Endorsements from Business Entrepreneurs

Mike Clare

Mike Clare is founder and managing director of Dreams plc.

Aged 30, after having worked for 12 years in the furniture business and with his wife pregnant with their first child, Mike invested his savings and took out a bank loan to open his first 'Sofa Bed Centre' in 1985. Within two years of opening that first store in Uxbridge, he had opened three more.

Mike had the vision and foresight to realise there was an opportunity in the marketplace for a specialist bed retailer, so in 1987 he started selling beds as well as sofa-beds. The name was changed to Dreams and a Head Office and Warehouse was opened in High Wycombe.

Mike's hands-on approach and enthusiasm has taken the business to over 100 superstores. By the end of 2004, turnover was in excess of £100 million and Dreams plc had won Furniture Retailer of the Year for a record third time.

Mike recognises the importance of attitude in his team. He says "We have an expression about attitude here at Dreams when recruiting staff. The main thing we look for is 'a C.A.P. on their head'.

C. Common Sense

A. Attitude

P. Personality"

Read more about Mike and Dreams plc by visiting the website

www.dreamsplc.com.

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