Born in Limassol, Cyprus,[3] Paphitis is the second of three brothers; elder brother Marinos and younger brother George. They share two half-brothers. He came to England with his parents and Marinos when he was nine years old. He attended Ambler Primary School, Islington and Woodberry Down comprehensive School, Manor House (closed in 1981) where he battled with dyslexia, but began his entrepreneurial activities by running his school tuckshop, at the age of 15.