Steve Jones, founder of BillyBot in the dock
Did you ever get into trouble at school and if so, why?
I definitely wasn’t the worst, but probably in the top 10–20. It was mainly down to not being interested – lack of focus. I wasn’t badly behaved, just switched off. I think the way people are taught isn’t right anyway, and with AI that’ll probably change, but that’s a whole different conversation.
Favourite drink?
Currently Red Bull… and Budweiser, the king of beers.
Which single possession would you rescue from your house if it was on fire?
Probably my laptop. It doesn’t sound that significant, but it’s got everything on it – photos, memories, everything. You don’t really have photo albums anymore, it’s all stored digitally.
Favourite film of all time?
The Wolf of Wall Street. Nothing else comes close.
If you could be anyone, living or dead, real or fictional, who would you be?
Lewis Hamilton. The Formula One lifestyle would be amazing, and I’ve done a lot of go-karting – I’m competitive and
love racing.
How do you relax?
Watching YouTube videos about AI, which is a bit sad. But properly relaxing is being out on my boat on a sunny day – just switching off. Taking the boys out is great too, but that’s less relaxing.
Favourite sport and team?
I’m not massively into sport, I see it as a bit of a time killer. If I had to pick, it would be Formula One, and probably Red Bull as a team.
Choose five words to describe yourself.
Ambitious. Loyal. Caring. Generous. Driven.
How many times a year do you take a holiday and what is your favourite destination?
Not as much as I should. I try to get at least one holiday a year. Favourite destination would be Ibiza – I’ve probably been about seven times. It’s amazing, and now I’m a bit older it’s not just for the nightlife.
Tell us something about yourself nobody knows.
I’m not as confident as people think.
What was your first full-time job?
Flooring – started at 16, a week after leaving school.
Best achievement?
My two sons. Being a fun dad, I’m always doing things with them.
They’re eight and six.
What was your first part-time job?
A paper round. I think I was about 12.
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with?
Elon Musk.
What did you spend your first pay cheque on?
Eventually it all went towards my first car. But if you go right back to my paper round, it was probably spent on pick ‘n’ mix, a bag of crisps and a can of Coke.
Have you had any mentors?
My first boss, in a way – I learned a lot from seeing what I’d do differently with a flooring business. Same with my dad, who showed me how not to fit flooring. Honestly, I’ve learned the most from what not to do. I’ve never really had proper mentors, as much as I would’ve liked to. The closest is a guy I met at a networking event who helped build Tangle Teezer with the founder. I can message him for advice, but he’s busy – that’s probably the only real mentor I’ve had.
What car do you drive, and what does it say about you?
My mum’s car — and because she’s only just passed her test, it still has P plates on it. I drive it to save money so I can build my new brand, BillyBot. It probably says I don’t care what people think if it helps me get where I want to go.
What are your hobbies?
Mainly anything with my boys – park, football, swimming, gym. We’ve got a boat, so going out on that is a big one. My son’s also got a motorbike and does races, so we do that too. But the main ones would be boating and swimming with my boys.
Do you have pets?
Not anymore, and I wouldn’t again. I had a dog I absolutely adored – had her from a puppy for about 11 years. She got cancer, which was horrible. She was a cross – a husky/German Shepherd mix, pure white, really good-looking. Everyone always commented on her. Losing her was tough, but it also made me realise how much responsibility pets are, especially with kids. Unless I’ve got loads of land one day, I wouldn’t have another.
What’s your favourite thing about the flooring industry?
Nothing specific to flooring – it’s the laughs with your mates. But that applies to any trade. You’re always in different places, travelling around, working together, having a laugh. And it’s actually a really nice industry. Going to things like The Flooring Show South at Sandown, where I exhibited in April, you realise how friendly everyone is.
What song or book would you take to a desert island?
My favourite song of all time is Beautiful People by Chris Brown. And I’d take the book Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.
If you could have invented any product, what would it be?
Probably BillyBot – because of the freedom it can give people to live their lives, not just work.
