DIRECTOROFTHEMONTH
Starting from Scratch
Self-confessed ‘techy’ Gareth Eyers took over software
company GlassCalc three years ago to develop the
revolutionary Clarity Air. In May’s Director of the
Month, he discusses the hard road of the business, the
ever-changing view from his camper van office, and
soaring through the solar system on his days off…
Name/job title:
Gareth Eyers MD
When did you join (or
start) the company?
I purchased GlassCalc three years ago,
rebranded it as Aztec Glass and took off from
there. Previously I had been sub-contracted
to GlassCalc for installs and support. When
the opportunity came up to buy the company
I jumped at the chance, retaining the
developers, and taking Clarity Air to the next
level.
First thing you do when
you get to your desk?
By the time I get to my desk I have read or
dealt with the important email or messages
on social media. My days are very fluid and
rarely identical. A chat with the team normally
comes first so we can prioritise for the day.
What websites help you?
GitHub and a few specialist IT sites. The usual
culprits for social media and Linkedin. I tend
to have news feeds constantly running on the
screen.
‘I saw a lot more scope in what we could do’
Describe your working day (from
the time you leave the house, etc.)
My day starts work wise about 7am; however
as soon as the phone rings the day is on. My
role in the company is simple, I deal with
all the calls coming in for support and the
day-to-day running; this lets me see the any
patterns or trends in support tickets. I tend
to be on the road an awful lot too, so I tend
to use a camper van rather than the car. It’s
a great means of transport and I believe in
upcycling and re-tasking in a big way; even
our stand at FIT Show is made from recycled
materials. The van is also fitted out for
working as a mobile office. This means I can
work anywhere at any time, and the view from
the office window changes daily.
What is your workspace like?
(tidy/organised etc.)
Both! My office work area is organised chaos,
although I do have an office in the van that’s
kept spotless purely for logistical reasons. I
believe that chaos is a great contributor to
creativity and that fresh ideas and approaches
drive development and businesses forward.
24 » M AY 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Most useful business tool?
(Sat nav/apps etc.)
My trusty Iphone 6+. I’ve upgraded but always
seem to come back to this one. It runs my
satnav in the van, streams my music and just
about has my entire life on it.
Best business decision in
your current role?
Starting from scratch. Deciding to re-write a
fully working and fully featured application is a
hard choice. However, I saw a lot more scope
in what we could do if we started with a blank
canvas than if we just updated the existing apps.
I knew it was going to be a hard road in terms
of time and financially, but it’s been incredibly
enjoyable for many reasons. I got to meet our
existing and future clients and just discuss what
they really needed and what they wanted for
their businesses without the pretence of selling.
It allowed for unguarded and free discussions.
It also allowed us to use current best practices
for security and development knowing that
support and updates are going to be around for
many years. Who wants their business-critical
applications to also be there biggest weakness?
Favourite role models and why?
As a pure bred ‘techy’, it has to be Gates, Job,
Musk, David Brabbam and Berners-Lee. The
impact they have had on the IT community,
society and global arenas is amazing. Each
works their own way with a determination and
sense of creativity that has changed the face
of global connectivity and business beyond
recognition.
How do you unwind?
As a family we love camping and music. VW
festivals in the summer. Gaming, despite
spending my entire working day behind
multiple computer screens or windscreen I
do love a good bit of online Elite Dangerous
against my sons and the global community;
what could be better than soaring through the
solar system when it’s too cold, wet and cloudy
outside to go star gazing in real life?
www.aztec-glass.com