Entrepreneur Spotlight・Elwyn Davies
“I believe the very best entrepreneurs thrive on uncertainty, and I am certainly not saying that they revel in other people’s misfortune. I believe it is down to the fact that during an economic downturn, there are often more problems to solve, creating a potential gold rush of opportunities. ”
What a goldmine of an interview and a great example of using grit, determination and a good dose of humor to ride the waves of the world and entrepreneurship. I met Elwyn in my monthly Squarespace mastermind group and have enjoyed many 1:1 conversations with him since. He is a well of experience and has a kind and smart outlook on things. Thanks for such a thoughtful interview, Elwyn!
Elwyn Davies has been building websites since the late 1990s and has an extensive background in digital marketing, having launched two sustainable businesses in the sector.
After 11 years as a founder and director at one of Wales’ fastest-growing digital media agencies, Elwyn returned to his roots in 2015, moving back to his family farm in Mid Wales with his young family.
Having worked with a full spectrum of business sizes and types (he has led projects with over 3,000 clients ranging from start-ups to multinationals), Elwyn has amassed a considerable amount of experience in the creative industries sector, specializing in the development and growth of small businesses. Through PixelHaze Academy, Elwyn and his team have set a lofty target of developing a creative hub in rural Wales, whilst providing a jargon-busting range of accessible courses, focusing on subjects including creative software, business development and leadership skills.
Outside of work, Elwyn is a bit of a sports nut, with a keen interest in rugby, football and golf. He also loves a project. From building log cabins, integrating smart technology in his studio, and even growing a vineyard on his family farm, he is always looking to keep himself busy.
1) Tell us about your business
I founded PixelHaze in Spring 2015 with the purpose of providing agency-level design services for start-ups and small businesses. I had noticed a growing chasm between the service offering, and a subsequent price tag of projects developed by digital media companies, and the affordability of these services for small business owners. Combining this insight with my broad level of experience in the web design industry, I felt it would be the perfect niche from a business development perspective, and I have always harboured a passion for working with small, agile businesses. I had also developed a broad catalogue of software to solve specific problems, combining them with our experience of knitting them together.
2) Has Covid changed the way you run your business?
Yes, absolutely. In the 5 years of running PixelHaze before Covid-19, most of our development projects were delivered in face-to-face workshops. For clients over an hour away from our Mid Wales base, I would often take my mobile office (equipped with my MacBook, mobile second screen, iPad, Cameraphone and accessories) to their premises over a 2-3 day window. This would help to get a good feel of the business and its position in the market. Most importantly, I would be able to use that time to build a relationship with the client. The software we used was always secondary to the project process and objectives; I was trusted to deliver the project according to the specification, and I duly chose my software toolkit centred around Squarespace.
With the removal of face-to-face contact, this was all turned upside down with three project cancellations. As a client with a wickedly dry sense of humour said to me the day before our first UK lockdown: "I suppose all of this has put a pin in your workshop balloon". Too mean Jay, too mean!
3) Tell us about a business challenge you have overcome.
It's fair to say that Covid-19 has provided us with the biggest challenge to date, but being in the technology sector has meant that it was a case of short term pain, for long term gain. During a very quiet March and April 2019, I threw myself into 'pro-bono' community projects and launched a website and Facebook page (Project Cabin Fever) to promote local businesses and charities providing delivery and remote services during the lockdown. Then off the back of this, things started to go a little crazy, I picked up a fantastic project to help develop a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) for our local school, along with a longer-term retainer in supporting teachers in their frantic switch over to blended learning. Again due to Covid, I had the rare opportunity of being able to hire two graduates whom I have been helping in their creative development during their University years. At any other point, it would have been incredibly difficult to prize them away from the lure of the city lights!
By the end of 2020, we had grown from an army of one to a fantastic four, welcoming Will, Ken and Katie. We had renovated a new studio in the town centre; equipped with Zoom-friendly rooms, chalkboards galore, a recording booth and the most essential component, a ping pong table (which also doubles up as a boardroom table). We also built a cabin on the farm, launched two additional courses for Squarespace and Canva and doubled our Month-on-Month turnover on projects and retainers. It is all frantic, a little out of control and certainly not sustainable over a long period of time, but my god it is exciting!
4) What does your self-care look like these days?
I am fortunate in that I live on a farm in the middle of nowhere, getting outdoors and into my headspace has never been a problem. In an ongoing war against the middle-aged spread, I have ramped up my hill running sessions. I am fortunate to be a Director at a healthcare company (Back To Roots), so have unlimited access to top-level coaching and healthcare advice. I find that my weekly 1-hour run from the farm to the studio, listening to 70s rock, an audiobook or podcast is the ultimate treat for the soul. I am a pretty simple being when it comes down to it.
5) Do you have any tips for other entrepreneurs during these uncertain times?
I believe the very best entrepreneurs thrive on uncertainty, and I am certainly not saying that they revel in other people's misfortune. I believe it is down to the fact that during an economic downturn, there are often more problems to solve, creating a potential gold rush of opportunities.
My co-directors and I doubled the size of my previous digital media agency after the banking crisis of 2008, by taking a series of small, calculated risks and backing our desire to pump as many hours into the business as needed to make sure they succeeded. There is also a healthy dose of luck in that I have predominately worked in both the technology and service sectors, meaning that we were often wagering on our work hours and not enormous capital outlay. I would guess that makes a considerable difference.
I would like to sign off by stealing one of my favourite quotes from Steve Jobs, 'stay hungry, stay foolish.' I believe the rest will take care of itself over time.
