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You won’t find the usual polished entrepreneur story here. This is the real version, complete with unexpected detours, practical lessons learned the hard way, and an honest account of someone who’s spent three decades exploring what it means to build something meaningful.

If you’re curious about how someone transitions from managing fast food to managing development teams to building independent web applications, grab a coffee, and settle in. This is the unfiltered journey of how I got here, what I’ve learned along the way, and why I believe the most interesting paths happen away from the spotlight.

The Winding Path

Over thirty years ago, I started my career managing a busy KFC restaurant in Ashford (Kent, UK), leading a team of 15+ people while juggling everything from payroll to customer complaints. I had no idea that this early taste of leadership and problem-solving would eventually lead me down a completely different path, one that would take me through industries I never expected to touch.

What followed was the classic entrepreneurial cycle that so many of us know: employee to self-employed when curiosity becomes impossible to ignore, then back to employee when you want to learn from established teams. I’ve done this dance multiple times over the decades, each transition teaching me something valuable about what I actually want from work and life.

The beauty of this winding path is that every seemingly unrelated experience has informed how I approach problems today. Managing people in a high-pressure restaurant environment taught me about systems and efficiency. Running niche businesses showed me there’s always a market for things that seem unmarketable. Working in enterprise development taught me the value of maintainable, reliable code over clever solutions.

The Accidental Technologist

My journey into technology wasn’t planned. After years in various roles, from government work at the Valuation Office Agency to other ventures, I was given a grant in 2001 to start an online web shop selling imported Horror and Cult DVDs. This was way before the days of Amazon even existing, let alone dominating everything.

I started with EROL (Electronic Retail OnLine) software that came on a disk, then moved to CubeCart which was built on PHP. It was through CubeCart that I got my first real taste of code. I was fed up with paying silly money for plugins and modules, so I decided to dive into the code and start learning how to do it myself.

As the years moved on, I became proficient enough to build my own online store from scratch using PHP, jQuery and MySQL (this was before 2010!). Throughout the decade I ventured into multiple online stores, eventually reaching £90k in annual sales across various ventures.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about taking an idea from concept to working application, watching it solve real problems for real people. What started as frustration with expensive plugins gradually became something much deeper: a genuine love for building digital solutions.

Creative Detours

My entrepreneurial instincts kicked in long before I discovered coding, and honestly, they were driven more by passion than any grand business plan. I’ve always been drawn to the weird, niche corners of industries that most people ignore.

In the early 2000s, I co-founded Sarcophilous Films with a partner in Canada. We were obsessed with cult horror movies that major distributors wouldn’t touch. Picture this: two guys spending hours authoring DVDs for films like "Cannibal Ferox" and designing covers that would make your grandmother faint. We handled everything ourselves, from the technical production to convincing small retailers that yes, people actually want to buy these bizarre movies.

Around the same time, I was deep into the drum & bass scene with Future Pressure Recordings. We were releasing vinyl records, running digital releases, and operating an online radio station from my spare room. The music industry was chaotic and full of creative egos, but I loved the community aspect, working with producers from around the world and watching how music could bring people together.

Both ventures needed websites, and I kept finding myself frustrated with what developers were charging for basic functionality. So I started building them myself. What began as "I can probably figure this out" turned into genuine fascination with making things work online. Before I knew it, I was getting freelance requests through Zen Dev UK; creating websites for local businesses who needed someone who actually listened to what they wanted.

Enterprise Years

For seven years (2018-2025), I immersed myself in commercial software development with a global company specializing in lifting and winching equipment. I started as the sole European developer and gradually grew into managing a small development team. This experience taught me everything my freelance background couldn’t: how enterprise systems actually work, what it means to maintain code that multiple teams depend on, and why simple solutions often beat clever ones.

The work was genuinely fulfilling. I was building rental management systems that helped businesses operate more efficiently, working with stakeholders who actually used what we created. I learned that the best code isn’t the most impressive code, it’s the code that works reliably when someone’s business depends on it.

By early 2025, the landscape was shifting with potential mergers and restructuring. While change isn’t inherently bad, I realized I’d been preparing for something else entirely. The discussions simply confirmed what I already knew: it was time to explore what I could build on my own terms.

Function Over Form

I’ve spent enough years in development to know that the fanciest code isn’t always the best code. Some of my most reliable solutions are embarrassingly simple, while I’ve watched elaborate architectures crumble under real-world pressure. There’s something deeply satisfying about building something that just works, day after day, without requiring a PhD to maintain.

This philosophy extends beyond code. I’d rather have one genuine relationship than a thousand social media followers. I’d rather solve one real problem well than chase the latest tech trend. I’ve seen too many developers burn out trying to keep up with every new framework, and too many businesses fail because they prioritized looking impressive over being useful.

The goal isn’t to build the next unicorn startup or become a social media influencer. It’s to explore what’s possible when you focus on creating valuable solutions while maintaining your sanity and authentic relationships. Maybe that’s old-fashioned in 2025, but I think there’s still room for approaches that prioritize substance over style.

Beyond the Code

When I’m not debugging, you’ll find me exploring interests that somehow all tie back to understanding how things really work beneath the surface.

I’ve been drawn to Buddhist philosophy for years, not from a religious standpoint, but because its practical approach to mental clarity and problem-solving translates remarkably well to both code architecture and business strategy. The concept of "beginner’s mind" is invaluable when approaching complex technical challenges.

This interest in mental clarity extends to minimalism, which influences everything from my living space to how I structure code. I’m fascinated by how removing unnecessary complexity creates space for what actually matters, the same principle that drives my "function over form" approach to development.

I’m also into bonsai cultivation, which might seem unrelated but is actually the perfect metaphor for application development. Bonsai requires patience, long-term vision, and understanding that the most beautiful results come from thoughtful constraint rather than unlimited growth. Every branch you keep or remove shapes the final outcome.

Current Chapter

Right now, I’m exploring what’s possible when you build without the noise of social media marketing. Can genuine value and word-of-mouth recommendations still win in a world obsessed with follower counts? Can you create meaningful digital solutions while maintaining quality of life and authentic relationships?

I’m documenting this experiment here, the successes and failures alike, partly for my own learning but also because I suspect there are others who feel the same way about the current state of online business. Whether this works or not, I’m committed to capturing the real story of what it’s like to build something meaningful without playing the typical online games.

There’s something appealing about the challenge of creating solutions that are both technically sound and personally fulfilling. This isn’t about proving anything to anyone else, it’s about exploring what becomes possible when you focus on craft over marketing, relationships over metrics, and long-term value over short-term noise.

A few random facts

• In just under 50 years, I’ve lived at well over 29 addresses spanning 5 countries across 3 continents.
• During the mid 1990s I was an avid Hardcore Junglist DJ who won 'mix tape of the month' in a magazine called 'Eternity' through its 'Breaking new talent' section. I was invited to play at one of their events in London, but couldn’t get the time off work at KFC. I could have been a world-famous DJ by now!
• My favorite animal is the Gorilla, closely followed by King Kong & Godzilla - do they count? I sometimes go by the pseudonym 'SpicyGorilla' online, though I honestly don’t know why 'spicy' - it just looked and sounded good!
• I’m quite the introvert by nature and typically keep myself to myself. That said, I’m perfectly comfortable with people when the situation calls for it.

Let’s Connect

I’m currently based in the Northwest UK, working remotely and always open to interesting projects. If you’re curious about my journey, interested in collaborating, or just want to chat about the intersection of technology and life, I’d love to hear from you .

Last updated on June 30th, 2025