Graham Jones

Joint country manager, Exclusive Networks

Career so far

It has been too long and I should be retired by now, but I love this market and the people too much. I have had some good gigs at vendors like Attachmate and Actuate, as well as running my own show. But my most recent claim to fame was Integralis.

What was your first job and were you any good at it?

I used to collect pools money door to door in Liverpool. I was very good at it but that's only because I could run quickly. My first real job was as a techie warmer upper at the UK's first microcomputer shop selling Apple 1s.

Who was your top teenage pin-up?

Barbarella - but she now does face cream adverts for over 80s. In my day she was stunning, and the pin up.

My colleagues won't know this about me but...

I am actually quite calm and logical. Most things that drive me are logical, but I have been known to be a little noisy when things get going.

What is your favourite snack?

Chips, beans and brown sauce in a buttie. It must be the Liverpool upbringing.

What has been your career high point to date?

I guess where I am now. I have had successful careers at vendors, system integrators, distribution and I've run my own show twice. All these experiences have come together with the role at Exclusive Networks. In my previous life I was with Integralis which lasted seven years. It was very rewarding as I helped turn the company around, and then sold it on.

Has 2013 been good, bad or ugly?

It was both bad and ugly at the start as the consulting business in Malvern Hills was slow, but this quickly turned to good when I started discussing the opportunity at Exclusive Networks. It was an industry I knew, with people I knew and it had a challenge - great!

What do you say when asked at a party what you do for a living?

Keep the bad guys out and the good guys working.

If I weren't working in the channel I would probably be...

In Malvern helping out a small growing business, walking the hills and helping run our local cricket club.

What will be the channel's biggest challenge in 2014?

For me, the challenges include deciding on what your niche is going to be and making sure you are very good at it. I would also say that learning how to sell cloud to who wants to buy it and being able to make money out of it is going to be a challenge. Finally, we will all need much smarter sales forces in the future such as ones who "get it". The era of order chasing is over; we need to show real value now.