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"Be Bold and Adventurous"

An Interview with over 50s entrepreneur, Bob Squirrell

Bob Squirrell knows all about starting a new business.  He has been wholly or jointly responsible for many innovative projects and successful start-ups over the years - from opening new product divisions through to launch of specialised industrial and electronics industry distribution companies. Probably the most notable was the launch in 1985 of Dean Microsystems Ltd where Bob was the founder. 

In 2003 Bob and his wife, Ann, decided to sell up in the UK and start a new life in Cyprus with their son. 

Why did you decide to start your own business?

Independence. I didn’t want to be a wage slave. Basically, I don’t respond well to bosses and like to be able to pursue my own ideas and objectives. I could see some good opportunities to introduce innovative products to Cyprus and surrounding regions, so set up a business with my wife to pursue these opportunities.

What were you doing before?

Once upon a time, a long while ago in a country far away, I was Marketing Manager then Sales Director in electronics component distribution. On being made redundant, I set up a PR business specialising in technical products and services.

What are you doing now?

We are marketing Climaboard skirting board heating (from Italy) to Cyprus, Greece, the near and Middle East, North Africa, the UK and Ireland. We have distribution rights for all those countries. I am in the process of setting up a network of installers. My wife, Ann has joined me in the business as Finance Director and Co Sec to run the accounts and administration, but most of the other people working with us are self-employed in sales and installation. This makes the business very scalable and able to respond to market conditions, for example seasonal changes which of course have quite an impact on the heating industry.

www.skirting-heating.com
www.radgone.co.uk - UK distributor

We are also marketing innovative “best of breed” products on an international basis. For example, we manage the UK branch of an international trade association called PROFIBUS International, which is aimed at improving and automating manufacturing processes.

www.profibus.com

What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

Looking at our new life in Cyprus, we had to work our way through the Cyprus bureaucracy to find a company name that they would approve for registration. They rejected every good one because they “were not descriptive enough of who we were and what we do” so in frustration we decided on R&A Squirrell Technology Marketing Management Ltd, which was accepted immediately. Then we had to register for Social Security as employers and employees, get our Alien cards, register for VAT, find an accountant, open business bank accounts – all in a country where the forms are in Greek and everything has to be done in person at the office of the government department, which at that time were spread all over Pafos.

The first products we launched – emergency batteries for mobile phones – sold well initially then stopped, due to competition in the market and other factors. We had to find something new and quickly – which we did with the Climaboard skirting board heating from Italy.

I went to Milan to meet the supplier and sign the deal.  There I got pick pocketed and my wallet stolen, a girl on the coach to the airport threw up over me and Cyprus Airways lost my baggage.  It was the business trip from Hell, but the deal was worth it! I now have a good product, a huge territory, tremendous opportunity and excellent results barely 18 months down the line.

How do you feel about having your own business now?

Great!

Would you do it again?

Yes!

What is great about what you do?

We satisfy a real need – lots of people move to Cyprus expecting it to be warm all year round and are quite surprised when they find there is a winter, albeit only 3 months. The problem is the construction material used for the houses and apartments – poured cement and brick without cavity wall or insulation.

Climaboard has been a real help to those who’ve had it fitted – it can be easily retrofit into apartments and villas that cannot otherwise use central heating for various constructional reasons. We can also manage the marketing and sales process on an international basis from our home in Pafos using modern communications methods – internet, Skype and the web. It doesn’t matter that we are in Cyprus – it feels like we are just next door to our customers.

From a personal point of view, we can set our own work hours to suit our lifestyle, often planning around our son’s school and extra-curricular activities.

Any advice you would pass on to other people over 50 setting off along this path?

Be bold and adventurous. Look to your unique or not so common abilities.  Look for what’s not there and find ways to fill the gaps you see.  

www.skirting-heating.com