We thought it was a joke' - Dismay as Co-op Live gig cancelled

Tatti Lashes

Tatti Lashes: The school friends who built a beauty empire

Cheerleading team

Cheerleading team bring gold medals home

Lady Bushra

Drag queen Lady Bushra on life, laughs and Bradford

Running club at Salford Quays

The running club that is changing people's lives

Police dash cam video shows chasing stolen vehicle

Watch: 'Someone took my car, and my 89-year-old mum'

Hairstylist Callum Walker doing a client's hair

Fashion week 'surreal moment' for young stylist

Shohei Ohtani (right) and LA Dodgers interpreter

Ohtani 'shocked' after theft claims surrounding interpreter

A police officer holding a man in a sleeping bag

Police officer drags and treads on homeless man

Rachel Reeves

Watch: Reeves 'deeply proud' to be first female chancellor

The Chancellor has presented her first Budget in the Commons.

Paula Vennells at the Post Office inquiry

Key moments from former Post Office chief's three-day testimony

Paula Vennells faced three days of questions about her role in the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of sub-postmasters.

Paula Vennells reaching for a tissue in the Post Office inqiuiry

Ex-Post Office boss cries while giving evidence

Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells is speaking about the incident for the first time in ten years.

Santiago Paredes

Whistleblower claims Boeing supplier sent faulty parts

Spirit AeroSystems supplied Boeing with faulty parts, a former quality inspector has told the BBC.

Ocado has added robotic arms to its newest warehouse near Luton.

Watch Ocado robots in action

Ocado has added robotic arms to its newest warehouse near Luton.

Business Headlines

BBC World News business headlines

The latest international business headlines from BBC World News.

Jo Hamilton

'I feel survivor's guilt' says Post Office victim

Former sub-postmaster Jo Hamilton told BBC Breakfast she feels "guilt" after settling with the government over the Horizon IT scandal.

Woman in sunglasses smiling while answering questions related to the Budget

Watch: 'My biggest financial regret is...'

People in Kent share their finance stories ahead of Wednesday's Budget. Would you share yours?

Mohsin Issa

Issa brother to step back after 'fixing' Asda

Mohsin Issa, one half of the so-called "billionaire brothers" who own Asda, says he plans to hand over the running of the UK's third biggest supermarket.

Robots

'We had to adapt our robots to the AI revolution'

Sandy Enoch of Robotical explains why he had to pivot his educational robot company due to AI.

Picsart

'AI won't steal your job, but people using it may'

Hovhannes Avoyan, founder of picture and video editing app Picsart, shares his advice for our CEO Secrets series.

Picture of The Body Shop storefront in the 80s

'They thought it was a sex shop' - The Body Shop in the '80s

Archive footage shows Dame Anita Roddick talking about her company's success, in an 1984 interview.

Raid on Co-op store

CCTV shows violent raid on Co-op store

The retailer gave the footage to the BBC as it warned of a rise in attacks on retail staff.

Sir Howard Davies

Not that difficult to buy a home, says NatWest chair

Sir Howard Davies says he believes it is not currently "that difficult" for people to get on the housing ladder.

Joanna Jensen

'A viral Facebook post nearly blew up our business'

Joanna Jensen, founder of skincare brand Childs Farm, shares advice for start-ups for our CEO Secrets series.

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes

Broadband rises must be 'clearer', says Ofcom boss

The regulator has plans to make mobile and broadband firms more upfront about mid-contract price rises.

Earring

'This earring helped me build my £4bn business'

Richard Harpin, co-founder of Homeserve, explains how an earring taught him an early business lesson.

Olivia DeRamus and BBC reporter Lora Jones

'Taking control of my abuse story'

Olivia DeRamus set up an app in the wake of her sexual assault. Now she's ready to take on Big Tech.

Virgin Atlantic flight

Watch: Take off for ground-breaking green fuel flight

It is the first transatlantic flight powered solely by alternative fuels.

A handful of plastic chips

The enzyme that chews up plastic

Could this be the solution for recycling more plastic?