‘We’ve grown 25 per cent year-on-year since day one’: AgileCadence founder

James Brentley discusses creating opportunities across Scotland, Aberdeen office launch and Microsoft relationship

Established in 2012, Scottish MSP AgileCadence was created to provide UK SMBs and mid-market organisations with ERM and CRM solutions, while also creating tech jobs outside Scotland’s central belt.

The Perth-HQ firm’s mission has been proving fruitful, as its earnings have evolved in the high double digits since its launch, founder James Brentley tells CRN.

“We’ve grown 25 per cent year-on-year since day one,” he explains.

“I own the company outright. No investors. That allows us to work for customers and employees rather than shareholders.”

The MSP serves around 40 SMBs and mid-market customers, as well as some larger organisations across the UK.

It primarily works within the Microsoft ecosystem, delivering ERP and CRM solutions as well as managed services and licensing support.

“Although we’re a 30-person company, we can access enterprise-level capability and translate that into something far more personable for customers,” Brentley says.

Aberdeen office launch and UK activity

While based in Scotland, the founder notes most demand comes from England due to the higher concentration of businesses.

Scotland remains a strategic focus, particularly cities like Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Based on this, the MSP today announced the launch of a new office in Aberdeen to expand locally and create relationship-focused consultancy model in the region.

The decision to open this new facility stems from both personal history and a perceived gap in the local market, explains Brentley.

“When I first moved to Scotland, the only real place I could go to work in my field was Aberdeen,” notes the founder.

He ultimately chose not to take a role that would have required living away from home during the week, a decision that led him to start his own business instead.

Years later, he says, many smaller consultancies in the city have been acquired by larger organisations, leaving fewer relationship-led providers.

“Larger consultancies have become less personable,” Brentley says.

“Given that our business is built on relationships and trust, it feels like a full-circle moment, going back to Aberdeen with the company I built, 13 years later, to offer something that’s been lost.”

AgileCadence already has two permanent staff in Aberdeen and plans to expand further as it builds its local presence.

He adds that growth will remain focused on maintaining company culture and service quality, with the UK remaining the primary market for the foreseeable future.

“There’s more than enough business in the UK,” he adds.

“Growth must not compromise quality or values.”

Hiring plans and technology opportunities

The Aberdeen office launch forms part of broader hiring plans, with Brentley aiming to replicate the MSP’s Perth model in the northeast.

“We’re there to help customers across the Microsoft Dynamics stack, from small to large engagements.

“My aim is to replicate in Aberdeen what we’ve done in Perth, provide meaningful local employment and build a genuinely positive consultancy environment.”

Brentley adds that recent layoffs among larger consultancies in Aberdeen could create opportunities to recruit local talent as AgileCadence grows.

In terms of technologies, Brentley says AI is likely to be a major growth driver, particularly as customers mature in their adoption,

“AI increases capability and speed but doesn’t replace trust or human interaction,” notes Brentley.

He adds that some organisations may need help addressing early mistakes as adoption increases.

“Our next wave of growth may come from helping businesses correct early AI mistakes.”