My parents are not nurturers. They're a bit like me: do a good job and move on.

I don't look for praise.

I'm not a fearful person, I have no phobias of rats, snakes, spiders, nothing. I'm lucky in that sense.

Provided someone can persuade me, I will invest in anything.

I don't like shopping and I'm lucky enough to have a stylist to do it for me.

I use my clothes to make my day better - for example, if it's a dull day, I'll wear something bright to cheer myself up.

I love the full-on Hollywood glamour of the 1930s and '40s.

I think Cate Blanchett always gets it right. She seems very natural and wears interesting but not ridiculous clothes - she seems to push the boundaries just enough.

I had my first flower stall when I was seven, at the end of the drive in Minehead, Somerset. Nobody was stopping so I moved it to my neighbour's drive, because I thought: 'Location, location, location.' It worked.

I don't think I'm ruthless, but I'm very driven, irritatingly so.

I hate getting things wrong and I hate failing.

I have no problem paying taxes. It doesn't bother me, because I want to live in a society that's happy.

Money is not the ultimate point, but it remains the actual measure of success.

I'm impervious to charm. I can see through it.

I hardly ever swear. So when I do, my husband knows it's extremely serious.

I consider my position in the business world not as a woman but as a person.

I form opinions quickly.

People can call me what they like - fat, ugly, sour - but tell me I'm not fair, tell me I'm not ethical, those are the things that bother me.

I need quite a lot going on, so a perfect holiday for me is one in a cooler climate with wonderful scenery, animals or great architecture.

A lot of people on holiday get very intolerant of things that go wrong, but getting wound up about the plane being late won't make it come any sooner.

Sometimes, lovely surprises come out of things going wrong.

People think I am a workaholic but I just love business.

I am not just sitting in my office making deals all the time.

You give power to issues if you pay a lot of attention to them. The more attention you give them the more power they have. So the most powerful thing you can do is just get on and ignore it.

If people have got an amazing opportunity such as on 'Dragons' Den' and they mess it up by being lazy with their presentation it does make me a bit cross.

I've got a lot of laughter lines. You don't get laughter lines on your face without having a lot of fun in your life.

To be honest, I've made a lot mistakes and I quite like making them because you learn from them.

Retirement has never, ever crossed my mind. And I honestly can't imagine when or why it would. If you're doing the thing you love, why on earth would you want to stop doing it?

I'm not going to be told that I shouldn't be doing anything, or behaving in any particular way at any age of my life.

People who buy your product or use your service don't care how tall or short you are, or what gender you are, or your age. It is irrelevant. That is not the basis on which your product is judged.

I feel like the luckiest person alive. I spend my life doing the stuff I love. I'm surrounded by inventive people who are full of energy and life.

As an entrepreneur and employer, in the fairly recent past I have been astonished at how difficult it has been to get young people to take the idea of getting a job seriously.

But it's no good letting your emotions get the better of you.

Running the country is like running one big business.

I don't actually like dogs smelling of anything other than natural dogs.

I'm not looking for hobbies, I'm looking for investments.

I'm always asked about how women get on in the boardroom and my answer is always, 'Never acknowledge that you are a woman. Your gender is not the point.'

I did ballroom dancing at school, but I was atrocious.

I am proud of the fact I would never tamper with my looks. I love the fact I have earned every line and wrinkle.

I don't spend a lot of time worrying about how I look and I don't fall into the trap of judging myself by my appearance.

I look in the mirror and see lines, but I have earned those lines. It has taken me 59 years to get them and I am not losing them now.

I was never good at taking instructions.

When I first started on 'Dragons' Den,' I was under pressure to buy flashy cars and boats but I resisted.

I would have liked children, but I am not all disappointed. I've had a lot of stuff thrown at me in life so I don't dwell on it.

I'm deeply impatient. If I can't park directly in front of somewhere, I go home.

I am terrible. When I buy stuff, I want it straight away. If it says two to three weeks delivery - no way. I will find somewhere that will deliver it that afternoon.

I care a lot about animal welfare and children. Although I don't have children myself.

My friends would say I'm not the person to go to for tea, a cuddle and sympathy, because I can't deliver. But if you want something sorted out and need a champion who will stand by your side, that is me.

I'm not particularly tactile.

Peter Jones is hot.