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# Robin Deller | From Failed Apprentice to $200M CEO: The Power of 'Marmite' Honesty
- URL: https://www.thebeyondpodcast.com/blog/robin-deller-from-failed-apprentice-to-200m-ceo-the-power-of-marmite-honesty/
- Published: 2025-10-30T16:35:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-29T14:26:47.000Z
- Description: Robin Deller, CEO of Imagine Cruising, reveals how a failed apprenticeship led to a $200M empire, his 'Marmite' honesty, and the value of common sense in busine
- Author: Elliott King
- Tags: insight

On Thursday's episode, entrepreneur Robin Deller takes us through a remarkable journey from a "failed apprenticeship" to building companies sold to giants like Virgin Holidays and the Emirates Group. Deller, a global multimillion-pound CEO , reveals the core principles that allowed him to grow a business to over £200 million.

Deller started his career on an unfulfilling path, choosing a draftsman apprenticeship largely to please his parents. It was a world he found "monotonous" and "boring," but it inadvertently led him to the sales arm of the company, an environment he found exciting. He views cold calling, a "brutal" but foundational sales experience, as the "best apprenticeship" anyone can have in business.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/74/5e74ba0c-c249-4586-8ce5-03deb56fdf93/content/images/2026/07/tbp-insight-1438870843.webp)

A chance job loss led him to a telesales role at Gemstone Travel, an experience he credits with giving him the opportunity to understand the seed of business. From there, Deller and three friends, pooling $65,000 borrowed from family, founded their first company, Fast Track. The pressure to repay the family loans meant that the "concept of failure was non-negotiable," fuelling their commitment and success.

### The Evolution to Imagine Cruising

After selling Fast Track to Virgin Holidays , an experience that resulted in "seller's remorse" , Deller applied his learnings to his next venture, Imagine Cruising. He was driven by a desire to challenge himself by building an international business. [Imagine Cruising](https://thebeyondpodcast.com) now boasts offices in the UK, Cape Town, Brisbane, and Perth, with a US launch imminent. His vision for the company's growth was validated when the Emirates Group propositioned him, leading to a majority stake sale of 51% in 2015. Deller highlights the Emirates Group as a supportive partner that gives him the "confidence" to grow and enjoy the process without forcing rapid changes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/74/5e74ba0c-c249-4586-8ce5-03deb56fdf93/content/images/2026/07/tbp-insight-7095860050.webp)

### Robin Deller's Non-Negotiable Core Values

Deller's business philosophy is anchored in several powerful principles:

- **Honesty as the Non-Negotiable Core:** After 25 years in business, the number one principle ishonesty. He describes his communication style as "Marmite" , being brutally honest to establish trust and ensure decisions are based on facts, not fiction.
- **Embracing the Journey:** Deller focuses on the journey of building, learning, and creating, believing a specific end game is often "disappointing". He views his ambition as having no ceiling, consciously choosing not to emulate the competition.
- **Common Sense as a Superpower:** Lacking academic credentials, Deller believes he was left with an "abundance of common sense," which he regards as a superpower for making sound business decisions.
- **Recruitment Beyond the CV:** Deller places little value on CVs, preferring to prioritize personality, gut feeling, and common sense. His famous example is hiring a future business partner after she skillfully up-sold him lunch at a TGI Fridays. He also purposely sells the "worst version" of the job to candidates to test their commitment and save time and cost for all parties.

**Key Takeaways:**

- Formal education or initial "failure" doesn't define long-term success.
- A core value of unwavering honesty is the foundation for all productive partnerships.
- The process of building and learning is more valuable than a fixed, predetermined end goal.
- Effective leaders are teachers who constantly seek knowledge and are open books to their teams.

Full episodes of [the The BEYOND Podcast podcast](https://thebeyondpodcast.com) are available on Youtube for more business insight, advice and entertainment. Check out [Robin Deller's Linked-In](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-deller-a5a9927/) for more information on his story.