THE TECHIES 2022
We asked our Techies judges , " If you could impart one piece of wisdom , what would it be ?" Here ' s what they said ...
PADDY BRADLEY CEO at the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership
“ Get to like the boring bits about running a business as it keeps you financially afloat and allows you to do the exciting stuff !”
KATE WESTBROOK Partner and Head of Commercial at Thrings
“ Alongside the opportunities for your business , consider the risks – whether they are commercial , technical or legal . It ’ s far better to be prepared for the worst than to underestimate things and then spend time and money fixing it . Come up with a plan to manage the risks , constantly review and update it . This puts you in control of the risks you decide to take and gives you a chance to mitigate them ."
ALI HADAVIZADEH Founder at Acorn Biz Solutions
" In a world of high digital connectivity enabling B2B and B2C transactions capturing almost immediate customer feedback , it is critical for businesses to position customer experience as their core underlying business objective and then develop the technology to deliver the vision . It is important for customer experience to exceed customer expectations at all the customer journey touch points when they are interacting with your product and / or service . These customer touch points are : Awareness , Evaluation , Purchase , Delivery and Post Purchase Customer Support . This strategy will help you build a strong foundation for a long term viable and sustainable business model ."
JAMES EADES Managing Director at Systemagic
“ I ’ m stealing my piece of wisdom from Steven Bartlett and others , but it ’ s very relevant to our Techies . The entire world , particular the tech sector , seems to be fixated on high growth and seeking an exit – partly because many businesses now seek external investment to fuel growth which then requires an exit strategy . I remind all the businesses that I coach that most overnight successes were years in the making . The best way to become successful and sustainable as a business is a sustained amount of effort and focus over a prolonged period of time . My experience , having worked with hundreds of SMEs over a 20-year career , is that bootstrapped ( selffunded ) businesses are usually more sustainable , more enjoyable and create a better legacy .”
MIRABELLE STOBBS Swindon Borough Council
" There is a wealth of business support opportunities available . If you don ' t know where to access it , ask for help from other businesses . Try joining a business group or community that suits your needs to develop new B2B relationships . Mix it up , challenge your subconscious biases and talk to people that you don ' t see an immediate connection to . Some great results come from unexpected and new combinations ."
KATHRYN WELLUM-KENT Business Services Director at Monahans
“ Take the time to celebrate your successes . When you in the mire of running a business and dealing with the constant flow of new challenges that come your way on a daily basis , it can be difficult to stop and look back at all that you have achieved . It can also feel quite self-indulgent . But , it will be a time investment which will pay off . Whether you ’ re a solo operator or leading a team , recognising your accomplishments will boost the morale of you and your team , and that boost will be supercharged if these accomplishments are recognised by someone else , like The Techies judging panel ."
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