David Jamieson has over a decade of experience in the engineering industry - half of which spent running his own business, Salus Technical. We spoke to David about his experience on Cohort 4 of our Grey Matters programme and how it helped him to develop his business.
How did you find out about Grey Matters?
“It was flagged to me by my dedicated business adviser, who I was working with to help develop my business.”
What were your aims/goals when joining the programme?
“I had a passion for my craft and an idea that I was excited about. My knowledge of building a business came only from my own research and the books I had read.
“Being able to hear from experts and work together with others in a similar position was something I was really looking forward to. I wanted to make the most of this wonderful opportunity.”
Did you have any preconceived ideas of what to expect?
“I remember being hugely excited the night before our first session and it didn’t disappoint. My first day was spent with Dr. John Park, and from here on I knew it was going to be a brilliant and informative programme.”
What was your experience – on the whole, like?
“Overall, I loved the programme. Some of the sessions were built on what I already knew but many were completely new and required a large step outside of my comfort zone.
“As time went on, I could feel my creative side building as lots of new ideas kept coming to me. Although we unfortunately didn’t end up taking the business forward together, I loved working with others in my group, especially on our pitches. It made me further recognise the value in diverse thinking and power in not working alone.”
Do you feel the programme has been a platform for helping develop you/your business further?
“100%. It has made me view a lot of the steps in building a business differently – and in a good way.
“I feel a lot more resilient and now look at things through a different lens. I have a far greater understanding of the support that is out there.”
Where is your business now?
“Our first software product is currently being tested by some prospective customers with a view towards a wider launch later in the year.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“I feel part of the Elevator community now. The other businesses to come out of our Cohort are in regular contact and always helping each other out.
“Programme Leaders John and Karen go to impressive lengths to ensure that we have the best speakers as well as panels for our pitches. Businesses from previous cohorts and the Oil and Gas Technology Centre’s programme, TechX, gave up so much of their time to listen, share their experiences, listen to our pitches and help us with Business Model Canvases.”
If you are interested in applying for our next Grey Matters cohort, register your interest here.
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