‘Mr Mobile’: How Craig Smith turned old phones into millions

As group managing director of Mazuma Mobile and data erasure specialist ICT Reverse, Craig Smith oversees businesses with combined turnover of more than £50m – but it wasn’t always like that.

At the start of his career, he took a 70 per cent pay cut to become an office junior because he believed it would broaden his business horizons.

After spending more than 30 years in the industry, Smith has earned the nickname ‘Mr Mobile’ – but he insists his work has only just begun.

Every day, up to 1,000 mobile phones – including broken ones – arrive at Mazuma Mobile’s Morecambe offices, with an average payment of £250 per phone.

In this episode of The Naked Founder podcast, he also talks about:

• Being a schoolboy wheeler-dealer
• Why his dad will always be his hero
• Spotting the opportunity in second-hand phones
• Securing former Director General of the CBI Lord Digby Jones as an adviser for FREE
• Why splitting with your co-founder can be amicable
• How Mazuma became stadium sponsor of Morecambe FC’s ground

The Naked Founder is sponsored by Financielle and produced by Dan Brown of Renowned