How would you briefly describe your business to a non-industry audience?
We implement bespoke CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems for our clients. So any businesses who manage customer relationships, be it a sales team, customer service centre, a maintenance management company, we implement the systems that allow them to manage their customer relationship effectively and efficiently.
What were your motivations for starting this business?
- Controlling our own destiny
- Full autonomy in how we run our business and the decisions we make
- Break away from corporate bureaucracy
- Money
- Learning and development from an entrepreneurial point of view
- Flexibility
What challenges did you face in the first year of operation?
The first year was undoubtedly the toughest year of mine and my business partner's professional career. Not only were we running our own business for the first time and were both having to wear many different hats, we had also both never work for a software re-seller or Microsoft Partner (this is what we are), so having to learn our industry sector from a standing start was also extremely challenging. When you put that with the challenge of bringing in sales and money, the year was very pressurised.
As your business has grown how has your role changed?
As we started the business and didn't have a huge amount of projects to manage, I was heavily involved in the operations and marketing side of the business. Now the business has developed and we are working with more clients, my business partner is more heavily involved in that aspect, leaving me to spend the majority of my time designing solutions for our clients, managing and delivering projects and contributing to pre-sales.
What type of support have you found most useful in helping you succeed as an entrepreneur?
We have been fairly resourceful as an organisation and have reached out to lots of different businesses and individuals for advice off the back of relationships we have built. You really do have to have a 'go-getter' attitude as support won't just come to you. Build relationships, ask for advice, listen and learn. We have also brought a Non-Executive Director into our business to give us strategic advice and we meet him once a month and we've also applied and been accepted onto the Natwest Accelerator Programme where we have access to lots of different resources and mentors.
What are the three most important things you have learnt from your entrepreneurial activities to date?
- You have to be resourceful
- You have to be determined
- You have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to get the job done and make it a success
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting their own business?
Do your research as far as your business idea goes first. Is it viable, is there a market, who are your customers going to be, competitors, etc. Once you've got that, you then need to start thinking of the investment you need and how you are going to execute your strategy. I mean I could really write a book on this, but preparation and execution are key....and be prepared to work long hours!
Find out more about Jamie's business on their website here: www.pragmatiqsolutions.co.uk