27 Aug, 2010
Tony Banks from Channel 4′s Secret Millionaire joins the EBA Millionaire Mentors
Posted by: Bev James In: EBA News|Millionaire Mentors|Public Relations
In 1991 former Falklands War Para Tony Banks identified an opportunity in the care sector to provide a new standard of privately owned and operated care homes. He bought Lisden House in the countryside setting of Kirriemuir and spent more than a year and £750,000 to convert the private house into an industry-leading care home that residents and their families would enjoy and be proud of.
Since then, Balhousie Care Group has grown into one of Scotland’s leading providers of residential care facilities. Tony runs his business with a focus on balancing the commercial aspects and responsibilities of a care home owner with the ambitions to set a new standard in the sector.
The Balhousie Care Group includes 22 homes with capacity for up to 850 residents. Tony plans to create 11 more sites by 2011, double the number of beds to 1,500 within three years Tony is estimated to be worth over £60m as the sole shareholder of Balhousie, which grew 80% in 2009 and is on track to almost double its £8m turnover to £18m in 2010.
The Scottish Falkland’s veteran is also a member of the appeal board for the Combat Stress Enemy Within appeal, which is aiming to raise £30m to help veterans traumatised by wartime experiences and he has personally donated a six figure sum to the charity.
He began supporting the charity after appearing in Channel 4′s The Secret Millionaire last year, living undercover in Liverpool. There, he met Iraq war veteran Lee Sanger, who suffered from PTSD. This experience prompted him to become involved with Combat Stress and provided the impetus for his return to the Falklands this year where he carried out a four day, 50-plus mile trek to Port Stanley for a Channel 4 documentary to raise awareness of, and much needed funds for, Combat Stress.
Tony is a board member of the Scottish Entrepreneurial Exchange and is absolutely passionate about promoting, encouraging and nurturing entrepreneurial talent.
Tony will be featuring at our next Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy One Day Total Business Mastery Seminar which will take place on Saturday 25th September. Book your tickets now to see Tony and our other EBA Millionaire Mentors.
If you have a question for Tony Banks, send it to experts@the-eba.com.
