Is jacking it all in to follow a dream worth it? CRN catches up with six former channel bosses to find out....
‘The opportunity to work with Liverpool FC was very appealing'
Name: Jamie Burke
Best known in the channel for…Softcat sales director (until 2017)
Where is he now? Founder of branded luggage firm Kitkase
What was the trigger for you leaving the IT industry and starting Kitkase?
I've always had a nagging itch that needed to be scratched when it came to setting up and running my own business. Two years after Softcat's IPO and the successful transition to a PLC it felt like the ideal opportunity to leave on a high and create Kitkase. I'm also a huge fan of sport/travel so the opportunity to work with brands such as Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, UEFA, England Rugby and MOTO GP was very appealing.
Nearly three years on from leaving, how is life, and what's been the highlight so far in your new venture?
Other than the obvious challenges we're all currently facing, life in general couldn't be better. I have two young children, my family/friends are safe and well and Liverpool finally won the league. It's not as rosy from a business perspective as we took the difficult decision to close Kitkase at the end of July due to COVID (it's a truly horrendous time for the travel industry). The biggest highlight other than some huge new business wins with global clients was seeing people at the airport proudly using one of our cases and thinking to myself ‘Wow! We actually made that'.
Is the idea of pursuing your passion all it's cracked up to be?
Other than the obvious disappointment of Kitkase failing, I've genuinely enjoyed the experience, acquired lots of new skills and built some fantastic new relationships. Lewis Carroll had the right idea when he said "In the end……We only ever regret the chances we didn't take, the relationships we were afraid to have and the decisions we waited far too long to make."
Would you ever go back (to the IT channel)?
You can ‘never say never', but returning to IT certainly isn't in my plans at this moment in time. Given the pace of change within IT, I've always believed it's similar to dogs in that one year feels like seven, and if this is true I've been out of it for over 20 years now. For some reason the saying ‘old dogs and new tricks' comes to mind! There are still days that I miss the camaraderie and I love seeing my ex- colleagues' continued successes but it feels like I closed a very enjoyable chapter in my life and moved on at the right time.
Find out on the next page how one former channel exec is now riding with his MotoGP heroes...
