Earlier this month saw the launch of the Ask René Survival Toolkit Series to a packed house at the Drill Hall Theatre in the heart of London.
 
And as everyone settled into their seats and the guests joined René on stage, there was only one topic of conversation; how to beat the recession.
 
Under the lights were three entrepreneurs who have all become synonymous with a single-minded refusal to give up when the chips are down and have gone on to achieve remarkable things.
 
Sally Preston was by her own admission "wrapped up in corporate cotton wool" in a senior executive position at Marks & Spencer, before having children changed her outlook on the world and gave her the catalyst to take the plunge and start her own frozen baby food company Babylicious. Wrangles over brand names, floor space in supermarkets, funding and distribution have been part and parcel of her life as a budding entrepreneur over the last few years but as she spoke an undeniable steely resolve shone through; the same resolve that has been responsible for seeing the company thrive in the downturn.
 
Sky Andrew had a completely different story. He started out as a professional table tennis player, determined to not only win as a competitor but to also raise the profile of a fringe sport. A natural communicator with a flair for business, a close friendship with the then rookie Sol Campbell led Sky into the world of football agents where he has established himself as the "ethical" agent in a profession dogged with controversy; establishing one of the most enviable portfolios of players in the game in the process.
 
David Gold remains THE definitive rags to riches tale. From growing up in the East End of London in abject poverty and plagued with ill health, David sold buttons with his mother from the front of their home to eventually opening a book store on a street just off The Strand. A combination of hard work, perseverance and good fortune enabled him to slowly expand his business interests to the position he is in today where he owns a string of companies, most notably Ann Summers and Knickerbox, whilst also continuing his role as the chairman and co-owner of Birmingham City F.C.
 
The common thread between the three was an ambition to always go one step further and forge new paths in the good times whilst refusing to ever say die in the bad times.
 
It is after all the one key difference between successful entrepreneurs and ones that have failed.
 
Put simply, they never, ever give up.
 
WHO SAID WHAT - TOP TEN QUOTES
 
Sally Preston:
 
"People are remarkably resilient but there's always a rock behind an entrepreneur."
 
"When you run the show there are no committees and no hurdles. The decision making process is so fast."
 
"You have to keep going, you have to be a Weeble. There are days when you think you can't do it anymore and you'll wobble. But you can't fall down."
 
"Although people say they want innovation in corporations, they don't really. It doesn't fit their procedures and processes."
 
"Your business becomes your life and you have to be careful not to let it take over".
 
"You need confidence and an unwavering faith in your ability. If you are professional, competent, confident and prepared, you will be given a platform from which to be heard."
 
"I want to be remembered as the person who changed the way children are fed globally."
 
"Lots of people have an idea. Very few people follow it through."
 
"I'm always looking for the next idea. There must be something around the corner for me to find. You'll never finish learning and once you start on that road and feel success, you don't want the physical feeling of failure."
 
"If you're fast, flexible and can deliver innovation, the recession offers opportunity."
 
"If there is a molecule of doubt in what you are doing, cut your losses. But if you genuinely believe that what you are doing has demand, don't waiver if things get tricky. Keep going."
 
Sky Andrew:
 
"A winner never quits and a quitter never wins."
 
"If you keep going, you've got a chance. Talent is over-rated, it's about stickability."
 
"Everyone is nice to you when you have power and influence. It's when you haven't that you get the measure of people."
 
"Business is a language. If you can't speak the language, you can't succeed."
 
"Enthusiasm gets you through in the bad days. You need to focus on the essence of what you are doing and do things in the right way because it comes back to you. If you're successful, you've got a moral responsibility to give back."
 
"Don't think about gender or race. Go with what you've got and stop making excuses."
 
"If you have people around you who are like minded and creative, they are the ones that support you and invest in you."
 
"You learn more from failing than from being successful. As soon as something goes wrong it allows you to re-evaluate and learn."
 
"If you want to be successful you need to carry on building when things are going well.
 
"Don't stick your head in the sand during this recession. It's a great time to look at your structure and make yourself indispensable."
 
David Gold:
 
"Climbing out of deprivation is a driving force that starts you on the road to success, and remains a driving force when you achieve it in order to not go back."
 
"You have to be sensible about risk. I would urge people to not put everything on the black."
 
"Bad luck has played a big part in my life. But it is not always what it seems. Often bad luck can beget the very best luck."
 
"I want to destroy the myth that you have to be tough and aggressive to win in business. You have to embrace the people who work for you."
 
"Football is driven by dreams but the fans' expectations are higher than reality."
 
"Entrepreneurs are people who pursue success."
 
"Sometimes you must swallow your pride and say "stop". When it's not working there is only one way it will go."
 
"For every person out there with a single idea on how to achieve success I would recommend getting a second one."
 
"There's a pride and excitement of climbing up the ladder and not falling back. It is this buzz that drives us to the next level."
 
"There are fantastic opportunities around the corner and use the climate to negotiate and get more. Don't give up; each time you are turned down you will have learnt something."