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We catch up with Utopia Computers boss Craig Hume about Premier League encounters and winning at the PCR Awards
What does an average day look like for you?
The best entrepreneurs have a great routine, from Jack Dorsey of Twitter to my mentor Phylip Morgan of Network Group. With this in mind I try and follow suit. My best days start when I wake early, getting time to organise my thoughts alongside some yoga is a sure fire way to an awesome day. Everyone who knows me, knows I’m a big family guy, so there is no rushing off to work. I have breakfast with my kids and help get them ready for school. We all walk to school together and I continue on to Utopia.
My first task is to check in with the team and see what’s planned for the day, how projects are progressing, what the status is on our sales pipeline as well as an update on any other news that might be going on in their lives.
We are lucky to have a beautiful park just around the corner from Utopia, so enjoying a coffee and a walk is a great way to stop that mid-afternoon slump. Every day I finish by reading Utopia’s daily progress email collated by the entire team that keeps everyone up to date on anything exciting that has happened in the last 24 hours, before heading back home.
What are the key aspects of your role?
The most important aspect is to ensure my entire team love what they do. If I can achieve this everything else, like happy clients and perfect PCs, falls into place.
What is the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you at work?
We love it when cool clients come knocking on our door, like when Spurs needed laptops for their new VR experience, or more recently when we were commissioned to design the world’s fastest desktop PC and then there is Jim Knee from Kingston, when he turns up all the rule books are thrown out the window!
What are some of the unique challenges that you face in your role?
As one of the UK’s fastest growing system builders we face tough competition everyday. Maximising our marketing and building a brand that can not only be seen to compete with the big guys, but succeed at competing at the very highest level is always tough. As any MD will know the challenges are as varied as they are plentiful, but they will also tell you that they would not have it any other way.
Tell us about a recent project you’ve worked on.
It has to be the Sonox C4. This monster of a desktop PC was the most insane PC we have ever produced. It really was a feat of engineering alongside stepping into the unknown. Our client had faith in us and I had faith in my team. It was a lot of hard work, but the results speak for themselves. We are very proud to bring this system to market.
How did you feel about winning at the PCR Awards earlier this year?
Absolutely ecstatic!
How should people get in touch with you?
craig@utopiacomputers.co.uk, Telephone: 01563 590063, @craighume_.
