WHEN TARGETS
BECOME MINIMUMS AND SERVICE BECOMES
EVERYTHING
Synaxon Managing Director Mike Barron charts his path through the fast moving channel, the mentors who shaped him, and why teamwork, trust and managed services will define the next chapter for Synaxon.
How did you get started in the channel? I started out in 1989 selling fitted bathrooms – all the rage back then. When the chap who operated the CAD system leſt, I took over, laying out bathrooms and showing drawings to developers. Tat was OK, but I soon got bored. Te computer business seemed more exciting, and when I saw an advert for a local reseller, I applied.
How did you end up where you are today? It was a different world back then. A PC might sell for £2500 – an equivalent today might be 2000 times more powerful and cost £500. Dentons was run by Denzil Martin, who was a big influence on me. It was a fast-moving and fun environment, and I was given my own ‘department’, buying and selling consumables and managing stock. Tat was a great experience, and I got to meet a lot of people. Aſter Dentons morphed into Press Computer Systems, I stayed for
another five years, until someone visited from Enta Technologies. I was impressed with the company, and when the chance came to join them, I moved into distribution. I learned a lot in that initial five-year spell. Jon Atheron was in charge, and he was the other significant influence on my career. I then went to Rock Group for three years, setting up the Iridium brand, before returning to Enta for another seven. Aſter two years at Stone Group, I joined Synaxon in 2014.
What’s shaped your approach to business and management? Te work ethic that was instilled in me during those early days. We worked hard to deliver the best possible service, and that’s something I encourage our team to focus on today. Denzil used to always get us to set our watches 10-minutes fast, so we were never late. Jon was also a great role model, and his maxim of “targets are minimums” still stands with me today.
14 | March/April 2026
Is there a moment that you’d identify as a turning point? At some point, the channel flipped from just selling products to genuinely trying to help partners and end-user customers. Tat’s really what motivated me to join Synaxon, which has always been focused on supporting partners and helping them to develop and grow. It’s a completely different mindset from the one that was dominant when I started out.
What are your key responsibilities, and how have your experiences helped you in that role? I’m responsible for leading the Synaxon UK team and primarily focused on managing the sales team and driving the UK business forward. I’m also responsible for making sure we make the most of the skills, experience, and capabilities of the team at our headquarters in Germany. Having their support is a major advantage for us. I think my own experiences dovetail neatly with the way we do business at Synaxon. We work as a team and have an open, non-hierarchical structure in which everyone is encouraged to speak their minds, take ownership and make decisions. In addition to a strong work ethic, my experience has shown me the value of teamwork and of listening to and trusting your colleagues.
What does the future hold – for you, for Synaxon and for the channel? I am very optimistic about the future for Synaxon and our partners. We are successful because there is a need for the personalised service and the tools and automated processes we provide. We listen to our partners, help them respond to changes and challenges, and bring them new opportunities. Tis year, we will be launching a new managed services proposition that will offer really good growth potential for partners.
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