Each week, we ask small businesses key questions.
Here we speak to Richard Allan, managing director of Inverness consultancy External Reality.
How and why did you start in business?
Growing up in Inverness, I started playing with my first computer – a Sinclair Spectrum – at the age of three and I’ve been hooked ever since, even making it my career.
After 18 years in the field I love it every bit as much as I did as a boy.
I worked for other people for many years, rising to become lead infrastructure engineer with an Inverness-based company working in the oil and gas sector.
The downturn in the energy industry hit the company and my job became very mundane.
I knew it was time for a change and seized the opportunity to go into business for myself, doing what I do best, solving connectivity problems.
How did you get to where you are today?
Over the past 12 months or so I’ve been developing our first product, SiNECT TMS. TMS stands for “trailer mounted satellite” and our proposition is very simple but effective.
Much of the UK – and the world’s – geography makes communication impossible in remote areas, and as all processes become more technical so this lack of connectivity makes it ever harder and more costly for businesses to operate. Mounting our specialist satellite equipment on solid, robust and adaptable Ifor Williams trailers makes them extremely mobile, allowing construction/civil engineering companies and anyone else operating in these parts to access the internet as needed and then move on to a new site, quickly and with the minimum of fuss. The idea may seem simple but turning it into reality has been a challenge – enjoyable and frustrating in varying degrees.
It’s now at the point where we are completing the first orders, which is even more demanding. It’s taken a lot of trial and error and I’ve had to re-learn a lot of mechanics, electronics, circuit design and business management.
Who helped you?
I’ve had a huge amount of support from family and friends – both encouragement and investment.
Various organisations have also been of great assistance, not least Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Business Gateway, the Federation of Small Businesses and Ignite Accelerator, which I hope to be officially part of very soon.
I’m also particularly grateful to Ord Group, which has ordered the initial units off the back of a demonstration of the prototype to hire out to its customers.
What has been your biggest mistake?
My biggest mistake and one that I keep repeating is to constantly underestimate how long things take, particularly when it comes to dealing with other companies.
Things that appear simple to me can take an inordinate amount of time to materialise.
What is your greatest achievement?
Building a working prototype of SiNECT TMS on my own and in just a few months was really satisfying.
Designing a patentable feature for it was a great moment and absolutely essential.
If you were in power in government, what would you change?
Where do I start? We need to reassess what success in this country really looks like – GDP (gross domestic product) and “economic growth” are so fundamentally flawed. Beyond that, I would start an active drive to reduce the basic cost of living – food, accommodation, clothing, childcare, education and public transport.
Also, incentivising true corporate social responsibility would be really positive.
What do you still hope to achieve?
Getting SiNECT TMS to market and production dominates life at the moment, but I’m nearly there and will then be able to sit down and take stock.
What do you do to relax?
I like to get outdoors with my wife, Sarah, and daughter, Hazel, who is only two so it’s not always that relaxing but always good fun.
What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on the TV?
We don’t have a TV, and rarely watch anything on the laptop.
The book I have just finished was The Dam Builders (James Miller), which is a history of the first hydro dams and schemes in the Highlands and of those who built them.
What do you waste your money on?
I’m being very good and not wasting too much money, though the temptation to buy snacks can be too much for one man to bear.
How would your friends describe you?
I think it would be as determined, inventive and easy-going.
What would your enemies say about you?
I’m not sure I have any enemies – I hope not anyway.
What do you drive and dream of driving?
At the moment I drive a VW Amarok, which is a company car. My dream car would be the Audi RS6 – great performance but practical.