TEES TIME
In our regular feature , we find out what makes local business leaders tick
Name :
Imran Anwar
Age : 38 Born : Stockton Lives : Middlesbrough
Family : Married to Anila , co-founder of Flok , and we have three wonderful children
Organisations & job titles : Alt Labs CEO , Flok CEO , Tees Valley Business Board – Digital , Middlesbrough Development Corporation Board member , governor at Middlesbrough College .
Tell us about your upbringing : I am from a working-class family . My dad started out in retail on Stockton markets and moved to Thornaby , where he opened a corner shop . I learned how a small business operated from an early age . We were not well off ; there were no luxuries and no holidays – Dad was a second-generation immigrant and instilled hard work , but it was done with love and support .
Tell us about your first job : I had a paper round for a competitor of my dad . Dad already had a paperboy , and so I went and got a job with his rival to prove a point that I was good . Dad offered me a job if I gave up the competitor ’ s job . I refused but took his job anyway and did both , earning £ 20 a week !
How different has your career been from how you imagined it at 21 ? From a young age , I loved the Red Arrows , and I wanted to be a fighter pilot in the RAF . I gained my pilot ’ s licence , but a rugby injury ruled out the RAF . I learned to fly before I learned to drive a car .
What one piece of advice would you pass on to those starting out in business ? Feedback is never personal and learn to be street tough – it is all about resilience .
Which part of your job do you most enjoy ? I love working on difficult projects with complexities and challenges where there are multiple moving technical parts . I thrive on working out how to piece them together with the client – like piecing the jigsaw together .
Which part of your job do you least enjoy ? Finance and budgets . This is why having a great team is so important . I enjoy and excel at the forward-facing client engagement elements of my role , and my trusted team keep the business on track with the rest .
Do you ever doubt yourself as a business leader ? I am comfortable taking risks , and I know you sometimes must go for what some people think are crazy ideas .
How do you switch off from work ? I love being a football coach and am an avid F1 fan . I volunteer every year for the UK F1 , which is a privilege to be so close to the circuit . I also have a full racing rig at home , and I ramp up my adrenaline to switch off ! Competition is my relaxation . Football , tennis . My whoop band clearly shows this !
Why does your business matter ? Since its formation in 2017 , Alt Labs has supported many clients with digital transformation – 260- plus start-ups , including three unicorns , which is something I am immensely proud of . Flok is an important ecosystem for businesses in Middlesbrough , where we guide , support and help businesses grow . Flok is known across the region for being an entrepreneurial hub .
Which of your personal traits has been the most important in your career ? Competitiveness and resilience .
Which of your own personal traits most frustrates you ? Not being able to work on just one thing . I always have multiple projects running and sit on many boards . I feel I ’ m less effective if I am not spinning all those plates – it is just how I work and how I ’ m most effective .
Which trait in others do you most dislike ? Laziness and unwillingness to adapt to change . Standing still is going backwards , right ?
If you were to recommend just one book to Tees Business readers , which would it be ? The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F * ck , by Mark Manson .
What ’ s your favourite local restaurant and why ? Can I say Flok ? Ok , Mr Su ’ s , Linthorpe Road , Middlesbrough – it has the best authentic ramen noodles going .
What social media do you use ? LinkedIn is a staple for me in business . Personally , it ’ s all about Gram .
Which local business leader would you like to see interviewed in this feature ? Michael Shakesheff , of Casper Group . And Nikki Sayer , of Casper Customs – she has an amazing story .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 55