1. What do you do? In a nutshell, we at Pixel Media help businesses stand out online and in the market place. We do this through the medium of graphic design, social media management and website design.
2. Who have you worked for in the past? I started working at Sellafield in engineering. I was then handpicked by the directors of Thorn Lighting to aid the transfer of manufacturing lines from Germany to the UK. I left Thorn to become a house husband and look after my growing family. During this time I worked at Tesco and was active within the community, helping in a number of toddler & youth groups. This is where I met Graham, my business partner in Pixel Media and creative driving force within the business. I studied at Durham University gaining honours in primary education specialising in IT.
3. Best part of your job? I love helping business owners make their businesses look amazing. It is a real buzz to see the difference our work can make.
4. Is there anything about your job that you really don’ t like? Business is interesting and everything you do makes a difference in some way or another. I love to see a difference being made. I don’ t like it when something is not effective. It happens in business because you are always trying new things and pushing open new doors.
5. Favourite thing about working on Aycliffe Business Park? The potential of Aycliffe Business Park is exciting. There are so many potential clients and a real community feel. Most businesses are open to a discussion based on the fact that you are local. There are always links between the people of the park and many I already know from past employment, school and generally living in Aycliffe my whole life.
6. Which company / individual on the park do you do the most work with? We work in collaboration with many businesses on the park and too
7. Who’ s your tip for future success? Deliberately Different is potentially an incredible venture to businesses on the business park. Although very community focussed, I think Deliberately Different will break the mould and make a huge impact in the area.
8. Four famous people you’ d love to have round for dinner and why? Professor Brian Cox, Mo Gawat, Richard Branson and Gazza. What a mix! Dinner just wouldn’ t be enough. I would literally be sat listening to the top guys in their field chewing the meat with Gazza mixing it up with his banter.
9. If you could do something else in business, what would it be? Let’ s get this one running at full tilt first! My real aim is to become a hub for business help and support. Maybe one day I will have a business in the south of Spain giving banana boat rides on speed boats. I can see me doing that!
10. Who’ s your favourite Tweeter? I love hearing from all the guys that I would like round for dinner. Gary Vee is also a Tweeter I love to follow – full of inspiration and energy.
11. Have you ever done anything really daring? Baz Lurmann, Everybody Wear Sunscreen is one of my favourite songs. I have the lyrics framed on my wall at home. He says‘ Do something every day that scares you’, and I always try to live outside my comfort zone. It drives my wife crazy!
12. What’ s the best piece of business advice you’ ve been given? Keep going! I hear it a lot from successful business owners. To expand a little, vision is key to any business. If you are in two minds as to keep going or not, your vision is lost.
13. If money was no object, what would be your ideal car? I love cars! All my children are named after cars or rally drivers. We considered having another child just so I could call him Mcrae! To me, it’ s like asking what your favourite song is. There is a one for every situation. Since I have to name one, I’ m going with a Ford RS200.
14. Money no object, your dream holiday would be? It’ s not where you go, it’ s who you take. I would take my whole family in a small mediterranean village type place and have it all paid for, for everyone.
15. Do you have a favourite band or type of music? I love all kinds of music and there is a song for every moment in life. I do tend to come back to dance and trance type music when I’ m driving around.
16. What is your greatest achievement? I am very proud of my children and how they are growing up. As I was a house husband, I feel that the time I put in early on has helped shape them and our relationship.
17. How would you best describe yourself in four words? Risible, Honest, Fair and Loyal. I know you’ re all Googling risible now aren’ t you?
18. Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself as the head of a successful design and marketing business which lives by the values that it began with.
19. Who’ s the most famous person you’ ve ever met? My middle name is Hannu after Hannu Mikkola, the world rally driver. I met him in his team unit during services at Newcastle many years ago while I was spectating the RAC Rally.
20. Do you have any guilty pleasures? Not sure if it is a guilty pleasure, but I love Ace Ventura. I pretty much know the film word for word. It’ s a little out there.
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 31
13.
8. 20.
1. What do you do? In a nutshell, we at Pixel Media help businesses stand out online and in the market place. We do this through the medium of graphic design, social media management and website design.
2. Who have you worked for in the past? I started working at Sellafield in engineering. I was then handpicked by the directors of Thorn Lighting to aid the transfer of manufacturing lines from Germany to the UK. I left Thorn to become a house husband and look after my growing family. During this time I worked at Tesco and was active within the community, helping in a number of toddler & youth groups. This is where I met Graham, my business partner in Pixel Media and creative driving force within the business. I studied at Durham University gaining honours in primary education specialising in IT.
3. Best part of your job? I love helping business owners make their businesses look amazing. It is a real buzz to see the difference our work can make.
4. Is there anything about your job that you really don’ t like? Business is interesting and everything you do makes a difference in some way or another. I love to see a difference being made. I don’ t like it when something is not effective. It happens in business because you are always trying new things and pushing open new doors.
5. Favourite thing about working on Aycliffe Business Park? The potential of Aycliffe Business Park is exciting. There are so many potential clients and a real community feel. Most businesses are open to a discussion based on the fact that you are local. There are always links between the people of the park and many I already know from past employment, school and generally living in Aycliffe my whole life.
6. Which company / individual on the park do you do the most work with? We work in collaboration with many businesses on the park and too
many to name here. One of our key customers is Cornforth Industrial Services, a great team to work with. We also work closely with Aycliffe Workwear Supplies, Fleet Recruitment, Horizon Projects and Capture Films.
7. Who’ s your tip for future success? Deliberately Different is potentially an incredible venture to businesses on the business park. Although very community focussed, I think Deliberately Different will break the mould and make a huge impact in the area.
8. Four famous people you’ d love to have round for dinner and why? Professor Brian Cox, Mo Gawat, Richard Branson and Gazza. What a mix! Dinner just wouldn’ t be enough. I would literally be sat listening to the top guys in their field chewing the meat with Gazza mixing it up with his banter.
9. If you could do something else in business, what would it be? Let’ s get this one running at full tilt first! My real aim is to become a hub for business help and support. Maybe one day I will have a business in the south of Spain giving banana boat rides on speed boats. I can see me doing that!
10. Who’ s your favourite Tweeter? I love hearing from all the guys that I would like round for dinner. Gary Vee is also a Tweeter I love to follow – full of inspiration and energy.
11. Have you ever done anything really daring? Baz Lurmann, Everybody Wear Sunscreen is one of my favourite songs. I have the lyrics framed on my wall at home. He says‘ Do something every day that scares you’, and I always try to live outside my comfort zone. It drives my wife crazy!
12. What’ s the best piece of business advice you’ ve been given? Keep going! I hear it a lot from successful business owners. To expand a little, vision is key to any business. If you are in two minds as to keep going or not, your vision is lost.
13. If money was no object, what would be your ideal car? I love cars! All my children are named after cars or rally drivers. We considered having another child just so I could call him Mcrae! To me, it’ s like asking what your favourite song is. There is a one for every situation. Since I have to name one, I’ m going with a Ford RS200.
14. Money no object, your dream holiday would be? It’ s not where you go, it’ s who you take. I would take my whole family in a small mediterranean village type place and have it all paid for, for everyone.
15. Do you have a favourite band or type of music? I love all kinds of music and there is a song for every moment in life. I do tend to come back to dance and trance type music when I’ m driving around.
16. What is your greatest achievement? I am very proud of my children and how they are growing up. As I was a house husband, I feel that the time I put in early on has helped shape them and our relationship.
17. How would you best describe yourself in four words? Risible, Honest, Fair and Loyal. I know you’ re all Googling risible now aren’ t you?
18. Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself as the head of a successful design and marketing business which lives by the values that it began with.
19. Who’ s the most famous person you’ ve ever met? My middle name is Hannu after Hannu Mikkola, the world rally driver. I met him in his team unit during services at Newcastle many years ago while I was spectating the RAC Rally.
20. Do you have any guilty pleasures? Not sure if it is a guilty pleasure, but I love Ace Ventura. I pretty much know the film word for word. It’ s a little out there.