World Entrepreneurs’ Day: Q&A with Sam Clark

Setting up a business is tough – doing so during a global pandemic is even tougher. For World Entrepreneurship Day, we asked TDS CEO Sam Clark a few questions about setting up a business during COVID-19, overcoming business obstacles and what makes TDS what it is today.

What motivated you to start a tech company during the pandemic?

When the pandemic hit, it forced all of us to take a step back and reassess our lives and priorities. During lockdown, I found myself reflecting on my experiences, and I realised there was a real gap between what many consultancies promise and what they actually deliver.

Starting TDS was driven by my genuine desire to help clients in a truly impactful way. I’ve always believed in putting people first, and I saw so many consultancies out there that seemed to lose sight of that. It’s not just about delivering a service; it’s about genuinely caring for the people behind the projects, especially those responsible for others.

I also wanted to build a company that truly supports its staff. There are too many companies out there that talk about a “family culture” but often don’t deliver on that in practice. Being from a regular background myself and having been an employee at places like that, I know what it feels like to be undervalued and have your efforts go underappreciated.

With TDS, I wanted to create a company where people genuinely enjoy coming to work, where they feel respected, valued, and part of a team, and where they can have fun while still getting the job done. For me, it’s about building a workplace that people are proud to be a part of, where the culture is real and supportive, and where our reputation is not just based on what we deliver, but how we treat each other along the way.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early stages of TDS?

Lockdown was difficult. I couldn’t set up a bank account with anyone for the first three months because of the pandemic – that obviously created a lot of problems, but it was a startup bank that took a chance on us in the end.

Looking back in year five, it’s bizarre to think that TDS even happened! Setting up a business was tough in that climate. Getting our brand out there while doing everything remotely was hard. You couldn’t just go and network in person.

It was a part of the journey – there are always stumbling blocks to overcome, and that was a particularly big one, but we got through it together.

How did you decide which clients and sectors to work with?

I’ve always thought that, as a consultancy, you should work in a range of different environments and with a range of technologies. I’ve never understood when consultancies only work in the public sector, or with a specific technology, because that’s not really a consultancy.

Supporting clients in various industries is vital. If someone has a problem they want to deal with and we can help, we will – regardless of industry. We try not to get hung up on particular industries per se; if TDS can support you to achieve your goals, we will.

Different industries bring a huge variety of different projects and all sorts of different people and environments. That’s so exciting, for both me and the team. At the start – and even now – it’s the opportunity to support the clients that drives our action.

Why did you choose Newcastle, Wroclaw and Calgary for TDS’ expansion? And how do you keep things cohesive?

I lived in Calgary for a few years and I loved the culture there. I always felt it was aligned with Newcastle in terms of the city’s personality, the friendliness of the people and the tech infrastructure in place.

I’d visited Wroclaw a few times and felt the same – it’s another wonderful city and a bit more aligned with Newcastle in terms of time difference!

Cohesion is really important to making things tick at TDS. We assign projects internally based on skillset rather than geographical location, meaning that people in any of our locations could be working together on the same project.

We’ve also got a bunch of internal drives to keep people connected, like our Coffee Craic sessions, which offer regular opportunities for team members in different countries to chat about non-work-related stuff.

What is your approach to leadership and management and how has it evolved as your company has grown?

My approach to management is, first and foremost, trusting – you have to trust the right people. You have to let people make their own mind up in terms of what they think is best.

I try to support people to make their own decisions – I give advice, of course, and support them, but autonomy is really important. Because consulting is tough! It’s not easy and you’re going to have to have hard conversations.

Plus, giving people autonomy makes it easier to reward them. I like to think we’re good at recognising our success stories, and giving our team members the rewards they deserve has helped us grow consistently.

What is TDS’ biggest achievement as a company?

Still being in existence is a nice surprise(!)

I’m still the same person I was and I try not to get too hung up on how we’re doing as a company. The numbers are important but it’s not just about the bottom line – I’ve learned how important managing our culture is to our success.

Every member of staff, past or present, has had a huge impact in terms of getting us to where we are today.

Hitting the 100 team members mark felt really significant but, overall, the fact that we’re operating in three countries is hugely important to me. We’re now creating jobs, supporting clients and getting our name out there in two continents, which is amazing.

It feels like the norm for us now, but I’m trying to stay grounded and keep looking forward, rather than sit back and dwell on our successes.

How important is networking and building relationships in the tech industry, and what tips do you have for doing this effectively?

I think when it comes to networking, the most important thing is being yourself. We’ve all heard the same sales jargon before. If you care about clients and you can actually help them, don’t give them a big sell. Just be honest, as you would making friends in real life.

Try and look out for people rather than just selling them things – if you think you can actually positively impact them, they’ll be grateful for your insight.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own tech consultancy or a startup in general?

If you’ve got a good idea and you believe in yourself, go for it. If you care about something and you’re passionate about it, don’t let anything stop you. That’s part of why I’m doing TDS.

If you employ people, care for them. We’re not numbers on a spreadsheet. Humans have got feelings. Look after them.

Be prepared to work extremely hard. And long hours. Know that there’ll be a lot to learn – it’s not as simple as just starting a business. There’s an element of luck, for sure. But hard work is necessary. I was working 17 hours a day for a year and a half – seven days a week for a long period of time.

But if you’ve got an idea, and you’re focused, then go for it. And remember when you go to bed, no day is the same – tomorrow will be different.