My investments: Julie Jones, Director Myddleton Croft Investment Managers

Our beautiful family home in Harrogate.

Are wise investors born or made?

For me, made.

I have become a wiser investor as a result of personal investment experience.

Do you believe it’s become harder for entrepreneurs to make prudent investments since the crash of 2008?

Not really, there will always be good investment opportunities.

The challenge is finding them, ensuring you’ve completed thorough due diligence before commitment and then hard work to make them successful.

What’s the worst investment you’ve ever made?

A holiday home in Florida, very costly!

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to make a major investment?

Do your research on the business, the market, the competition, quality of the management team and be honest about the real return you believe the investment can achieve before making a commitment.

Are there any sectors you feel should be avoided?

With political uncertainty ahead of a UK general election it is difficult to predict the consequences of the outcome.

Probably one area, rather than specific sectors, that could require more negative consideration would be Europe.

What lessons did you learn from your worst investment?

Never buy a second house unless it is a short drive/flight away, you want to use it regularly and you can afford not to have to rent it out!

What was the best piece of investment advice you’ve received?

If you can grasp the difference between investing and speculating you stand a bit of a chance of minimising the risk and having a real return.