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Alan Morris - Adapting from entrepreneur to leader
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Nottingham Business School Business Leaders Podcast
Alan Morris - Adapting from entrepreneur to leader | Episode 26
Tech entrepreneur Alan Morris knew he was entering a competitive market when he launched IT outsourcing company Retail Assist, in 1999.
But he preferred it that way.
“I like the idea of competitive markets, because it means there is a market,” he tells Episode 26 of Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast.
“When there’s no competition, you’re either so far ahead of the game… or nobody really wants what you’ve got!”
As it turned out, many retailers did want what Alan had got.
And seventeen years after Retail Assist was launched, with one staff member and one customer, the company had a 250-strong workforce and a long list of big-name clients.
So, what were the leadership skills that helped CEO Alan to turn Nottingham-based Retail Assist into a successful SME that he and his co-founders were able to sell, 17 years later?
He tells Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi: “When we started, we were a small group and there was a real team spirit. People would do absolutely anything to get the job done.
“But as the business grows you introduce new layers of leadership.
“So, my leadership style had to adapt to ensure the things that made us stand out from bigger companies – people taking ownership… having pride in what they do – didn’t get watered down.”
During 18 years with Retail Assist, Alan led the company’s successful development, as CEO and Chairman. In 2017, he left following a private equity-backed management buy-out.
But three years later entrepreneur Alan was back in a leadership role, launching data company Clekt to helps businesses make the most of their digital information.
He is also non-executive director of Retail 247, which provides tech solutions for the retail industry.
Alan says the secret of good leadership is authenticity. He believes too many would-be leaders waste time trying to ape famous entrepreneurs or business leaders.
“I’ve heard people say – I want to be the same as Jeff Bezos, or Richard Branson or Mark Zuckerburg! But you can only be you.
“If you want people to work for you and engage with your vision then you have to be yourself. They won’t believe you if you’re trying to be someone else.”
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