Talking business with Gary Neville

Summary

In this interview, Gary Neville discusses the success of Hotel Football since its opening in 2015 and the inspiration behind its football theme. He shares his relentless drive for business, attributing it to his upbringing and experiences at Manchester United. Neville also talks about his ventures in property development, the hospitality industry, and his football club, Salford City. He emphasizes the importance of partnerships and the challenges of managing multiple businesses, including learning from failures and stepping out of his comfort zone.

Takeaways

• 🏨 Gary Neville's Hotel Football was initially conceived as a supporters club but evolved into a themed hotel after feasibility studies.
• 🌟 The hotel's branding was designed to appeal to all football fans, using the same team that designed for Levi's and Wrangler.
• 🏙 The Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester is a luxury hotel located in a historic, Grade II-listed building in the city center.
• 🔥 Neville emphasizes the importance of relentless drive and continuous improvement, inspired by his parents, culture, and managers at Manchester United.
• ⚽ Salford City Football Club, co-owned by Neville, aims to challenge for promotion, reflecting his dissatisfaction with mid-table stability.
• 🏟 The Peninsula Stadium, developed by Neville, is a 5,000-seat stadium that represents a significant infrastructure achievement for the club.
• 💼 Neville has stepped back from micromanaging his businesses, focusing on strategic decisions rather than operational details.
• 📈 Despite some business failures, Neville sees these as learning opportunities and believes they provide more valuable lessons than successes.
• 🤝 Partnerships with sponsors like Peninsula and Prudential are crucial for the success of his ventures, beyond just branding and logo placements.
• 🛑 Neville advises new entrepreneurs to take risks and step out of their comfort zones, but to do so within areas of knowledge and understanding.
• 🏆 Neville is committed to maintaining Manchester United's record as the most successful Premier League club and does not want Liverpool to surpass them.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Hotel Football?

Hotel Football is themed around football, aiming to appeal to all football fans.

How did the idea for Hotel Football originate?

The idea originated from a piece of land that Gary Neville picked up with a fan about six years ago, initially intended for a supporters club, but it evolved into a hotel concept.

What was the inspiration behind the name 'Hotel Football'?

The name 'Hotel Football' came from writing down the two words 'hotel' and 'football' and deciding to develop a brand around this theme.

How has Hotel Football performed since its opening in 2015?

Hotel Football has been a huge success, becoming a major attraction for football fans globally, and is now in its fourth year of trading, stabilizing for the first year.

Why did Gary Neville choose to open a luxury hotel in Manchester?

The decision was influenced by the historic nature of the building located in the city center of Manchester, which lent itself to a five-star product.

What is Gary Neville's philosophy on business and life?

Gary Neville believes in the choice to either get up and try to do things or not, emphasizing the importance of being proactive and relentless.

What is the current status of Salford City Football Club?

Salford City Football Club is not content with mid-table positions and aims to challenge for promotion, with Gary Neville expressing a desire for the team to win more games.

How does Gary Neville feel about the developments at Salford City Football Club over the past year?

He is proud of the progress, including the move to a new stadium and the club's infrastructure, but emphasizes the need for continuous improvement.

What is Gary Neville's approach to managing his businesses and dealing with challenges?

He has made a decision to step back from micromanaging by coming off email and WhatsApp, focusing more on big picture thinking and less on operational details.

How does Gary Neville handle failures in his business ventures?

He reflects on the reasons for the failures, learns from them, and ensures not to repeat the same mistakes, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and learning from failures.

What advice does Gary Neville have for new entrepreneurs?

He encourages new entrepreneurs to go for it, step out of their comfort zone, but also to ensure they have some knowledge in the area they are venturing into.

What is Gary Neville's stance on Manchester United's Premier League title record?

He is adamant that he does not want Liverpool to overtake Manchester United's record of being the all-time Premier League winners.