44 | MAY 2019
Business
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
STARTING
FROM
SCRATCH
Self-confessed ‘techy’ Gareth Eyers took over
software company GlassCalc three years
ago to develop the revolutionary Clarity
Air. Ahead of the products official launch
at FIT Show, 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:
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.
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 develop-
ers, and taking Clarity Air to the next level.
I believe in upcycling
‘ and
re-tasking in a big
way; even our stand at
FIT Show is made from
recycled materials
’
Describe your working
day (from the time you
leave the house, etc.)
My day starts work wise about 7am; how-
ever 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;
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.
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 Linke-
din. I tend to have news feeds constantly
running on the screen.
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 mu-
sic 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
their 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 mu-
sic. VW festivals in the summer. Gaming,
despite spending my entire working day
behind multiple computer screens or wind-
screen 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?