Happy Anniversary Dash Dynamics!

Today I realised it was 10 years since I bought Dash Dynamics Ltd from it's original owner, Eric Sandiford. He was a one-man band operation and I could see it had the potential to become much larger.

This all came from a chance meeting when I recognised his number plate whilst visiting a customer in the Motorcycle industry. I hadn't seen him for over 30 years and gave him a shock when I walked in his door.

Over the next few months I continued to see him occasionally and expressed an interest in his company, as I was fascinated by it.I knew absolutely nothing about Printing, Resin Doming, Digital Design and many other skills require in the business.  We eventually came to a deal. On day one just about the only thing I knew how to do was to make a brew and clean the floor.  Eric said he would stay with me a few months so he could 'Show me the ropes'.  This became a couple of years, we got on so well together. Eric eventually expressed a desire to retire, so I took on my first member of staff (also with no knowledge).  This was followed fairly quickly with others and gave us the ability to give superb service to our customers, and fast.  The company had already been making raised car number plate digits (and many other resin domed products) for over 20 years. I could see the potential to expand this with great equipment to make manufacturing of custom number plates easy, accurate and fast.I developed our first commercial jig and did a simple training video with my phone strapped to a ladder after work.  We posted this onto YouTube. The video went viral and we had a real growth spurt to become the market leaders in the trade.  This was followed by further jigs and products to handle other vehicles both in the UK and other countries.  

All the while we had been growing our market in virtually every industry out there too. We still are.Even though I can now have a bus pass, I still get the thrill when driving the 25 miles to get here.I have a staff who are totally capable of running the business in my absence. I don't see me stopping work totally for many years, although my wife (and business partner) may request an earlier step down (maybe when she can have her own bus pass ☺️ 🤣 . If I have any advice to anyone thinking of making that move away from the norm, it's that Life is a Journey.  Change is good (and exciting). Challenges are there to help us to grow. Issues give us new opportunities.If you can build a great team around you, do your research, listen and communicate well, it will be all worthwhile. You will find yourself far more resilient to life in general as a bonus. Long live Dash Dynamics Ltd and Plate Supplies Ltd, our wholly owned subsidiary.