Islander Iain Macphail would love to help stem brain drain from the north

By Keith Findlay

March 6 2022, 5:00 pm

Every week, we ask small businesses key questions. Here we speak to Iain Macphail, who owns and runs Inverness firm IDM Safety Solutions.

How and why did you start in business?

I was born and raised on Lewis, where my family have been in the construction industry since the 1970s. I’ve always been interested in the way things work, and I loved watching projects and builds take shape, so I started an electrical apprenticeship in 2006.

Unfortunately, the recession hit mid-way through and I was paid off, but a local business came to my rescue and I duly completed my four years.

Four years on, in 2014, I decided to leave home and move to Aberdeen, where I got a job as an electrician.

‘The great leap’

I loved it and over the next six years worked my way up into project management before moving to Inverness, in 2020, and taking the great leap into self-employment.

Why Inverness? I wanted to be closer to home so I could visit family and friends more often.

Why self-employment? I saw a gap in the market for a business offering health and safety services and project management alongside electrical services. IDM Safety Solutions is the result.

How did you get to where you are today?

Through passion for what I do, hard work, determination and the support of friends and family, and by seizing every opportunity to learn that comes my way.

I also have the support of a fantastic network of local businesses and, of course, the island connection always helps.

Who helped you?

Although he is no longer with us, my grandfather was a huge influence.

His vision, ability and integrity are fundamental to me getting to where I am today.

My family and friends are a huge support, as is my business coach, Stuart Mason, and the Federation of Small Businesses is always there when I need them.

What is your biggest mistake?

Surely you mean unintended outcomes that allow you to create new solutions?

Taking ownership of unintended outcomes on the rare occasions they happen has only helped to strengthen my character and business, and make me more resilient.

What is your greatest achievement?

Growing my business and creating quality jobs. I had not planned to take any employees on for the first year, but demand for my services was such that after four months I was able to take on an apprentice.

Now, just over a year in, we have five full-time and two part-time members of staff – not bad for a company started in the middle of a pandemic.

If you were in power in government, what would you change?

I’d devote more resources to helping people with entrepreneurial spirit start up and grow micro businesses.

This is essential if we want a speedy recovery from the pandemic and we need strong leadership to make it happen.

What do you still hope to achieve?

Sustainable growth. I want to create more quality career choices throughout the Highlands and Islands to help stem the brain drain by giving young people the genuine option of staying on.

What do you do to relax?

I love food and eating out. I’m a board director of the HebCelt Festival and in my spare time act as site manager/director – unpaid – of this great annual event on Lewis.

It has a massive economic impact on the local economy and I’m so glad we can go ahead as normal this year.

What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on the TV?

I’m enjoying a great podcast by Stuart Mason (former owner of Ink Shop Printing) called How to Wreck Your Business.

It’s all about the mistakes he made and how his multimillion-pound business failed after 20 years. I would also recommend Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy.