Each week, we ask small businesses key questions. Here we speak to Martin Roy, managing director of Inverness-based housebuilder Ptarmigan Homes.
How and why did you start in business?
Born in Perth and raised in Alloa, my boyhood ambition of becoming a pro footballer was dashed by injury – so I focused on my other love, engineering, instead. Working for Syngenta Grangemouth, an agrochemical company producing crop protection products, I gradually moved into engineering management roles.
Many years later, and with a wealth of project management experience of major developments under my belt, the opportunity to join Bilfinger was something I couldn’t refuse. It allowed me to travel, learn and grow within yet another major engineering group. I love to know how things work and thrive on the challenge of making sure they do so in the most efficient way possible.
In April 2016 I was offered the opportunity to join the family house-building firm, Roy Homes, and took it. My wife, Angela, our two children and I upped sticks and moved north to Inverness to enjoy the new challenge and put my skills to good use.
Sadly, I discovered a company that was already in a financial position from which it couldn’t recover, and it went into administration shortly after – a bitter blow. But this didn’t stop me, and I immediately set up a management team to buy the assets and launch Ptarmigan Homes, which was founded in 2017.
How did you get to where you are today?
Ptarmigan Homes is a very successful, family-run business supplying everything from bespoke high-quality, turnkey package solutions to timber kits across the north.
This has been achieved through extremely hard work and resilience. I’ve given everything I’ve got and my family and I have made massive sacrifices to own our business, but it’s our passion. If you don’t work hard for what you want, is it worth having?
Who helped you?
Our family and friends have been a massive help and support throughout, and the Federation of Small Businesses has also been a great resource when it comes to information. Working with our personal business coach has helped enormously too – it makes us both accountable to our goals.
What has been your biggest mistake?
Taking on a senior role with Roy Homes without knowing enough about what I was joining, but one shouldn’t dwell on the past. I was determined to succeed and, with my expertise in engineering and project management, I am most definitely in my element building luxury bespoke homes.
What is your greatest achievement?
Other than establishing Ptarmigan Homes, from a business perspective my greatest achievement was my promotion to operations manager in Scotland for Bilfinger UK. I led a change-management programme within Petroineos which was very successful and helped develop my people skills enormously.
Personally, having coached adult and kids’ football for many years, I feel immensely proud that so many of the lads have become successful. It’s a fantastic feeling when young kids with little or no self-confidence go on to flourish and become great players.
If you were in power in government, what would you change?
The benefits system. I’d revamp the system and also the minimum wage to encourage individuals into the workplace, and I’d reintroduce compulsory National Service to give young people a sense of discipline.
What do you still hope to achieve?
Angela and I want to continue to build and grow Ptarmigan Homes as a reputable, credible, top-quality housebuilding company, valued for its outstanding customer service.
What do you do to relax?
I play five-a-side football, coach kids’ football, and enjoy sharing drams with my father-in-law, Jim, in central Scotland.
What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on TV?
TV is only for watching football, but I do like to listen to business books – at least one a week.
What do you waste your money on?
Ask Angela.
How would your friends describe you?
A football-obsessed rule-keeper who likes to crack dad jokes.
What would your enemies say about you?
I don’t think I have any but if anyone has an issue with me, I hope they’d raise it in person.
What do you drive and dream of driving?
Angela and I share a BMW X3, but I am happy driving my company Citreon Relay. I’m really not into cars and don’t have a dream machine.
Donna Christie has never looked back after swapping oil wells for wellness
