Exploring new horizons
A team of Nordic polar explorers was the inspiration behind the new identity of Cisco Gold partner Natilik. CEO Mike Danson reveals his plans to conquer new territory in the IT market
"To be seen as a confident guide sums up our ethos," said Mike Danson, as he explained why "Natalik" was chosen as the new identity for his Cisco Gold partner, formerly known as Touchbase UC.
Renaming his firm after the team that supported Roald Amundsen's 1911 South Pole expedition and simultaneously launching offices in New York and Sydney marks the start of a new phase of growth for the UK collaboration specialist.
Natilik has grown quietly but swiftly in recent years. Since Touchbase UC performed an MBO from the wider Touchbase group in 2010, revenues have almost trebled to an expected £30m this current financial year.
Talking to CRN, Danson said the ambition is to treble revenues again over the coming five years after finally severing all ties with Touchbase.
"It's five years since we bought out the UK business and that was a big moment for controlling our destiny - we did everything apart from change the name of the company," he said. "We're triple the size we were back then and it is a logical time to rebrand and deliver our own international experience, rather than working with the other Touchbase companies."
Natilik works with 80 per cent of its 140 UK clients internationally, Danson said.
"We want to ensure we deliver a great experience for them, and we will take responsibility for that going forward."
Headed up by two Touchbase UC veterans, the two new offices will account for about 20 per cent of Natilik's headcount and value of sales going forward, Danson said.
The rebrand and expansion will mean Touchbase can better pitch itself as an alternative to the big global Cisco Gold partners such as Dimension Data, Danson added.
"Multinational companies want an alternative to the very big global companies and that is what we're going after," he said.
"We can offer clients one company and one P&L consistently, which is very different from the very large global integrators. That's not to say the experience we were providing before wasn't good, but we think this will be even better."
Natilik is on course to turn over ￡30m in its current financial year ending 31 March 2016, Danson said. The firm's heritage is in collaboration but 40 per cent of revenues are now drawn from other areas such as security, networking and datacentre, a percentage Danson predicted will only grow over the coming years.
"The next five years is about not only retaining our strength in collaboration but becoming an expert in those other technologies," he said.
Danson said his firm had spent significant time and money on the rebranding and claimed the Natilik name represents a refreshing break from the more corporate monikers of its rivals.
"The name is something a bit different," he said. "It's inspired by a group of people who helped someone do something amazing. We sit between the vendor and the customer so to be seen as a confident guide sums up our ethos as a company."
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