Good businesses are those that are "flexible, innovative, entrepreneurial and diverse", Brady told delegates at the Barclays Travel Forum on Tuesday (18 April). “Too many businesses have too many like-minded people from the same background, [with the] same education and beliefs.”

Brady, who rose to fame in 1993 after being appointed managing director of Birmingham City aged just 23, has always been a champion of diversity in businesses, especially when it comes to women.

“I think it’s important women help other women in their career by sharing their passion and ideas, by campaigning and reminding people of why it’s important to have diversity,” said the new vice-chair of West Ham United.

Brady has also supported young people forging their own path through apprenticeships and not necessarily by going to university. “The biggest transition we all make in our lives, whoever we are, is leaving education and starting work,” Brady continued. “Being ready to start working is very different to having qualifications.”

According to the entrepreneur, who will start filming a new series of hit BBC show The Apprentice on Sunday, all successful businesses also have a good leadership in common.

“The art of leadership should never be confused with management,” she added. “Management is about setting out a series of goals and managing people to deliver those goals. Leadership is vision and the art of leadership [however] is to persuade people to help you deliver your vision."