entrepreneurs 21


Pictures by Angus Thomas


What was the hardest part? Not telling my wife that we weren’t paying the mortgage. I certainly stared into the abyss and looked at the possibility of having our house repossessed. We were always determined that we would stand on our own two feet and not give away a slab of equity, so that was a big motivator. We didn’t pay ourselves for the first year, Scott was using his earn-out from his business and we divested ourselves of assets like expensive cars. It was certainly tough but we were determined to self-finance the business from day one and today we don’t owe anything to anybody.


What have been some of your milestones?


Probably our biggest “wow” was when we had our first order – something that we had created had been bought by someone else. It validated the fact we weren’t mad.


Having said that, we’re never complacent. We know


that whatever the challenges are today, and they are quite different, we have the means of facing up to them. At least I’ve been able to upgrade the car again and I am now paying the mortgage.


I also think that when we were placed fourth in the annual Sunday Times listing of the UK’s 100 fastest growing private technology businesses that was another big wow. To think that we were fourth amongst all those other great technology players – it still hasn’t sunk in.


Do you enjoy what you do?


Absolutely, I love it and I’m still learning. It’s great to recruit younger people with the energy, vitality and enthusiasm that they bring, but I also firmly believe that it’s important to have some grey hair and “seasoned professionals” in the business. Experience helps you understand what the client is looking for and you can use that to advise them and talk their language.


Are you very hands on?


I’m definitely still very hands on, possibly too much. Scott and I have recognised we need to make sure it isn’t just about the two of us; it’s about all the people who work here. I’m still a salesperson at heart, I love being in front of customers, listening to their problems and challenges and then having the opportunity to try and solve them.


How would you describe yourself?


Optimistic and positive, with a healthy degree of cynicism. That allows me to challenge things. I do believe we will get there – it’s just that sometimes I don’t know where there is.


You say relationships are important, hasn’t IT become very impersonal?


Technology comes and goes but relationships are constant and I’m always saying to my team that it’s important not to account manage by email, you have to have a conversation with people. It’s ingrained into the DNA of cloud to make sure our relationships are one of human interaction rather than email or text message.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER14/JANUARY15


Relationships are also important personally, I have a close group of friends from our very first day at school and although we’re scattered around the four corners of the world we’re planning a catch-up very soon.


What’s the secret of your success?


We’re very inclusive, anyone can challenge the status quo. I think the key to our success has been recognising that we don’t have all the answers.


Where does the business go from here?


I would like Cloud Distribution to be the defacto distributor in the UK for new, innovative and disruptive vendors to come to market, I want them to look at us as a launch vehicle.


Who are your heroes?


On a business level it would be Richard Branson. I like the things he does and he seems to have the right mix of humanity and business acumen.


On a more personal level, I was a Liverpool fan in the 1970s and 80s and for raw determination I still admire former managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. They were unassuming people who did a fantastic job with steely determination and humour.


What do you do on your time off?


I’m always running around as “taxi dad” for my daughters, so they keep my pretty busy but I do play a fair amount of golf.


I also love reading and although I usually read on an iPad a friend bought me an actual “old- fashioned” book, Red or Dead about Shankly and Liverpool’s rise as a football club and I’m really enjoying it for a change.


The final word…


I always say I’m in the business of selling IT. I’m not a brain surgeon and I’m not saving lives, so I always try and keep things in proportion.


Details: www.cloud-distribution.com www.businessmag.co.uk


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