In 2017, Stuart Goldwater and Jamie Evans founded Pragmatiq, a Microsoft Gold Partner based in Milton Keynes. In recent weeks, the company has celebrated its fifth anniversary, alongside winning Employer of the Year at a regional business awards. In the following interview, Stuart and Jamie shed light on what running a business has been like so far, and what’s next for Pragmatiq…
What prompted you to start the business?
Jamie: I was already working in the IT industry and the company I was previously working at was implementing Microsoft Dynamics across the entire business. I recognised the strength of the platform and witnessed first-hand at conferences what Microsoft’s vision was with the platform. I saw potential in this and knew it was an opportunity to take the leap and build a business.
Stuart: I had just come out of a 12-year career in recruitment, and wanted a change from the corporate world, alongside the opportunity to experience a different industry. One day, Jamie (my good friend and now business partner) was telling me about Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform, and how much the technology was progressing.
We had both been interested in starting our own businesses and saw an opportunity to do so in this space. We were confident that we could do so in a slightly different way to those we saw in the marketplace, putting a real focus on people, culture and quality.
Has running a business been like you expected?
Stuart: Absolutely not. I think when starting your own business, you have preconceptions of what this will be like, but the likelihood is that it’s going to be very different. There will be problems and challenges that you couldn’t have foreseen, alongside successes and really great moments that you didn’t necessarily think would happen.
Jamie: I really didn’t know what to expect when starting the business, I guess you could say I was pretty naïve. I always knew that getting the sales side going and winning those first few clients was going to be tough, but it was a lot tougher than I anticipated initially. Once we got momentum with that, things became easier in that area, but then the challenges came up in other key areas, such as hiring the right talent, structuring the team, etc.
What are you most proud of achieving over the last five years?
Stuart: We’ve had lots of successes and milestones over the last five years, which is important when you’re starting and growing a business. But the thing that undoubtedly gets me most excited and I’m most proud of, is the Pragmatiq team and the culture that we’re building.
Across the business, we are seeing people starting their careers with us after university and developing into integral senior members within the company. We also have people join us with experience and we’re able to provide opportunities for them to continue to grow and progress their skills. I’m really proud of that.
Jamie: For me it has to be supporting my team in their own personal and professional progression and witnessing first-hand the work that they do on a daily basis. I am extremely proud of the team and as a result, the quality of the solutions that we deliver to our clients.
How do you stay motivated during tough periods?
Stuart: When things are challenging, I think that as leaders it’s important that we stay level-headed and calm for ourselves, but also for our team. I try to keep in mind that businesses will always go through challenges and difficult moments and remind myself to stay focused on what we are working towards.
Jamie: For me, it is the desire to keep improving and taking the business to the next level. From a personal perspective, it is my family that keeps me motivated, as I want to provide the best future for them. Running a business, of course, comes with its sacrifices, but I try to stay focussed on the end goal. As the business grows, we are able to step away a bit more than we could in the early days and really appreciate what we are achieving.
Running a business can be intense. How do you switch off?
Stuart: I think as a business owner, it’s difficult to fully switch off and I find that incredibly hard; learning to do this is very much still a work in progress. I’m always thinking and planning, and ideas or things to do are constantly popping into my head. As we’ve grown, I’m much more mindful of how much time off we’re giving ourselves.
Jamie: I enjoy exercising and try to get to the gym or go for a run a few times in the week, as this helps me clear my head and step away from the screen.
Where do you see Pragmatiq in the next five years?
Stuart: The solutions we design and implement are of huge value to businesses and there are so many companies out there who are yet to learn or understand about the potential of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. We want to keep supporting businesses and helping them achieve great things, with our technology as the foundation. To achieve this, we need to continue to grow the team in terms of headcount, whilst focusing on the culture, development and the other elements that have made us successful up until this point.
Jamie: I echo what Stuart said. Growth is the prominent theme for the next five years and we’re both excited for what’s to come.
For further information about Pragmatiq, visit their website here or email info@pragmatiq.co.uk
