The voice of business in the Tees region | 55
TRUST WHAT YOUR GUT
TELLS YOU AND YOU’LL
BE ABLE NOT ONLY TO
LIVE WITH A DECISION
BUT SUCCEED AT IT WITH
PASSION
When I was at school, I wanted to be… a
television cameraman. Before I understood
the whole production of media I thought the
camera guy was responsible for everything
– story, people, location… it seemed like
the dream job.
The best business decision I ever made
was… to trust in the team that worked
around me and give up doing the on-the-
ground development, to focus on growing
the business. At Animmersion, we say to
anyone who works for us: “You decide the
best way to be creative, that’s why you’re
here to be better than we ever were.”
The worst business decision I ever
made… was when we first started up,
I thought we’re tech, “We’re different
we don’t need to manage it like a proper
company…” Oh, how wrong I was! Two
years in we hit some serious troubles
and through the advice and support of
Digital City and Malcolm Taylor, we were
able to see that with proper governance
and business management we could
decomplicate what is a very time intensive
industry.
The best part of my job is… playing with
all the tech. I’ve always been drawn to
technology and love fusing different types
of technology to create some really exciting
and engaging projects. I get to play with
the latest in VR/ AR and with 5G and AI, my
geekiness is kicking into overload.
The biggest downside of my working life
is… I’m away from home a lot and have
two young girls who are my life. As is the
same for any business owner, prioritising
where you invest your time is a constant
battle between a good dad and a good
business owner.
If I could change one thing to help my
organisation it would be… more certainty
when operating internationally. In the last
couple of years, we have been operating all
around the world, dealing with some major
clients and at present we’re just not sure
how this will be affected.
Four words to describe me are… geek,
passionate, informed, cheeky!
My business mantra is… shy bairns get
nowt.
My greatest achievement is… building
and growing Animmersion with my
business partner Sam Harrison in what have
been some of the most challenging times,
both financially and operationally.
The advice I’d give to business start-ups
is… trust your gut. When all the advice and
pressure of others is around you, it’s hard
to decide what you should do in difficult
times – trust what your gut tells you and
you’ll be able not only live with a decision
but succeed at it with passion.
The biggest character on the Tees
business scene is… for me, it would
have to be Ben Houchen. The way he has
reinvigorated the business and community
spirit in the area has been amazing to watch
and be part of.
The individual who is my tip for the
top among Tees businesses is… Tom
Howsam with Paid. Tom is one of the most
knowledgeable and hard-working people I
know. He had a great success with THAP/
Clicksco and now his most recent fintech
start-up looks like it could take on the world.
Teesside’s a great place for business
because… of the opportunity. Animmersion
established in Middlesbrough in 2006 for
that exact reason. We have some of the
biggest industrial, offshore and process
companies right on our doorstep. By fusing
these industries together with the thriving
digital cluster, the opportunities are endless.
My biggest frustration about Teesside
is… ambition. For too long there has been a
feeling that we’re not getting what the rest
of the country is, we’re not good enough.
But living and working in Teesside now for
over 20 years, I can say the area has all the
elements needed to make a great success
of the investment and opportunity that is
here. We just have to believe we can.
My favourite local charity is… tough
one, I’m really impressed by the High Tide
Foundation run by Mark Easby of Better and
Kirsten Donkin from PD Ports, engaging
with schoolchildren to show them the
opportunities right on their doorstep. I also
think the Teesside Philanthropic Foundation
is doing some amazing work.
When I’m not working, I like to spend my
time… with my girls. I have a a six-year-old
and a four-year-old and they are my world.
Watching them grow up and become
inquisitive, teaching and learning from them
makes life worthwhile.
My guilty pleasures are… many - from
cheesy music and obsessing over Leeds
United to playing way too many computer
games, basically anything geeky. Oh, and
lots of Star Wars anything!
The best holiday I ever had was… to the
Maldives, such a beautiful place and so
incredibly peaceful, plus no phone or data
signal so it really was paradise, and the sea
is like a warm bath.
Not many people know this about me,
but… my middle name is Modesto. It’s
a family name that’s come through the
generations.
In retirement, I’ll spend my time…
travelling. I sacrificed travelling when I was
young to focus on my career and I’d like to
see the world in my own time.