Startup Story with Neil McIntyre from Special Business Ltd and Pro Software UK

In this StartUp Story we’re joined by Neil McIntryre – the entrepreneur behind Special Business Ltd and Pro Software UK.

Entrepreneur: Neil McIntyre
Business: Special Business Ltd and Pro Software UK
Founded: 2008

About my business…

Special Business Ltd and Pro Software UK offer the world’s first full “Pay As You Go” cloud-based software systems that enable any size business to get their business online, literally within minutes, as well as provide expert business advice that will assist them to grow their businesses. They will benefit so many people from the small business owners who are overwhelmed every day with trying to get their small businesses to survive and grow, through to their clients and patients, many of whom are homebound and in need of these services.

The key to Pro Software UK’s success…

Is not only because it’s highly affordable for any size business to use but also through its build. It’s been built as small bite-sized software packages that all merge perfectly and instantly together to create one perfect system interface that will suit any size business’s exact needs so the business owner never has to learn, use or pay for anything they don’t need or want and neither do their clients or patients.

My lightbulb moment…

Over the past 27 years I have built 14 of my own companies from concept in the UK as well as abroad and I’ve assisted literally hundreds of business owners in their businesses also, in a very wide range of industries. In 1998 I had a light bulb moment whilst using a dial up internet connection to gather vital information from software that I had personally built through desktop technology, which was enabling me to make excellent fact based and thus reliable decisions daily to grow my business.

It was then that I realised that as soon as the internet speeds and internet languages had improved, an entire new and huge market and opportunity would naturally be created for someone like me. An opportunity that would enable me to help others, not only to create successful businesses that could securely grow, but also to help others factually see if their business ideas were a reality or whether they should reconsider their ideas with the new knowledge and expertise that they would naturally gain through using our services.

So far…

It’s been a difficult journey indeed, due to me having to undergo five spinal operations over this time, two seriously life threatening. But all of that is behind me now and we have finally launched our amazing new services after over two years of rigorous live testing – so every new day is more exciting than the one before.

Marketing is the most satisfying stage…

As this is where we get to tell everyone about what we have done. It also confirms how well the business has done in offering exactly what the client needs – our biggest response being, why are you charging so little for such an amazing service?

This time next year…

We want to be recognised as being the perfect business partner for any business, no matter what its size, experience or resources, not only within the UK but also internationally in order to assist them to grow their business for real longevity.

My average day…

I’m up at 6 to 6:30 and after two cups of tea to get my bones going, I’m off to the gym for my daily workout. I’m in the office for around 8 to 8:30 before my team arrive – as I want to be sure that I am ready to do my part in driving the company. It’s a liquid breakfast to set me up for the busy hours ahead and straight into internal meetings as and where required, which are always kept short and precise. Then it’s onto delivering our services.

Lunchtime is normally a light bite and a little non-business chatter and then it’s back to our desks for the second half of the day. My working day would normally end anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30 generally and then it’s time to switch off and enjoy the evening ahead. I always look to be in bed by 11 so that I can get at least 30 minutes of easy reading before it’s lights out. Business is not so hard if you love your work, even when some work days are longer than others.

The highpoint so far…

Getting back to what I do best which is; doing business that satisfies the customer.

And lowpoint…

Due to my own personal health, which cost me several years progress in the project, many competitors have had the opportunity to catch up to some of our services so it is all a little harder in these initial stages to capture our potential users attention.

If I could go back…

I would have made better contingency planning considering what I had to go through with my health, which would have ensured the business would not have been so reliant upon my own self-being, which I have now done.

I’m sure that entrepreneurs are born…

But I am just as sure that entrepreneurs can be bred.

An entrepreneur needs…

A love – or at least a true joy – for the business type they intend to own, a true caring for the client’s wishes, a desire to always do better than the day before, an analytical mind that is willing to honestly evaluate themselves, as well as the tenacity to keep focused and keep going.

My advice to someone thinking of starting up…

Do something you love and don’t just look to make money because if you love it, then you will be good at it and if you are good at it and there is a real need for it, then money will come.

Interested in finding out more about Special Business Ltd and Pro Software UK? Take a look at the sites now:

Special Business Ltd

Pro Software UK