Surf Cat

At the age of 26, Miles Waghorn already owns and runs two very diverse companies in Nottingham – TechSilver.co.uk and Square One.

One a tech firm aimed at an ageing population and the other a music events company which hosts Drum and Bass nights across Nottingham, Leeds, Lincoln and beyond.

But it was an idea sparked as a teenager that set him on the road to success.

He said: “Whilst working in the technology department of my local supermarket as a teenager, I was regularly visited by older customers looking for advice on gadgets.

“This began to happen increasingly often until people began to bring in products which we hadn’t sold them and I inadvertently became a drop-in tech advice ‘clinic’.

“This helped me realise there was a need for not only gadgets which are simpler for seniors, but expert support and service alongside them.

“At the same time my grandmother rapidly developed very severe dementia which had a devastating effect on her ability to live her life; so, I began to research products which could support her.”

Miles says that he discovered many gadgets that may have helped, alongside lots of different solutions for other common problems, but they were difficult to find with poor accompanying information.

“Knowing we have an ageing population in the western world, and demand would rise for solutions which could help this demographic, I believed I could add value at every step from research to after-sales.”

Helping to get the firm off the ground were several small EU-funded grants which totalled around £6,000.  This funding also helped the firm pay for the company’s first employee.

TechSilver has now developed from a small online store specialising in consumer electronics, to a global retailer achieving this reach despite only having three full-time employees.

Miles said: “We’re continuing to grow at a fast rate and we’re seeking investment partners to support in funding the company to scale as quickly as possible.

“Turnover has doubled between 2017 and 2018, and again between 2018 and 2019. Our aspirations are to be the global-leader for care technologies online, selling directly to customers with TechSilver branded products and services, across the world.

“To be honest, I never thought [success] would come this quickly. However although I was not expecting it, you have to believe you’ll get this far to make it in business. Self-belief is key to get through the long nights and months (or years) of no income, to achieve your goals.”

TechSilver.co.uk is now helping seniors to live independently, in their own home, for longer.

“Our customers are mainly the adult children of older people, whose parent may be struggling with an aspect of daily life. For example we provide technologies that can detect when a fall has occurred and alert the emergency services, as well as locating devices to help those with dementia be easily found if they go wandering plus much more.

“Our competitors generally appear to be aiming for the ‘Amazon for older people’, which is completely different to what we’re trying to achieve. TechSilver goes for quality over quantity; why sell 15 different types of the same thing when you can pick the best three, learn them inside out and give customers the best possible support when required? Many of the technologies we provide have traditionally only been available through local authorities and support services. However with demand growing for tech that keeps people independent and austerity meaning less is available from the council, our online store is going from strength to strength.”

Graduating from Nottingham Trent University in July 2016 with a BA Hons in Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Miles chose to stay in the city – making his home in Mapperley. 

When asked what he loves about Nottingham he said: “Most things to be honest, where do I begin? I’m a massive fan of extreme sports and outdoor activities, so to live in a city, but still be able to go wakeboarding, skateboarding, kayaking etc so close is a blessing.

“The music scene is great, especially considering the population of the city.

“It’s not too far from other UK cities, which makes travel easier. Finally (and most importantly) the people. The level of friendliness is amazing, people actually talk to each other in public and let each other out on the roads. Not like where I’m from at all!”

Originally from Kettering in Northants, he added that he chose Nottingham Trent University to study because of its thriving music and arts scene as well as its well-regarded business school. In fact, the firm is based in ‘The Hive’, NTU’s centre for enterprise and entrepreneurship. However, they say they’ll soon need to find a warehouse facility.

He added: “I also run a music events company [Square One] which hosts Drum & Bass nights across Nottingham, Leeds, Lincoln and beyond, so that was sparked from here.

“We cater to Nottingham’s large student population as well as local people who loved that kind of music. We’ve hosted events everywhere from globally-renowned club Stealth, to the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery.”

And finally, we asked Miles what had been the biggest surprise about his business journey so far?

“I think the accessibility for a startup company to take market share from huge global companies. The online revolution has meant it’s never been easier to start a business and gain customers from across the world. Unlike physical stores, we still get the same amount of space on someone’s laptop or smartphone screen to be purchased from, even Amazon has the same space we do. This means there’s fantastic opportunities to disrupt markets which don’t provide the best service for customers.”

Top tips from an entreprenuer

• Avoid ‘time toilets’: Don’t waste your evenings and weekends binging on box sets or scrolling through Instagram. We’re all blessed with the same 24 hours, plan your time effectively and it will help hugely on the entrepreneurial journey.
• One step at a time: Many people come up with a business idea, then add every feature, bell and whistle under the sun, before proceeding to talk themselves out of it because they realise it’s too difficult or expensive to start. Do one step at a time and use your intuition and the resources around you in the early days to get it off the ground.
• The riches are in the riches: You’ll unlikely be able to compete on price in the industry you’re looking to go in. So get established in a niche, become an expert in your field and focus on outstanding customer service. You’ll grow organically and be in the great position to not have to fight competitors on price, but instead a better offering.