For me, I may have titles like CEO, director or vice chairman but the best title for me is ‘working mother.'
— Karren Brady
I think it's a very old fashioned attitude, that you've got to wear short skirts and a lot of make up to get on in life. I think most women look at that and laugh. I think those are antiquated views from a bygone age that thankfully is no longer around.
I love to think about business. It's what makes me happy.
You have to have two personalities: your home personality and your work personality and the trick really is not to allow one of those personalities to drain the life out of the other.
I used to love villas when the kids were small but now I like hotels.
I'm the sort of person who doesn't hear the word 'no' - I hear 'find another way to get what you want.'
I've experienced a lot of sexism in football.
In 'The Apprentice,' they don't re-do shots, it's all one-take. We literally follow the decisions that the candidates make.
I think it doesn't actually matter what your political persuasion is, but if you are interested in the country that you live in and the way in which it's run, everyone has to do something about that.
I'm an extremely busy woman but I still make time for myself and my family. You can do both, and do both well, if you really want to.
Deep in my soul, I'm secretly a redhead.
Life is very short, and if you worry what people think of you, if you second-guess yourself, you're in trouble.
I remember when I was young, I used to love hockey - I was selected to play for my county - and my dad said: 'Well, there's no money to be made in hockey,' and it put me off for ever.
The problems children bring get bigger as they get older.
My kids are my life. Sitting on the sidelines watching my son play rugby, helping them with their homework or getting them ready for their exams - I can't think of anything else I'd rather do.
I'm the least vain person I know. I literally get out the shower, throw a brush through my hair, put jeans and a T-shirt on and head to the Tube and go to work most mornings. It takes seconds.
I couldn't think of anything worse than drinking a load of gunky-green stuff and sweating in a gym. I would rather sit in front of the TV and have a glass of wine.
Most women who work and have a career and a family sympathise with one another because they know just how difficult it is to try and manage it all and sometimes if the pressure's too great and you can't manage something has to give and it's either your career or your family.
I love business and that's why I go on other people's board because it is my hobby. Some people join a tennis club to do things in their spare time. I join boards because that's what I love.
I don't invest in shares in companies that don't have women on their board.
The most important characteristics you need to succeed in business are resilience, determination and persistence.
What I love about London is you can go out of your door and turn left or right, and you could eat at every restaurant and still never go round in a loop.
It's rubbish to say you can't be proper friends with the opposite sex.
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. When I was seven, I remember sticking a sign on my bedroom window that read, 'Manicures and massage, come on in.' My mother rushed in, saying, 'All these weirdos are knocking on the door.'
I'm not friends with politicians.
I'm not going to become an MP and I'm not going to be London Mayor. I have no political ambitions.
My greatest mistake? I once took a three-day maternity leave. I had my daughter on a Wednesday, and then went back to the office on the Monday to sack a manager.
My grandmother had a motto that you should never look down on people unless you are helping them up, and I think that's a very spiritual way of living.
I always laugh when I read about sexism cases in the newspaper.
The biggest lesson my kids have taught me is to find the joy in little things, along with a healthy dose of patience.
I took it as my personal responsibility to be able to juggle. I didn't want anybody to help me and I didn't expect my office to make it easy for me.
Winning the BAFTA for 'Young Apprentice' felt great. It's really nice to be part of the winning team.
I hate fad diets.
I'm very comfortable in my own skin.
I don't believe in quotas for quotas sake, but I think companies without any women on their boards should write to their shareholders and explain why - explain how many women they've interviewed, why they haven't taken anybody on.
If I can encourage other women to think about setting up their own businesses and being entrepreneurs and making a contribution then I think that's a good thing.
When I'm at home I'm 'Karren Peski Solido mother-of-two' when I'm at work I'm 'Karren Brady don't mess with me.'
When you're starting your own business it's really important to think through your plan: what's the idea, why is it relevant to the market, how much money you are going to invest, how are you going to tell people about it.
I'm a hard cheese person and I could have it with biscuits for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The brain aneurysm I had in 2006 put things into perspective. It made me understand what was really important - to enjoy life, take more risks and stop putting things off.
On a personal level, the 'Young Apprentice' schedule is very long. The children needed long breaks so the sheer amount of time it took made it tougher. There was a lot more hanging around. But as a show, championing young people and promoting young people who are willing to have a go, I thought it was great.
There's only two things that I really care about - apart from family - one is business and the other is women in business.
By the time I sold Birmingham City football club in 2009, 75% of the directors were women, which I take great pride in - that's unique in business, full stop.
I worry I look posh and fat. I can't do anything about posh - I'm accentless - but I've spent 20 years battling my weight.
I am a faithful companion of Jesus. I probably wasn't when I was 12 or 13 when I was in the convent, but I think having a spiritual side means that you live your life with an open heart, and you embrace things that are difficult, you want people to do well.
I think the term feminist is scary for women, because it means that you're extreme in some way, and I'm not extreme in any way, although I do passionately believe that a woman's role within any organisation is to assist and help other women.
You take responsibility for your children but you're not always the taxi driver and that doesn't make you a bad parent.
I love and embrace change.
When I was younger, I wanted to be tall and skinny. And because I wasn't, I was disappointed. The great thing about getting older is that I've come to accept my shape - and embrace it.
I always wear a suit jacket, a smart blouse or a top, with my hair and make-up done. Under the desk, what no one knows, is that I'm wearing jeans and trainers.
