I Survived 40 Years of Digital Transformation. Here is My Blueprint.
Adrian Smith
Chief Information Officer of Adsatis Limited
Website: www.adsatis.com
The "School of Hard Knocks" – Building an Entrepreneurial Foundation
Every great business leader starts somewhere, often in a role they find "incredibly boring". For Adrian Smith, it was a summer job as a computer operator loading tapes and distributing printouts.
The Lesson for Entrepreneurs: Success isn't about the job title; it’s about the value you extract from the position. Adrian realized that by "mining the data" and writing reports that solved specific problems for heads of sales, marketing, and finance, he made himself "totally invaluable" within weeks.
Actionable Advice: Don’t just do your job—find the data or the "prompts" that solve your boss’s (or your client’s) biggest headaches.
Disruption and the Power of Visionary Technology
In the mid-80s, Adrian worked on groundbreaking technology that gave retailers a massive competitive edge. By using "videotex" and "laser vision" (early versions of digital displays and DVDs), they allowed store managers to analyze stock and adjust pricing from home on a Sunday morning—long before the internet was a household staple.
Innovation is often about taking existing tools and applying them to solve a "perishable" business problem. Adrian’s work helped underpin systems for the London Stock Exchange, proving that early-stage technology can become the "world standard" if applied correctly.
The Consultant’s Creed – Over-Delivering in a High-Stakes Market
After a "day and a half" grueling interview process against five other competitors in a top London hotel, Adrian secured a senior role at the UK’s largest property investor. In this high-pressure environment, he learned that a consultant is judged by one metric alone: deliverables.
Core Business Principles:
The Deliverable Metric: Can you get the job done effectively, on time, on budget, and bug-free?.
The "Over-Deliver" Rule: Regardless of the industry, your goal should be to exceed expectations.
Calculated Risk: Only touch projects where you believe you can make a tangible difference, whether through innovation or scalability.
Wisdom for the Next Generation – Respect and Resilience
The ultimate advice for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs is simple but profound: Don’t burn your bridges. Adrian emphasizes that the "junior person" you work with today might own the company you support tomorrow.
Thoughts on Leadership:
Respect the "Coldface": The junior staff often know what is actually going wrong and how to fix it; tap into their knowledge.
Maintain Integrity: Even when people are difficult, treat them with respect—they may not be in the organization long enough to worry about anyway.
The Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated; look after the interests of those consuming your product.
Written by Jovilyn A. Dela Cruz
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“Junior people in an organization... often know what’s going wrong. Often know what the solution might be. Tap into them, borrow from them, give them that credit later.”
