The Beginning

Here's the thing about technology in small business: it should make your life easier, not drive you mental.

My journey started in retail fashion, working from advisor to supervisor. I became the person everyone called when the computers crashed or printers decided to have a breakdown. Dealing with remote tech support while customers waited wasn't exactly in the job description, but someone had to sort it.

The Setback

This led to my first proper IT role at a foreign exchange firm. Six months later, buyout, redundancy. Recruiters informed me I wouldn't get another IT job with so little experience. I disagreed.

The Breakthrough

Two weeks later I was at Thomas Cook. The managers were surprised at what I'd managed in just six months at my previous role. This caught the attention of a recruiter for Penguin Random House. I wasn't particularly interested in the interview, but they were persistent. Good thing I went.

Six years of transformation projects followed. In my final years at Penguin, I brought together EUC engineers from three different sites, unifying our ways of working and helping mend team dynamics that had been fractured for too long. The result contributed to a profit year during COVID when most companies were struggling. Then Just Eat, supporting 10,000 users globally, promoted to deputy manager before my first anniversary.

How I Work

My approach has always been straightforward: take people where they are, no judgment, listen with intent, act with logic and compassion. When I don't know something, I collaborate—not just within my teams but across departments, seeking knowledge and expertise wherever it lives. I'm an advocate for Agile and Scrum principles: do what you can with what you have, iterate, review, improve.

My Values

Growing up London-born South Asian with parents from Kenya, I learned early that hard work, respect, and humility open doors. But it's the hospitality that matters most: making people feel seen and heard, asking the right questions to understand what they actually need versus what they think they want, and having the hard conversations when they're necessary for the best outcome.

Why This Matters

The logic became clear: small businesses face the same technology challenges I'd been solving at enterprise level, but without access to the same quality of support. They're competing in tough economic conditions and deserve better than second-rate solutions.

Whether you're running a team of 2 or 30, the principles remain the same. Good technology, like good teamwork, starts with understanding people. The only difference should be the scale, not the standard.