Sher Syed: Rising Star
Apr 15 2009
Whizz kid: Sher Syed
Sher Syed founded IT company 360 GSP when he was 24. The business has since carried out consultancy work for the likes of John Lewis and the Church of England.
Where did you get the idea?
I had just graduated and was looking to take a job and was having problems finding the right one. That’s where I got the idea to start my own company instead.
How did you fund it?
Initially I didn’t have any capital so it was a struggle. I was lucky enough to have some savings to live off and my family supported me a bit until the company started to make money.
How did you market it?
To begin with, it was based on referrals. We also went to a lot of networking events. Now, search engine optimisation plays a big part in our success. That was something relatively easy and cheap as I used the help of one of my friends.
What have you learnt?
For me, the key phrase is ‘slow and steady wins the race’. It would have been very tempting to borrow beyond our means. We didn’t get into any debt and I think that has really paid off, as we’re in a position where we’re not at the mercy of the banks.
Where next?
We’re in the process of expansion and are opening another branch in London. In the next five years we hope to expand nationally and then internationally.
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