Technology Reseller v07

technolog y reseller.co.uk 60 seconds... 43 60 seconds... with Garry Growns, Daisy Wholesale, Sales Director What’s currently having the greatest impact on your business? The greatest impact on our business is, undoubtedly, the rapid rate of change. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking new technologies, upgrades to products, new services, pricing, service levels, legislation, new market entrants... the list goes on. And there lies the dichotomy: in today’s market you need scale to be able to deliver value to your customers whilst returning acceptable profits; but with scale comes the challenge of being fleet of foot. Nothing stays still; as soon as one task has been completed, it’s straight on to the next one. At Daisy, I believe we are in the optimum position to achieve this balance, and that the rapid rate of change actually gives us a competitive edge. Where do you see the next big opportunity? It’s right in front of us today. Right here, right now – convergence. The overall proposition for end-user businesses needs expanding and fine tuning, allowing for better component integration, and there needs to be more focus on the business benefits rather than the technology. We’re on the case with all three! For those who get it right, the market opportunity is huge. What would make your day job easier? I’m a great believer that business is all about people, and doing business is about people talking to one another. My job would be easier if we talked more rather than emailing/texting, which just slows things down and is very open to misinterpretation. It’s so much easier to pick up the phone or have a face-to-face conversation. One key thing I try to do is talk to our Partners face-to-face, but moving around the country is challenging due to the volume of traffic and frequent delays on major routes. Which is where many of the new converged technologies can help. Instead of hiding behind emails and instant messaging, we should ensure we are always visible to our customers. What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve been given? Dream big, then bigger. I genuinely believe that most people (and a business is only people) are held back by their lack of vision and belief in what can be achieved. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in your personal or business life, how old you are or what type of business or job you’re in, having this mind-set really does make a massive difference. If you had a crystal ball, would you have done anything differently? I would have invested in residential property when I had the chance. Having just survived mortgage rates of 17% (hard to believe but true), I had the opportunity but not the vision. A close friend invested and... let’s just say he’s done extremely well for himself. Describe your most embarrassing moment. Leaving a hotel swimming pool after taking a late night skinny dip under a wonderfully clear and moonlit sky (you get the picture) and running in to the Irish Girls Hockey team. I’d never heard Irish language like that before. There was a cold breeze blowing – honest! What was your first job? A telephone engineer. It was a fantastic grounding, although it’s frightening when you look back at the new technology which so quickly came and went. And today it’s changing even faster. What does tomorrow hold? #excited. What would be your dream job? An astronaut. A combination of adventure, science, technology and pushing boundaries. Perfect. If money was no object, I’d already have my name down on the list of would-be commercial passengers. Money’s not an issue, what’s your perfect car...and where would you like to drive it? It wouldn’t be a car. It would be a motorbike. Nothing beats the fresh air and freedom, going to new places, meeting new people. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any such thing as a perfect motorbike; you need one for the race track, one for touring, one for cruising, one for off-road and, of course, a classic…and that’s just for starters! Fine dining and good wine, or curry and a pint? It’s not the food or drink that matters (I love both options), it’s the company. I never enjoy any food and/or drink more so than when I’m with wonderful people. It’s surprising sometimes who can turn out to be remarkable...and vice versa. Favourite holiday destination? I love the mountains of Western Europe. The Alps, Picos and Pyrenees in summer are absolutely stunning. Tranquillity, fresh air, great views and some amazing roads for motor-biking. How do you like to spend your spare time? Sailing or motor-biking, or chilling out with friends and family. I’m really fortunate to have a wife who also shares the same passions. It makes for a much easier life ;)

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