Starting an early SaaS company has given me excellent perspective from both a vendor’s point of view—the need for an effective go-to-market strategy—and a service provider’s point of view—how to efficiently position and sell multiple solutions to their clientele. There is a fundamental need to change the basic role of distribution for cloud products. Effective distribution is highly essential to service the SMB market.

As part of a channel strategy, it is important that the channel partner is well-equipped to sell and service a product. This is where a distributor can be transformative. Distributors no longer need to ship physical products but need to standardize the billing and provisioning processes to simplify the adoption of new products for the channel partners. They need to show partners how to be effective merchandisers of cloud products. In my role as CEO, I help define how we help our partners achieve that.

The spontaneous combustion I see every day is what I love most about Pax8. I am thrilled about the fantastic work that is being done without too much specific instruction. Because leadership is providing a clear vision, and there is a strong sense that we are transforming an industry, empowered people self-start a work environment that is engaged, thoughtful, and passionate.

I am inspired to build new companies, to witness the relentless progression of a thoughtful idea to practical reality, and to see people flourish in their careers.

The best piece of advice I can give is to understand your audience, get it right, and always, always do it with excellence and integrity.

As Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Pax8, I help the organization realize the vision of delivering the “Cloud Wingman” experience to every partner at every touchpoint. This experience starts with a powerful selection of the highest quality cloud products, vetted for technical proficiency, reliability, and margin. Then it continues with support services to help make our partners successful in the cloud ecosystem. This includes product selection guidance, provisioning, installation, technical support, billing, and how to present the product to partners’ clients.

My past experiences in developing computer technology, and building several technology startup companies prior to Pax8, have left me with unique perspectives about the best strategies to build a successful technology business. These strategies are useful in promoting alignment between diverse groups, such as sales and technology development, and to specify how various functions, such as marketing, operations, finance, training, and R&D, work together to achieve overall business objectives. Importantly, these experiences also help me relate to partners and their needs as they build their own businesses.

My first career-oriented job after college was at Bell Laboratories as a circuit design engineer. My initial assignment was to design digital circuitry for the ESS 5, which at the time was the latest “electronic switching station” that routed long distance telephone calls. When I completed that assignment, my supervisor assigned me a software task. He asked me to write firmware code for a chip on the same system. I objected, stating that my goal was to be a “hardware designer,” not a “software programmer.” My supervisor warned me at the time that such “black and white” views are often the Achilles’ heel of business endeavors. Following a series of further discussions, I learned to focus on the overall business objective rather than the type of work that reaching that objective might involve. I took this lesson to heart in all my endeavors from that point forward.

I offer this pearl of wisdom: “Be passionate in all you do.” Be passionate about what the products do and what it means to the clients when those products are placed into service. It is a passion that makes you feel alive, derived from a sense of disrupting the status quo to make the world a better place.

I lead the team that finds, launches, and manages great cloud products built for our partners. My job is to listen to our partners, so we can find the right cloud products for them to grow their recurring revenue business.

I wear Crocs and socks. In other words—I’m the boss of me.

Great teams inspire me, especially ones that find a way to maximize the unique capabilities of each member in pursuit of a shared goal. There is nothing better than working on a team that has chemistry and knows how to win together. We before me…all day long! Our COO, Michael Dehmlow, is the smartest person I’ve ever worked with. He figures out solutions to technical problems as fast as anyone I know, but his secret sauce is understanding the business driver behind the problem. This makes his solutions better.

Have fun, work hard, and keep learning. And always thank the passer! That’s a basketball saying that emphasizes thanking a teammate for contributing to your success.

I am the technology mastermind like the Wizard in Wizard of Oz.

I once worked on a NASA project, where we replaced a 100 man-year sub-system.

The way people work together really inspires me. I come from a big family and, even though we all grew up in the same house, we have so many different skills and interests. I learned from a young age that we accomplish so much more when individuals come together to be part of something bigger. I love seeing a group create something that none of us, independently, could do on our own. That’s part of why I love being here at Pax8. We have such an extraordinarily talented R&D team, and we do things every day that I can’t fathom doing on my own.

I have the best recorded time on the Taurus constellation of the real-time strategy mobile game, Auralux.

The pursuit of perfection only hinders us. When we think of the perfect horse, we may say it feeds itself, never gets hurt, or breaks down. But, ultimately, if we spend all our energy pursuing the perfect horse, we will never create a Cadillac – or a jet plane. Our perception of perfection is an unrealistic goal, and a hindrance to progress. That is why I challenge my team to improve everything by 1% as often as possible. This is an achievable goal and leads to an agile culture of continual improvement. My team loves to say they had a “5% day.” When they build on that enough times, they reach new heights never before imagined.

As the Chief Revenue Officer, it is my job to remove all obstacles between our partners and the optimization of their revenue. I am always looking for new ways to innovate and bring fresh ideas into our ecosystem.

I am inspired by great leadership. To me, this means purposeful intent to have a significant impact on a market or an industry. Our team embodies the belief that we can do anything we set as our goals. This combination motivates me every day, and I share that motivation with those I interact with.

I am incredibly driven by the work I do each day to enable the success of those who work with me and those we serve within our partner community. As one of the youngest CROs in the industry, I set the bar high for myself and those on my team. Even though I am a leader, I consider myself a student who is always learning. I believe luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Be prepared for when you get your first shot to do something big.

As an avid outdoorsman and hunter, I enjoy being on the mountain to see the sunrise and sunset. Being one with nature brings me back to center at times when I can feel the pressures of the world.

The best advice I would give is to think bigger, because you can do anything.

A key part of my role is to ensure that every employee is equipped to contribute to delivering on the Pax8 Wingman Experience. This is our ultimate goal, and it can only be achieved with a singular focus across the organization.

Pax8 is constantly evolving, and I love being a part of that evolution. We have such a dynamic environment, and our employees are always up for the challenge. Such positive energy and commitment across the organization make Pax8 a great place to work.

I am always inspired by the creative ideas of others. Whether the ideas are business-related, creatively expressed through artistic means, or an idea that turns into an action, I am constantly in awe of how individuals can look at things differently and innovate.

Most of my creative thinking happens when I wake up at 4am.

I love to be outdoors, whether it is playing tennis or just exercising. But what I enjoy the most is the competitiveness of the sport. There is nothing sweeter than winning.

I provide value by offering exemplary technical service and support for our partners. In my role as Chief Information and Security Officer, it is critical that we safeguard our partners’ data with strong governance, risk, and compliance standards.

I love the culture at Pax8. You can feel the energy and enthusiasm when you walk through the building. Everybody is willing to jump in to assist others, regardless of the department they work in. The commitment to excellence, dedication, and loyalty to the company are evident.

I used to catch fireflies in a jar when I was kid—which provided a soft glow of light when I went to bed—and listened to west coast baseball games on my transistor radio as I drifted off to sleep.

I spent 15 years of my career at the White House, traveling in support of four different presidents. During that time, I traveled with the presidents about 200 days per year and managed operations for events in 42 countries while interfacing with 93 other world leaders.

I try to be as diverse in my personal interests as I have been in my career. In my younger years, I ran a lot, and at one time, considered professional bowling. As I got older, I took up bicycle riding and competed in several 100-mile bike races. I still hike a lot and enjoy being actively engaged with my sons in their soccer, wrestling, cross country, and track activities.

I’m inspired by the energy at Pax8 and the can-do attitude of so many people here—never accepting the status quo and always believing we can make improvements.

The smartest person I have ever worked with is John Street. His breadth of knowledge in so many areas is incredible. He is extremely insightful and a great collaborator.

The best advice I would give is to always try to make improvements to processes and the organization. Realize that each of us can make a difference.

I started my entrepreneurial career at the age of 6, selling greeting cards on the streets of the Bronx.

My passion to build, renovate, and innovate began when I was a young boy rebuilding tricked-out bikes, lawnmowers, cars, and computers. This hobby was the gateway to my career. My professional roles evolved from developing sales operations organizations to continually improving and digitizing customer-facing business processes and maturing back-end DevOps and IT infrastructure. The common thread is always the data and insights. It has been a progressive journey, where I have had the honor of working with multiple fast-growing technology companies. When working with each company, I had the exciting opportunity to take on challenging customer-facing projects, build and evolve teams, processes, data, analytics, and automation. I am continually learning, refining, and applying the art, science, and math of scaling an organization.

Great leadership inspires me. Through lifelong learning and personal growth, I discovered that more consistent success comes when there is a clear vision and an intentional people-centric leadership style. The best leaders are the ones who integrate Servant Leadership qualities that listen, grow, and multiply people talent combined with Transformational Leadership qualities that reimagine, inspire, and motivate continuous improvement and innovation that will grow and shape the company’s future. I am inspired to apply these principles to invest daily in coaching and empowering people to learn, grow, succeed, and transform.

As the CDO, I am laser-focused on delivering data-driven insights that accelerate decision-making. I am passionate about building and leading a culture of continuous learning and improvement, with a mission of transforming data into a strategic asset. I am driven to unify, inspire, and lead teams to execute best practices in process design, data management, and smart automation. I am amazed by the Pax8 people, energy, and culture. I am honored to be a part of this talented organization and lead teams that will make an indelible mark in the Pax8 evolution story to transform the industry.

My approach to problem-solving starts with the end in mind — a clear understanding of the desired outcome.

I love to travel with my wonderful wife and two children. The family experience is very important to me. They also keep me centered and grounded. I love music and college football. So, while attending college, it was only natural for me to be a member of the University of Georgia Bulldogs Redcoat Marching Band. And now also a big fan of SEC College football. But I live in a house divided, so I am also an avid supporter of Notre Dame football. I enjoy playing sports, including soccer, tennis, and basketball. I have the most fun playing backyard sports with my kids.

My role as SVP of Corporate Development is to make sure all the forward-facing teams (Sales, Marketing, Service Delivery, Product Management, etc.) have the tools and information necessary to be successful.

I love that no day is ever the same at Pax8.

My first job after public accounting was with a technology startup. The CEO and COO were brought in by the investors, as they had the experience and the resumes to take the company to the next level. The lesson I learned when that company floundered was that the best resume in the world is no match for the passion, vision, and execution of entrepreneurs. Founders have a personal, vested interest in the success of the company, whereas hired executives typically do not.

I find it challenging to find a healthy work-life balance. I have been very fortunate to have worked for great people along the way who have allowed me the flexibility needed to achieve (or at least try to achieve) this balance.

If I am not at work, I am painting—taking an idea, a vision, and creating art.

I would describe myself as a problem solver who develops technology solutions to enable business growth and retention. Throughout my career, I have developed an internal database that has helped shape my perspective and acts as a compass when guiding and advising our partners.

I’ve always been drawn to smart people who can simplify something profound.

I am inspired by my children and motivated to provide them a bright future.

I volunteer often with my family. Our time together usually includes at least one service project.

I admire the details and the art of historical buildings. I could walk around for hours studying the structures.

Based on market trends and our partners’ insight, I help solve SMB technology and productivity concerns. Each day I come to work, I have the opportunity to aid in the development, training, and execution of our sales team at Pax8.

Architecture was the first profession I felt as a true calling, which I learned about myself when I was 12 years old. I can recall drawing the design of a home on graph paper and then making it come to life by hand-building it. I loved the imagination, careful planning, and questioning my judgment that took place. Little did I know that the art of building and all of the challenges that come with it would translate into my future career.

I’ve learned that I am a builder. I love to plan by looking at potential challenges from multiple angles, gathering input and feedback from individuals, and, like building a home, creating a solid foundation to build upon.

My strengths include emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and building a great culture.

I am inspired by how Pax8 started with an idea and a team of people who believed in it.

When I am not at the office, you will find me playing the guitar, snowboarding, or climbing a mountain.

The best piece of advice I would give is to have tolerance for adversity and uncertainty because it is one of the most vital skills to learn.

I’ve always had a passion for animals. As a young girl, I dreamed of becoming a vet so I could help and save all the animals. However, my education and career took me down the path of working in technology. Even though I love animals, I am thankful that I work in technology because I truly love what I do. In my role at Pax8, I get to help our partners and share the Pax8 story.

Even though I didn’t become a vet, I did rescue an adorable fur baby named Poppy.  She is the best thing that has ever happened to my family. She is the heart and soul of our home. I often wonder who rescued who.

I love working for a company that spends so much R&D and time listening to our partners. This empowers us to build the best platform and programs, while offering the right tools, resources, education, and events to support and enable our partners to buy, sell, and manage cloud. Working at Pax8 is truly a family—we all are extremely driven, dedicated, and passionate humans who want to make a lasting impact on the IT channel and the lives of our partners.

If you have traveled with me, then you know I love to pick where we eat (check out Where_Would_Jen_Dine on Instagram to learn more about my adventures.). I’ve always been a foodie, world traveler, and wine connoisseur. I LOVE to explore new places and experience new cultures wherever I go.

They say I am a true Leo, and I couldn’t agree more. Leos are creative and confident. I started dancing, gymnastics, and cheerleading as a very young girl. This fueled my love of being on-stage and performing.  Now in my career, I get to speak on behalf of Pax8 at industry events.  I love telling the Pax8 story and sharing our value. The Wingman + Wingwoman experience has been built by and for our community of partners. 

A motto I live by and teach my team to live by is, “Be Your Brand”.

I spend a lot of my time meeting with partners, media, and analysts. They always have unique ideas, and I am eager to listen and learn. After more than a decade working in the tech industry, I am excited about how Pax8 is making a lasting impact on the industry and leading the cloud movement.

I am inspired and fascinated by entrepreneurs—those who have taken a risk to start something new. Their ideas, innovations, and inspirations leave a lasting impact.

I have a passion for adventure. As a child, I was always exploring—whether on the playground at school, in the woods, or riding horses. As an adult, my love for travel, independence, and adventure continues. I’ve traveled all over the world and lived in 11 different cities across the country. There is so much I still want to see and do.

I love animals. When we moved to Colorado, I rescued a beautiful Great Pyrenees named Cody.  He brings our family so much love and joy. And he gives the best hugs!

When I worked for the U.S. Congress, I was exposed to so many different people with diverse cultures. The diversity of thought and viewpoints helped shape my perspective in so many ways. It taught me about the importance of social impact and how to appreciate, learn from, and respect all people.

Two years ago, I started a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering future technology leaders. The technology industry is growing and changing rapidly. Through the nonprofit, we are bringing IT leaders together to help build the future pipeline of technology leaders through education, training, and outreach.

Education is as important as life’s essentials like air, food, and water. Education is critical to your success—both personally and professionally. Always invest in education. It is an investment in yourself.

In my role at Pax8, I drive operational efficiency and key initiatives across the organization. This enables us as a company to better serve our internal stakeholders and our partner community.

In my 20+ years in IT, with more than 10 years in the channel, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in engineering and operational roles dedicated to providing the best partner experience in procuring cloud services.

I’m inspired by a team that embodies diversity. Demographic, experiential, and cognitive diversity allows us to approach problems from every perspective. We develop the best solutions when we can test our ideas against opposing points of view.

Trust and respect come from building relationships and elevating others around you. The key is wanting success for others as much as you want it for yourself.

My core responsibilities encompass the security, reliability, and innovation of the tools and processes used to build, deploy, and maintain Pax8 applications, tools, and platforms.

I am inspired by problem-solving for others.

My biggest challenge was working in the public sector. I have great respect for our public leaders.

When I am not at work, you’ll find me on the golf course, playing ice hockey, or riding my motorcycle.

My leadership style motivates my team to go fast but always check their work.

As VP of Finance, I oversee all accounting and finance functions, from billing and collections to budgeting and forecasting. Externally, I ensure that we continue to deliver on our promise to partners of simplified billing. Internally, it is my responsibility to deliver accurate and meaningful financial information to stakeholders of the company.

I am inspired by perseverance. It’s so easy to let any small setback feel like a defeat, but I have been lucky to know some amazing people through my life who have persevered through major, life-altering challenges with incredible grace and positivity. Having this influence helps me remember to stop and put my problems or challenges into perspective and focus on end goals to get me through the hard times.

I started learning how to ski before my 2nd birthday. My mom was a collegiate ski racer and was anxious to get me started, to say the least! Now that I have two young kids, I am keeping the tradition alive and teaching them to ski at a young age.

As we continue to grow and build out our team, it is important to remember that no task or project is too small or insignificant. A big part of our success has come from having a team that is willing to dive in and be hands-on with anything that is asked of them. It can sometimes be difficult to figure out how all of the pieces fit together, but each person on the team makes a huge impact and plays an important role in building the success of Pax8.

I love that Pax8 is a pioneer in the cloud space and that I get to be part of a team that’s building this incredible company.

I help our partners leverage new cloud capabilities that give them a competitive advantage in the market.

I am named after Cleveland Abbott, my mother’s track coach and my father’s football coach at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. While he passed away the year I was born, he built a great legacy at the university. He was the first African-American member of the USA Track & Field Board and the first African-American member of the United States Olympic Committee in 1946. My full name is Cleveland Abbott Lewis.

The smartest person I know is my brother, Bill Lewis. Since I was a kid, he always had the answers, no matter the topic.

The best piece of advice I would give is talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.

I provide a voice for the partner community within Pax8 as it pertains to service delivery, product consultation, and implementation support.

Our organization is made up of amazing people all connecting with a shared mission. This is a culture of builders, people excited to attack everyday activities, and create something new.

I am passionate about coaching and delivering the lessons of sportsmanship and competition to individuals of all ages. After coaching high school basketball for ten years, and dozens of youth programs, I took over one of the largest Special Olympics basketball programs in the state several years ago. Our program provides an opportunity for over eighty individuals, ranging in age from eight to sixty, to play basketball.

I challenge my team to always understand the ‘why’ in what we do. It’s important to be able to understand our partners and the challenges they face. We should never be so caught up in the day-to-day aspects of what we do that we lose sight of the heart of the role.

I grew up in a very small town in western Colorado. The town was small enough that it kept the exact population total on the city limit sign, and when I moved out for school, they had to change the number from 246 to 245.

I lead our development and quality assurance teams. Our focus is to provide quality technical solutions to the business problems faced by Pax8 and our partners.

I’m an aggressive problem solver. I believe that given any problem, our team can come up with a solution, and I encourage the team to be creative in their efforts as well.

I have a slight obsession with Notre Dame. I grew up there, I went to school there, my first job was there, and now I proudly hang my “Code Like a Champion Today” sign in my office.

I’m very fortunate to work with an incredibly talented and smart team here at Pax8. I get the opportunity to learn from experienced executives as well as collaborate with a dynamic, driven team in my department.

I try to get everyone on my team to treat each new challenge as an opportunity. There’s always more we can learn and ways to improve.

The thing I love most about Pax8 is the passion and drive of all the people. It’s moments like when our CPO, Ryan Walsh, joined a virtual marketing team meeting as a guest speaker, went into his yard, and started chopping wood (and I mean really chopping wood) to symbolize how much we’re all putting in each day and how much fun we’re having while doing it. Our leaders are amazing, thoughtful, and unique.

I’m incredibly passionate about all things Marketing. I have a bubbly personality, I’m geeky when it comes to the marketing tech stack, and I enjoy – like really enjoy – looking at the performance of campaigns. I am always seeking to learn new ways to do things, and I look for a positive angle in most situations.

I am inspired by the Mark Twain quote, “Dance like nobody’s watching; love like you’ve never been hurt. Sing like nobody’s listening; live like it’s heaven on earth.” It’s a quote I regularly go back to for inspiration.

For over two decades, I’ve been collecting matchbooks from restaurants, hotels, and bars from around the world. If someone picks up one of the matchbooks in my collection, I can share a memory from the venue. I have over 500 in a vase at my parents’ house in England (I wasn’t allowed to ship them overseas to Colorado) and around 200 in a vase at my home.

My most meaningful career moment was being lucky enough to have the opportunity to move to Denver, Colorado from London, England. I had the opportunity because a colleague in America said “yes” to me when I called him to ask if I could come and work for him at our headquarters. This was a life-defining moment for me. I remember the seat I was sitting in when I made the phone call, and I will never forget the feeling of hearing that my dream to live in America would come true. Within two months, I was on a plane moving myself to Colorado.

My main hobby is skiing. I’d tried it as an 11-year-old and was way too scared that I was going to fall off a cliff. I didn’t do it again until I moved to Colorado as a 33-year-old. So, I finally learned how to ski and quickly fell madly in love with the sport. I absolutely love speeding down a groomed black run on a blue-sky day, and I love challenging myself to try a new run, go a little faster, or tackle the trees.

There can be so many opinions about how a piece of creative looks or how an email subject line might read, but the best thing to do if you like something is to test, try it, and then see how it performs by looking at the results. Most importantly, no matter how the test goes, always learn from it.

My focus, and primary role, is to expand the Pax8 line card. This includes both well-known MSP brands and new, emerging vendors. Our vendor vetting process is quite extensive and must have the most fundamental basics MSPs need to do business.

Right out of college, I started my own direct sales business. At its peak, I employed 50 people across two locations. After selling my company, I moved into channel technology sales. This experience made it very easy and natural to connect with and understand MSPs.

I was one of the first Pax8 sales reps. I recruited and managed more than 100 MSP partners throughout the country.

For us to do our job well, it is important to spend time with our partners. The more we know, the more value we can add to their businesses.

In my free time, I love taking my RV out for trips with my wife and dogs. I am passionate about photography, being in nature, and snowboarding.

As VP of Technical Support, I help shape and drive the partner support experience. I have carved out goals and KPIs that will directly contribute to both the Wingman Experience and Pax8 key business objectives. Striving to deliver a next-level support experience is my goal on a daily basis.

With over 15 years of experience in the MSP industry, I understand how partners operate and the level of support they deliver and expect in return. It is my mission to deliver a level of engagement that will allow our partners to focus on their business and clients.

I have always pushed myself to the extremes. One of my greatest achievements was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail with my brother. We spent five months covering 2,000+ miles. Not all days were easy walking, but I am proud of the accomplishment.

At a previous MSP, I used my industry experience and knowledge to help a company reshape their procurement and selling practice. I was able to build in margins and a refined quoting process. They were previously selling everything at cost. I sold so much hardware and associated services that we were able to go from renting a 400-square-foot office to the owner buying his own office space.

My former hobby was skydiving. I have accomplished more than 600 jumps, but have slowed down since the birth of my son and pending arrival of my second child. Currently, my hobby is rock climbing.

My role as CEO of Pax8 UK is to create an environment which enables our team to do their best work and, in doing so, continue the incredible growth journey of Pax8 in a new market.

My mission is to create the sort of business I would want to work for, one that inspires, celebrates, and rewards our talented team for the incredible work that they do for our partners.

I am inspired by the way technology can improve people’s lives. The internet has democratized how knowledge is stored and shared and, in doing so, enabled a new era of innovation. This opportunity impacted me personally during my formative years as a teenager when traditional academia didn’t resonate with me.

Modern software stands on the shoulders of the giants that came before it and gives us the tools and services to make the world a better place by empowering people and businesses to do more. I’m living proof of that.

I love being outdoors — in the mountains or by the sea. During the winter you’ll find me skiing in the French/Austrian alps and through the summer months, I’ll be kite surfing off the south coast of the UK. When I’m at home I love to cook, constantly on the hunt to explore new types of cuisine and expand my repertoire. I make one new dish a week — variety is the spice of life!

The one piece of advice which has served me well in my life and career is to treat others as you hope to be treated. Work hard and be nice to people. You make your own luck.

My core objective is to make Pax8 accessible worldwide. My ability to make decisions quickly and stay focused on long-term goals assist in helping Pax8 accomplish its mission.

I am primarily motivated by the successes of others. As I observe employees and colleagues eclipse milestones and achieve growth in their career, their drive and determination are inspirational.

My Track & Field coach in college was one of the most inspirational and effective leaders I have had the pleasure of working with. As one of the most decorated college coaches, producing 27 National Championships over a 30-year career, he has shown an extraordinary ability to build incredibly successful teams. He inspires each individual athlete and coach to push their limits to deliver the level of performance expected from champions. And he has proven that his process is repeatable.

Consistently work hard and put in the extra effort. It won’t go unnoticed here at Pax8.

In my role, I lead technology and R&D at Pax8 UK. I bring 11 years of experience advising other businesses on making great technology choices to Pax8 UK.

Pax8 is an innovator and a fresh company to the market, which means none of the legacy you see from the traditional distributors. Pax8 UK is free to do things our own way with a cloud-first mindset.

I’ll turn my hand to anything, and try anything, for the sake of exploring new technology and finding ways to apply it.

An interesting fact about me is that I’m a qualified drone instructor and assessor.

I am inspired by finding better ways to do things; there’s always a better way.

The smartest person I have ever worked with was a programmer who worked with the first incarnation of Amazon Web Services, creating some of their early services and products.

I have many hobbies: flying, amateur electronics, investing, video games, but right now, it’s probably creating electronic music.

I enjoy working with small business owners. I love the passion, energy, and creativity they bring to the services they provide to millions of small businesses worldwide. To play a key role in supporting them to scale and improve the way they do business is the world’s best job.

I am the most enthusiastic optimist on the planet.

My wife and my three daughters are the most inspiring people in my life.

The biggest challenge I faced in my life was my tuberculosis diagnosis in 2007. It took me more than four months to recover and be able to return to work.

I love to read. “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” – Harry S. Truman

I encourage people around me to work hard! It rarely goes unnoticed and it creates more opportunities than any other behaviour. “I am a great believer in Luck. The harder I work, the more of it I seem to have” – Coleman Cox.

My role is to bring Pax8 to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond to drive our mission to be the world’s favourite place for IT professionals to buy cloud products. As a sales leader, I am passionate about creating a high-performing, highly collaborative environment to ensure their success.

The best thing about Pax8 is its people. From the bottom up, it is clear that the vision is shared across all facets of the business – the energy, desire, and tenacity demonstrated daily to continue to push where the industry has not been pushed before, is a testament to why Pax8 is a market leader.

The most inspiring aspect of being a sales leader is my ability to learn and grow alongside my team. The team’s insatiable drive to continuously improve themselves and the environment they work within to ultimately provide a truly world-class partner experience is an inspiration.

I once captained my school cricket team (under 14’s) to their worst-ever result. Whilst I haven’t verified that record still stands (16 years after leaving school), the bar was set so low it would be virtually impossible to break it.

I studied law at college and university. Upon graduating, I immediately found myself in a law firm’s role at the bottom of the ladder. After 6 months in this role, I came to the realization that what I had perceived as a career in law was not what I wanted for my life. The biggest challenge with all of this wasn’t so much that I had fallen out of love with law, it was the feeling of regret that I’d wasted five years of academic study on a subject that didn’t align with my future desire in a career. Three months later, I was accepted into a graduate sales training program. Turns out, what I learned in law school helped me excel, especially with the soft skills I had developed throughout my studies.

For nearly a decade now, I’ve acted as the chairman of an amateur soccer (football!) club in Bristol called Bristol Bilbao. We formed in 2012 and have seen many successes, including league and cup wins. The club was formed to bring together a group of friends who had largely been playing in various teams in that we could all play on the same team. The club is named concerning Athletic Bilbao, a top tier professional football club in Bilbao, Spain. In 2013, we were contacted by a journalist from a major national newspaper in Spain who wanted to cover our story. We received press for our initiative, and through that, gained more than 1,000 Bilbao fans on Twitter in 3 months.

The biggest advice I would offer is to fail fast. You should feel empowered to make decisions requiring critical thinking, which might not always go your way. Don’t become paralyzed through the fear of making the decision. Make it. Succeed or fail. Lessons learnt. Move on.