Episode 94: Entrepreneurs Pathway to Success

In this episode, Dave Parry from Wellmeadow is joined by Rod Plummer, a tech innovator with a fascinating journey through the software and digital marketing landscape. Rod shares how he transitioned from the Royal Navy to tech, with stories that capture the essence of perseverance, creativity, and adaptability in the face of challenges. His journey offers rich insights for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts alike.

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Key Topics Discussed:

• Rod describes his transition from the Navy to tech, highlighting how public speaking boosted his confidence and resilience.
  
  
• His diverse career in sales, marketing, and tech led him to develop Visual CV and found Shoothill, driven by his curiosity for computing.
  
  
• Rod underscores networking, openness, and bold choices, illustrating how calculated risks, like his 'visual CV,' secured key contracts.
  
  
• At Shoothill, Rod used Microsoft’s Bing Maps for innovative data visualizations, earning awards and expanding into real estate, public projects, and transport.

Quotes to Remember:

“If you get the marketing right, you don’t need to hunt; you attract what you need.”

“Being interested in people makes you interesting to them.”

“True innovation often happens when ideas flow freely and without judgment.”

Top Takeaways:

• Networking is essential; strong connections and treating people well helped Rod gain referrals for key projects.
  
  
• Innovation arises from real-world needs, as Rod’s mapping tools showcase the value of tech solutions tailored to client challenges.
  
  
• Personal branding and adaptability enabled Rod to succeed across industries by skillfully pivoting and learning new roles.
  
  
• Embracing new technologies, like data visualisation, allowed Rod to drive advances in complex fields like rail transport systems.
  
  
• Rod advises building purposeful products, focusing on functionality and usability to genuinely benefit users.

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