From Alcatraz Swims to AI: The Grit of a Tech Founder | Brant McNaughton

Brant McNaughton, the Founder and Managing Director of the web development consultancy Ecce. Brant shares his journey of transitioning from a 15-year career in global finance to becoming a tech entrepreneur in the late '90s. For over 26 years, he has built his agency on a foundation of strong relationships and reputation, growing organically through word-of-mouth referrals. Brant discusses the evolution of his business, the temptation to turn bespoke projects into products, and how his team uses "5% Fridays" to innovate with AI. He also provides invaluable insight into building a resilient, non-hierarchical company culture and navigating entrepreneurial challenges like the "feast or famine" cycle and the departure of a key employee. Brant connects the grit required in business to his passion for endurance sports, including his incredible story of swimming from Alcatraz.

 

Takeaways:

• Prioritize Reputation Above All Else: Brant's business has thrived for 26 years, with 99% of his business coming from his network and word-of-mouth referrals. This underscores the principle that delivering quality work and building trust is the most effective and sustainable marketing strategy.
• Formalize Time for Innovation: Implement a "5% Friday," giving your team one day a month to step away from client work and explore new ideas and technologies. This dedicated time can foster creativity, improve skills, and even lead to the development of new, valuable projects.
• Lead from the Trenches to Build Culture: A strong, unified culture is built when leaders are on the shop floor with the team, not in a separate office. Adopting a mentality where no one is above any task—like the All Blacks rugby team captain who still sweeps the change room—eliminates an "us vs. them" dynamic and fosters collective ownership.
• Don't Catastrophize Key Employee Departures: When a key employee who has been with you for years decides to leave, resist the urge to catastrophize the event. It often creates an opportunity for other team members to step up, take on more responsibility, and bring fresh perspectives to the business.
• Use Business Downtime to Address "Technical Debt": The "feast or famine" cycle is common in service businesses. During the leaner "famine" periods, instead of worrying, redirect your team's focus to internal projects, process improvements, and fixing problems that were put on the back burner during busy times.
• Embrace "Type Two Fun" to Build Resilience:  Pushing through difficult challenges, whether it's a grueling endurance event or a tough business problem, builds grit. Brant calls this "type two fun": it feels miserable while you're doing it, but looking back, the sense of accomplishment and learning is deeply rewarding.

Quote of the Show:

• “Reputation's everything. It’s like when you run a decent pub, it's your name across the door, right?"

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brantmcnaughton/ 
• Website: https://www.ecce.uk/ 
• Linktree: https://a1m.at/brant