Airstoc - A New Angle on Photography

by Startacus Admin

As folks in Sheffield who are building what will hopefully become a really successful business, how have you found the support network that exists in the city? 

"We have been very lucky to be honest. I would like to say the support network is there for everyone, and in my opinion, if you get involved in different events and networking opportunities, there is a lot of support out there. I do believe that a lot of people would say the opposite though.

We have been very lucky having great help from the Start Up Weekend guys and DotForge guys. They have been great in giving us advice, help, networking opportunities and office space. We have also been helped a lot by Newcastle University Rise Up Scheme, where I graduated from.

I think there could be much more done to further help striving entrepreneurs but the city is new to it and is growing which is great to see, and no doubt the support network will expand as a result."

Over the past month or so we have been hearing that Sheffield has a ‘Growing Tech Cluster’ would you say this is a fair assessment?

"It certainly is growing. When we got involved in this last year, there was quite a lot of interest in the tech industry and some successful companies. However, I would go as far to say that in the last year, the interest in this sector has really grown, helped by events such as Start Up Weekend etc, which have opened the door to people who would have typically moved away to get involved in this industry.

There is still a long way to go to catch up to other cities, both in this country and abroad, but it is great to see and will be helped by several co-sharing spaces being set up to entice more entrepreneurs get going and not feel so alone."

Aerial drone photography is obviously a burgeoning industry at the moment, in many respects it remains ‘uncharted territory’. What advice would you give to someone building a business in a relatively new and unknown field?

"You are correct, the drone sector is a burgeoning industry right now and is proving to be a major challenge, not only in this country but worldwide. There is very little education and knowledge in this industry so far, with most being centred around the military or hobbyists. Getting people to understand the truth behind this technology, the capabilities that can be achieved, and the skills required to become a top professional is extremely difficult and long winded, but in my opinion, will inevitably pay off in the end.

Going into a brand new industry is very exciting and if it goes well, could be hugely successful. Most people love the idea of having their own business and working for themselves, but it is certainly not what you expect and will dominate your life, which can be extremely challenging.

My first advice would be to make sure you love the product/service and industry. If you don’t then you will soon fall out of love with it. Secondly, you need to have serious patience and persistence at the same time. You will get knocked back a lot with a huge amounts of negativity at times, but you will also receive some very encouraging opportunities which you need to grab with both hands. Things will not just drop into your lap, or happen overnight you need to go after it and make it happen, whether this takes 1 or 18 months.

Lastly, I would recommend asking a lot of questions and taking onboard feedback, whether you like it or not. You will not always get answers you like or that match your thoughts/vision, and to be successful, you have to come out of your own bubble. Maintain the passion and ultimate goal but take onboard feedback and use it positively in your company."

Thanks for the chat and advice Giles!

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Published on: 13th October 2014