Q and A: Tony Banks, Chairman, The Balhousie Care Group

WHAT? Chairman, The Balhousie Care Group

"My mother used to make me strip to my underpants in the garage because I smelled so bad"

Tony Banks can envisage reducing his workload, but adds: "Everybody I know says I'll never retire." Picture: Alan Richardson

What does your organisation do?

The Balhousie Care Group is one of Scotland's leading residential care providers, delivering the highest possible standard of care to elderly residents at 20 care homes. In our pursuit of excellence, we are investing 20 million over the next two years to provide tomorrow's care home standards today. Balhousie also works closely with the University of Dundee to produce research into the specialist care of the elderly.

What does your average working day involve? I get up at 6am and three days a week I train in the gym until 7.30am. I'm in the office before 8am, go though e-mails, check the diary and spend the rest of the day driving every facet of the business. My working day doesn't end when I get home at 6.30-7pm. I'll usually work on the laptop after dinner.

First senior job? Branch manager for a life insurance company. It was a real eye-opener for me and gave me my first insight into the world of commerce and finance. Going back a bit further, as a youngster I was head boy on the milk floats in Dundee. If the young lads didn't behave you pushed them off the lorry!

Do you work for love or money? For the joy of work.

Did you have a mentor? No, but I have just as much respect for the chap who runs his corner shop to the man who runs a multi-million dollar business because they face many of the same challenges. I'm not frightened to ask for advice though, and I have a number of close friends whose judgment I trust.

Any major turning points along the way? There have been several. The first was joining the Territorial Army Parachute Regiment at the age of 18, which stopped me completing my accountancy degree at Abertay University. Serving with the Paras in the Falklands was another major turning point, as were the deaths of my brothers.

What has been your biggest hurdle? Meeting the standards that I set myself. It can also be difficult to know with certainty that you are making the right business decision at the right time.

Was your first job for pocket money or was it the first rung on the ladder? Pocket money, delivering newspapers.

What's the worst job you've had? When I worked as a refuse collector for Dundee Council as a teenager, I hated sweeping the streets because of the boredom and the fact that I hated being on my own. I far preferred emptying bins.

What's the weirdest job you've had? Chicken catcher. My job was to go into these huge, dark, smelly sheds and grab chickens by the legs and hand them through the window to a guy who would put them in a van. I was stinking when I got home and bleeding from all the cuts from the chickens' claws.My mother used to make me strip to my underpants in the garage because I smelled so bad.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? A pilot. I remember to this day the disappointment I felt when I was told that I was colour blind.

Any regrets? I don't dwell on the past. Perhaps I could have grown the company sooner, but I did it when the time was right for me.

What do you like least about your job? Firing people. It causes me great angst.

What would you change about your job? I love my job, it's just that sometimes things don't happen as quickly as I'd want them to.

How do you get to work, how long does it take? I drive and it takes about seven minutes.

Packed lunch, canteen or expense account? Packed lunch.

Confrontation or anything for a quiet life? I am not frightened of confrontation but getting into such a situation suggests you have failed, because the matter has not been resolved in a mature manner.

Ever stepped on anyone's toes along the way? I'm sure I have and it is not something I am proud of. You are never going to keep everybody happy.

Have you ever had to sack anyone? Unfortunately, I have had to sack several people over the years. Sometimes it's their fault and other times I blame myself, because I have not monitored performance closely enough and the wool has been pulled over my eyes or I have made the wrong appointment.

Essential tools for the job? Energy, open-mindedness, foresight, resilience and the ability to have fun at work and not see it as a chore.

What's in your web browser's favourites folder? Skyscanner for flights, Sky Sports Fantasy Football, BBC Sport Scotland, the Met Office, to check the weather when I'm flying my helicopter, and the Entrepreneurial Exchange, of which I am a board member.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I would like to say retired, however everybody I know says I'm never going to retire. I would like to be more involved with the charity work that I do and spend more time flying my helicopter and travelling. I'll always have an interest in business.

What do you like to do with your spare time? I watch football, fly my helicopter, travel, ski, snowboard, mountain trek and enjoy the company of other people.