Deciding to go into postgraduate study
When I completed my first degree, Mechanical Engineering with Management at Cranfield, I got a job in a call centre to save some money for my postgrad course. I loved doing my dissertation project and decided that research was what I wanted to do and where I could excel most.
Career design
I decided to study an Engineering Doctorate, as it allowed me to pick my own project, Advanced Snowboard Design. This is the first ever doctoral project focusing on the design of the snowboard itself.
My research is funded by True Snowsports, a company I founded with Simon Edmonds and Dr David Chang. My research is looking at all aspects of snowboard design, including materials, geometry and construction.
Conducting research into different snowboards
So far I have been conducting a literature review, investigating current technologies and devising simple testing methods to get repeatable and comparable information on snowboards so I can rate one board against another and know what I am actually measuring.
This year I am currently working on a few ideas to give True some intellectual property that sets us apart from every other snowboard company.
Presenting my research and being highly commended
I presented my research at three events last year and was highly commended in a poster event at Cranfield University where I faced 80 other posters. I also did a poster event at DCMT Cranfield.
My highlight, though, was presenting a poster at the International Congress on Science and Skiing in St Anton Austria, in December 2007. I was the only UK presenter there and the only person to be presenting on testing of snowboards.
Developing my business skills
I get to study MSc modules as part of the EngD, in which I have been focusing on vehicle dynamics. I have also been invited as a guest on the composites module for the MSc in Motorsport run at Cranfield.
The main taught aspect of the EngD is the first year of an Executive MBA run at the School of Management at Cranfield, which I have just completed successfully.
Postgraduate study has given me a solid business foundation
Studying the EMBA gives me a good solid business foundation, so I can share ideas and suggestions with Simon and David. Simon is the commercial director, so he handles the bulk of the company management and helps to guide my research.
More than anything it gives me a good understanding of what’s going on and why marketing it free or paid for is so important in any business.
An Olympic bid
In addition to being the technical director of True, I am also the team manager, so a lot of my free time is taken up with that and going to as many of the competitions as I can to support them. I try to get out to the Alps when I am free as well as spending time with my baby nephew Justin.
Future plans
In regards to my long-term plans, being a millionaire by the time I am 26 would be nice, that’s when I’ll finish my doctorate. Also, developing the best snowboards for the Olympic Team to bring home a medal with would certainly be added into the appendix on my thesis!
True sponsors a number of riders from the McNab Junior Team. Two of the riders won gold medals at the British Snowboard Championship in Laax, Switzerland, using boards that were designed by True.
Creating a globally successful business
I also want to help True to expand into a globally successful business and continuing to increase sales will ensure I can keep doing what I love, so I guess that’s got to be my top priority.
