10 Q’s with Alfie Best

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Alfie Best is one of the most successful businessmen in the UK. As a self-made businessman, he appears on Sunday Times Rich List and is known for his multitude of successful businesses. His core focus being the park home industry.

He serves as a chairman for various businesses including Europe’s leading Wyldecrest Parks, Kyoto furniture, East Thurrock Football Club, Best Park Home Finance, Sapey Golf Country Club and Vaaroom Motorhome hire. Alfie’s entrepreneurial success has seen him generate millions, allowing him to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. However, it is evident that his success is well earned from hard-work and dedication, keeping him level-headed and humble.

When you think of a self-made millionaire you may think that their success stems from luck. But yet, although there may be moments he identifies as lucky breaks, it is actually his tenacity that helped him achieve everything he has today. Meeting him has shown one thing for certain, he is definitely one of the most industrious individuals you will meet with an inspirational story behind him.

You can read Alfie’s story about how he went from very humble beginnings to building a £700 million pound property empire in his new book called ‘Can Anyone Build a Property Empire’ which you can find online.

We wanted to hear more from one of the most successful park operators in Europe, so we asked him our 10Q’s.

Q. How long have you been in the Park Home Industry?

A. I have been in the industry, physically working in the industry for about 21 years. But from a heritage point of view, I have been involved and around caravans all of my life. Whether it be caravans, static caravans, or mobile homes. I have been around that all my life.

Q. How did you start your business?

A. Okay before I started this business, I ran many other businesses. At one point I even got to a point where I thought I was going to retire when I sold out a business. Which was in mobile phones.

Starting Wyldecrest Parks was the very first mobile home park that had come up for sale in Romford. It was a bit of an anomaly because you were collecting pitch fees or rents for about £120 off of about 130 people. And the price of the park at the time for £1.7 million. We are going back in the year 2000, so that was a lot of money to invest. Mobile homes parks have been dismissed as good

investments because the returns do not look that promising. But, if they are managed right, they’re better than blue chip.

Q. What is your greatest achievement and you proudest moment ?

A. On a personal level, I would say it’s raising my children. That would be the great achievement. Seeing your children do well.

And on a business level, without this sounding obnoxious. I have had so many great achievements. When I was 25, I built a company that had 18 stores in the mobile communications market. My greatest achievement was virtually going bankrupt but managing to claw myself out of it. Because that either destroys you or builds you. I think it did both for me.

Q. How do you think you got yourself out of it? What would your trips be for someone who is going through a struggle like bankruptcy?

A. Anybody that has struggles, remove yourself from the situation that you are in. Try looking at it from outside the box as opposed to being inside the box. If you are inside the box, it’s like you’re firefighting. Look at who and what is the most important thing to pay.

Normally it’s the bank. And the first thing to do is be honest with the bank, do not try and hide anything. Because the banks have seen recessions, they’ve seen booms, they’ve seen busts. They have seen people that have gone under and they’ve seen people that have thrived.

They’re sometimes the best people in the world to help you, even if their only concerned about their money. They have the experience there. And the next thing is, don’t panic. What’s going to happen is going to happen. Your job is to keep your hands on the steering wheel, keep driving the car forward. You just have to drive a little bit slower.