It’s time I explained who I am.

I recently had a telling interaction about working in my home county Suffolk. At a local meeting, I was accused of being negative about Suffolk or too positive about neighboring counties. I see myself as a disruptor, not an agitator or naysayer. The following is my best attempt to explain who I am, what my expertise is and why it might be time for you to join me on a learning journey I’m hoping will lift us all up.

I AM A TECH DISRUPTOR

Being a disruptor means challenging traditional industries with technology. Disruptors introduce new solutions, shaping industries with innovative ideas. They revolutionise business models and products, often pushing boundaries. Examples are Uber, Airbnb, and Tesla, which changed transportation and energy sectors. My expertise in Digital Transformation and Change Management comes from hands-on experience across sectors and platforms, developing new tech stacks and growth strategies.

One of my core areas of interest has been teaching SMEs about data driven growth. In 2022, I led a program called Digital Advice Service (DAS) in Ipswich, helping small businesses understand and use their data for growth strategies. I also contributed to the Town Deal Digital Ipswich task force, collaborating with local businesses to explore opportunities like Augmented Reality Trails and Virtual Screens.

I AM A TECH EDUCATOR

At DAS, we focus on how we teach rather than what we teach. Through our approach of continuous learning, we guide you through using digital tools step by step and provide support when needed. In 2022, we supported 55 businesses in the town centre, aiming to foster strong connections for mutual growth, both in-person and online.

We expanded beyond the DAS group and successfully connected people with the community support they needed. For example, we introduced a struggling T-shirt printer to a designer in need of a delivery partner. We also highlighted local support groups like FSB, ISSBA, and growth hubs. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing.

I AM A CHANGE MAKER MANAGER

I often read about Change Makers and while I know part of my work includes partial or wholesale change, there’s another job which I consider to be more important, to manage change. More importantly to help others manage and understand the changes they and their teams are experiencing. Helping them creating pathways to help everyone stay on the same trajectory.

A change maker drives positive changes in an organisation. Change management is a broader process that plans, implements, and monitors changes to achieve desired outcomes while minimising disruption and resistance.

Change makers initiate change, while change management guides organisations through the change process. The DAS program lasted just over 12 months and involved 80 participants. It became clear that focusing everyone on the main challenge of increasing footfall and dwell time would hasten the town’s growth. We taught each business how to measure the impact and growth of their digital profile and encouraged collaboration to attract people to the town. The Digital Ipswich project added to the optimism and led to an event in late 2022, introducing businesses and local support agencies. I was very optimistic for 2023.

The DAS Event at Microshops

So why, a year later, am I constantly talking about nearby counties and some great local government strategies I've seen?

The photos above are from an event funded by DAS in early October 2022. It was open to all business owners in Ipswich and surrounding areas. The event had a lovely feel of collaboration and was well attended.

Despite this, local stakeholders attempted to hinder our efforts to showcase the enthusiasm and abilities of local business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Their inward thinking and inability to collaborate has caused my local town to stagnate for a decade and after running this program I could see the main issue was an inability to compromise, collaborate and explore growth beyond incumbent models.

I decided to shift my focus from Suffolk to Essex in 2023, and I'm pleased with what I've observed. I’ll write future blogs about what I’ve experienced but service to say Essex gets itself! They hustle and ‘do business’, and I want that for our SME community in Suffolk too. More to come on that very soon.

I CREATE CULTURAL CHANGE

In conclusion, Digital Transformation often involves changing the way people work by introducing new technology and processes. This can have a big impact on an organisation's culture. If the organisation is as big as a town the work of collaboration is harder, not impossible though and who knows what the future holds for Ipswich?

To learn more about how digital transformation influences cultural change and strategies, read my blog.

A Challenge and Opportunity

While my recent project didn't go as planned, it led to new opportunities. I've seen positive changes in behavior from local councils and the resulting impact on growth. These changes involve not only digital advancements but also simple, common-sense steps that are carefully tracked. These improvements help councils and other stakeholders make better decisions and show the impact they're having.

I learnt a lot while running DAS, and like all startup work the unknown unknowns were the most enlightening.

Open for Collaboration

If you're interested in collaborating or working together, feel free to reach out. Whether you have questions, ideas, or potential projects, I'm open to virtual communication. I appreciate engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields. Your enquiries and proposals are welcome, and I'm excited about the possibility of working together to achieve common goals and create meaningful outcomes.