I'm quite a restless holidaymaker - I can't lie down on the sand and don't like too much heat.

You need emotional intelligence; to be happy to take risks; to be competitive and to look forward not backwards.

I'm very direct, I don't believe in wasting time, in wasting words.

Loving something doesn't make it a good investment.

People have to understand that they're not good at everything.

I am a very loyal person and believe that people should be treated fairly in life.

Much as I'm loving the 'Strictly' experience, I'm sure I'll always be better known for my business career and my appearances on 'Dragons' Den' than I will for my cha-cha-cha or Viennese waltz.

I suffer from reverse body dysmorphia. When I look in the mirror I see somebody slimmer. It's quite a shock to see myself on TV, especially on widescreen.

When I sold Weststar Holidays, the idea was to take stock and stop and then decide in life - we were going to travel around the world or whatever we were going to do. After about two weeks my husband said to me, 'Oh for goodness sake Deborah, get yourself a business because this is driving me bonkers.'

You need to tell people where they stand. If someone's done a good job, you should tell them they've done damn well. But if they haven't, you should take the same attitude.

You don't have to start with your dream job, and your idea of what the dream job might be will change during a working life that will have its share of ups and downs, setbacks and advances.

Playing the piano was what I loved doing for myself, but as soon as it became a 'thing' that I was being pushed to pursue by my teachers, I rebelled.

Feminism doesn't have a particularly constructive image, although I think there was time when it was relevant.

It is what you can do with your money that matters because money has no value in itself.

Dragons' Den' is about as close to real business as you can get on television.

I'm not a feminist.

I think the thing about business is that it's not completely separate to life. You're selling to people so it's all about life skills - and common sense.

I am not intimidating, I am forthright!

I'm not scared of many sectors, so if you look at my investment portfolio, it is pretty wide. I've invested in anything from market research firms to fashion houses and textile companies.

As a young woman, before I had any money, I went backpacking across India, and I was aware of how gritty it could be.

Nobody is like the person I am on TV, surely, only Cruella de Vil, or the wicked witch from Snow White.

I love the ingenuity of British entrepreneurs.

If you're looking for investment you've got to think about what the investor gets from being involved with your business. A lot of people think about what they're getting from their point of view but not about what the investor gets out of a deal.

I have definitely learnt in business that when you have a smart, engaged entrepreneur with good judgement they can really drive even a mediocre business forward so to me the entrepreneur is very important.

I started off in the leisure industry and now I find myself as the DIY queen - I'm not quite sure how that happened!

I think I've got more humour than comes across.

When I concentrate, my face is deadpan and I can see there is a coldness there - when I'm making business decisions I know I can be quite dispassionate.

My parents are not nurturers. They're a bit like me: do a good job and move on.

I don't look for praise.

I'm not a fearful person, I have no phobias of rats, snakes, spiders, nothing. I'm lucky in that sense.

Provided someone can persuade me, I will invest in anything.

I don't like shopping and I'm lucky enough to have a stylist to do it for me.

I use my clothes to make my day better - for example, if it's a dull day, I'll wear something bright to cheer myself up.

I love the full-on Hollywood glamour of the 1930s and '40s.

I think Cate Blanchett always gets it right. She seems very natural and wears interesting but not ridiculous clothes - she seems to push the boundaries just enough.

I had my first flower stall when I was seven, at the end of the drive in Minehead, Somerset. Nobody was stopping so I moved it to my neighbour's drive, because I thought: 'Location, location, location.' It worked.

I don't think I'm ruthless, but I'm very driven, irritatingly so.

I hate getting things wrong and I hate failing.

I have no problem paying taxes. It doesn't bother me, because I want to live in a society that's happy.

Money is not the ultimate point, but it remains the actual measure of success.

I'm impervious to charm. I can see through it.

I hardly ever swear. So when I do, my husband knows it's extremely serious.

I consider my position in the business world not as a woman but as a person.

I form opinions quickly.

People can call me what they like - fat, ugly, sour - but tell me I'm not fair, tell me I'm not ethical, those are the things that bother me.

I need quite a lot going on, so a perfect holiday for me is one in a cooler climate with wonderful scenery, animals or great architecture.

A lot of people on holiday get very intolerant of things that go wrong, but getting wound up about the plane being late won't make it come any sooner.

Sometimes, lovely surprises come out of things going wrong.

People think I am a workaholic but I just love business.

I am not just sitting in my office making deals all the time.