Think positive and you can make a billion

The Yorkshireman is taking part in the live Unplugged question and answer session, which promises an insight into the person behind the business.

He told the Yorkshire Post: “My glass isn’t half full, it’s three-quarters full. That’s always been my attitude. It tends to be the attitude of a lot of entrepreneurs.”

Lord Kirkham sold the sofa retailer to a private equity firm in 2010, adding £300m to his already substantial wealth.

Since then, he has invested in retail parks and farms in Yorkshire and last week joined forces with Malcolm Walker to help the Iceland boss take control of the frozen food chain.

Lord Kirkham said he would not be a passive investor in the business, which employs 20,000 people and serves five million customers a week.

“Malcolm Walker has been a friend for 35 years. We’ve learnt a lot from each other and have a good deal in common. We value people a great deal,” he added.

Lord Kirkham also explained why he has been investing in retail parks, including one near Barnsley. “When you are a retailer trading from retail parks you get to recognise what a good covenant looks like, what a good trader looks like and where the best parks are and what they look like,” he said.

On the issue of future investments, he said he will “wait until appropriate opportunities present themselves”.

At 67, he has lived and worked through several recessions. He said: “It’s a challenging environment that we’re working in, but it presents lots of opportunities.

“When things are a little tough, some people batten down. That presents opportunities for others.

“If you are good at what you do, you will succeed, whatever the environment.

“A lot of people that fail in tough times have only really succeeded in good times because it’s those times that helped them succeed rather than their own talent.”

Asked about the secret of his success, he said it was “the basic entrepreneur’s trait to try to surround yourself with people like yourself that care about what they do, to try to encourage them, to make sure they are rewarded appropriately for what they do and to recognise what they do.”

Kcom and Bradley Media Inc are the joint main sponsors of the conference, which takes place at The Royal Armouries on March 21 and 22.

It is the social network’s second conference following its successful launch last year. The Yorkshire Post is media partner.

A spokesman for Leeds-based Bradley Media said: “The Yorkshire Mafia quite simply smashes the mould. We love it. Genuinely forward thinking and clearly benefiting the region.

“The conference in 2011 rocked and we picked up a dozen new clients.”

A spokesman for Hull’s Kcom said: “Being a Yorkshire-based business, it is important to support and engage with other businesses in our region.

“It is a great opportunity to build our network and explore better ways to work and collaborate more effectively.”

The conference will have 150 exhibitors, 3,000 delegates and keynote speakers including Colin Graves of Costcutter, James Lambert of R&R Ice Cream, Lawrence Tomlinson of LNT Group and Paul Caplan of Go Outdoors.

The Billion Pound panel returns for the second year, with its line-up of entrepreneurs.

The organisers have also gathered public and private sector buyers for the Hey Big Spenders! panel.

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