Lawrence Jones MBE to headline CRN MSP North conference

UKFast CEO to share 'highs and lows' of building a business valued at over £400m

One of the UK's most successful tech entrepreneurs will be sharing his tips on how to scale a business in the sector at the upcoming CRN MSP North Conference.

In his keynote at the event, which will take place in Manchester on 26 June, Lawrence Jones MBE will reflect on the highs and lows of his journey building Manchester-based UKFast into a business that was recently valued at over £400m.

Talking to CRN ahead of the event, Jones hailed the "huge opportunity" for MSPs and MSSPs.

"We've made some mistakes, of course, and I am keen to share those so that upcoming business leaders can avoid those pitfalls along the way," he told CRN ahead of the event.

The CRN MSP North conference is designed to help MSP leaders build more value into their businesses at a time when the managed services market is fast commoditising. It is free for resellers and MSPs to attend (see here for more details).

In a first for the event, attendees can quiz a panel of private equity leaders on how to maximise the value of their business. Whether or not to outsource core services to a ‘master MSP', or establish an offshore service desk, is another hot topic that will be debated at the event.

Two top executives from Manchester-based ANS will also be there to share how they have "burned the boats" of the firm's hardware resell heritage and re-invented themslves as a public cloud migration specialist.

Sharing the highs and lows

Having established hosting provider UKFast with his wife Gail in 1999, Jones said he has been "fortunate to have a view from the very heart of the internet as it evolves".

"In the talk, I am looking forward to sharing some of the greatest lessons I have learned throughout more than 30 years in the business arena," he said.

There is scientific proof of the commonalities between the biggest brands in the world; these are simple things that people can easily bring into their businesses.

"In those three decades, I've sought out some of the most successful people in the world to find out what it is that they have in common, and how we can incorporate that into our personal and professional lives at UKFast and beyond.

"One of the greatest lessons I learned is to give back. When you switch your focus from yourself and your business, to the customers and impact you have on their lives, success inevitably follows. There is scientific proof of the commonalities between the biggest brands in the world; these are simple things that people can easily bring into their businesses."

Jones added: "I am looking forward to sharing the highs, the lows and everything in between that I've amassed over three decades with fellow businesspeople at the event to hopefully help them harness those opportunities.

"I also look forward to hearing from the other speakers on the day."

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