It was a very brave decision at the age of 22, and before even qualifying as an optometrist, that Trevor Rowley borrowed almost £100,000 to open his own opticians shop.

But his self-confessed arrogance and sheer drive to achieve something new and exciting in the optometry industry paid off when he opened his first opticians Viewpoint, in Feasegate, York. He later went on to create a software system for opticians which now turns over £1.5 million.

Mr Rowley, 51, who lives in York with his wife Sue and two children, said: “A specialist company which backs opticians wouldn’t lend us the money because we were too off-the-wall for them.

"We didn’t intend to sell spectacles, just contact lenses, and were spending money on shop fittings that they thought was completely extravagant. They thought we were complete idiots and told us so in no uncertain terms.

“So I borrowed everything to open Viewpoint. It's that arrogance of youth, being able to bluff your way through and getting people to back you. I had no money, just a lot of balls and complete arrogance that I could do what I wanted.”

As well as setting up Viewpoint Mr Rowley later founded Postoptics, an internet contact lens company which, over ten years, grew to be the UK’s largest business in the sector before selling the company in 2008.

Not content with running two successful companies, in 2000 Trevor embarked on a new venture called Optix, a software system for opticians.

Again, he discovered a need for something new and better after failing to find a computer system which could match the needs of his own business. So he employed a team of developers to create their own software programme.

Optix was finally launched in 2003 as a rental business, which meant that opticians didn’t have to lay out huge amounts of money to install the system and once the software proved successful and efficient, more customers signed-up.

Today Optix turns over in excess of £1.5 million, with a 30 per cent increase year on year and Mr Rowley proudly boasts that they have no need for sales staff because "the product sells itself".

After thirty years in the optometry industry Mr Rowley’s ambition hasn’t waned and his aim is to build Optix into a global market leader.

He said: "I love what I’m doing and still get a kick out of it. The day I wake up and don’t look forward to coming into the office is the day I’ll sell it all, but I know that day won’t happen.”

What job would you like to have other than your own and why?

"In common with many entrepreneurs, I would make a dreadful employee and as such could never see myself doing any other 'job'. The truth is that my role has continually evolved through my career such that I have been able to focus on areas that interest me and I work with talented colleagues who compliment my skills to meet our business needs."

Greatest achievement?

"Unquestionably seeing my two children grow up and start to develop their own successful careers. It's very easy to lose sight of what is really important in life and business success needs to be kept in perspective."

What makes you most angry?

"Indifference in customer service. I'd rather deal with someone who can't help me but cares passionately in wanting to assist than someone with all the necessary knowledge but no interest in trying to help."

Biggest mistake?

"I should have sold Postoptics (our online contact lens business) several years before I did. I now understand much more that business is not personal and feel I can be more dispassionate in such decisions."

What do you need to make life complete?

"From a business perspective, I don't think life will ever be complete. Even the worlds most successful entrepreneurs tend to keep working long after they have accumulated more wealth than they could every need. Business success is not a means to an end for me, I enjoy the challenge itself as much as the potential rewards."

Why do you make a difference?

"I believe that we have always delivered exceptional quality products and services to our customers that are not available elsewhere. In more recent years I have also learnt the value of investing in the great team if staff that are needed to support our businesses."

Epitaph

"There's always a better way to do it."