Stick it on the Laterbase…

When I approach Alan's house, I am surprised to find he lives in a rather modest two-bedroom terraced, though I am not sure why (after all, rumor has it Lord Sugar operates out of a refurbished auto fix garage). I knock at the door. He answers so quickly I am startled, but before I can say anything, he is welcoming me in, shaking my hand, all smiles and laughter. He tells me about his time at JLB, speaking fondly of trips to Frankfurt and the Edinburgh conference, but he tells me he doesn’t miss the industry. “The financial crash in 2008 was more of a blessing than a curse,” he says, adding that it helped “put him on his true path.” And what is that path? “A new management consultancy,” he tells me gleefully. Apparently, it wasn’t easy convincing his long-time friend and partner Richard Head to join him since neither had any real experience, but Johnson put his fears to rest immediately. “Get in, fire 30% of the workforce, new logo, get out. Boom, you’re now a fully trained management consultant. That’s what I told Richard,” Johnson says, laughing as he recalls the conversation.