From the tools to SEG Group.
I didn't start in an office. I started with a four-year apprenticeship on new-build sites. Here's how I got from there to running three companies from St Albans.
- The start · 4 years
Apprentice at Ardmore Construction
My career began with a full electrical apprenticeship at Ardmore Construction. Four years on big new-build schemes — hotels, schools, social centres and car parks. A lot of the work used pre-wired pods from Ardmore's factory in Enfield, and I spent a huge amount of time on containment, trained properly and held to a main-contractor standard.
That's where I earned my City & Guilds Level 2 and 3, NVQ Level 3, the AM2, my 2391 in inspection and testing, and my ECS Black Card.
- Next
Social housing — the other side of the trade
I moved to a company working in social housing. Occupied homes, tenants, full rewires, chasing walls and testing house after house. It gave me the domestic side to go with the commercial, and taught me to work in people's homes with respect.
- 2010
My own company
I set up on my own in 2010, starting with high-end new builds around Hertfordshire — including several multi-million-pound homes. Those clients pushed us into data and AV, sound systems, Lutron lighting control, blinds, Wi-Fi, rack builds, cinema rooms and specialist lighting. Every new request was a chance to learn another discipline.
- Growth
Learning that evidence is everything
Moving into social housing as a contractor taught me the biggest lesson of my career: great work isn't enough if you can't prove it. So we started photographing every single job, and built a back office to review the audits and send them to clients — long before the industry caught up.
At our busiest we had 30 to 40 staff and another 20 to 30 subcontractors, and a culture that kept people with us for years.
- June 2024
SEG Group
I merged my business with Russell Solts, who had his own electrical company. Russell leads commercial and finance; I lead operations. Having a partner halved the fight for improvements on every front and let me focus on what I love — processes, efficiency and delivery.
- Today
Our own office in St Albans
We've bought our own office at SEG House on Watford Road, Chiswell Green, with 32 solar panels on the roof, EV chargers outside and a fleet of electric vans. The plan for the next five years is simple: more local work for local engineers — and the more local work we do, the more we can give back.