The Alchemex team members have all embraced the changes so positively as we transition to become the best Sage Operating company ever! There has been so much going on in various areas of the business as we comply with the new ways of working laid out by Sage. Yet positive attitudes and commitment to the process have been the order of the day.
Reflecting on years gone by at Alchemex, there have been many noticeable moments, many of which have been highlighted by Gary and Darryl, and they are definitely very memorable and funny – but I guess you had to be there! One of the most striking things for me is how you can be successful working with friends, and how that has worked for us… and how so many of the people that we have employed over the years have become our friends too.
When Gary and I started our business in his garage in the year 2000 we didn’t really have a clear and convincing business plan, and we were not quite sure what this business should look like. It certainly was not Alchemex at that stage either. One thing we were clear about though was that whatever it was going to be, it would be successful. And you might ask: how can you be so confident about that? What makes you so sure that you will succeed? Well that is precisely the moral of this story! Gary, more affectionately known as Ken, and I, had a history. We were fortunate enough to play hockey together for many years. Success in hockey (which is a team sport, just like in business) requires an ultimate vision of what you want to achieve, a constant and persistent belief that you can make it, and the discipline to put in the work required to achieve it. For me the most amazing thing during this time was being exposed to the forces and dynamics that make up a high performance team, or NOT, and I had the privilege of experiencing both. 99% of the time, Ken and I were team mates. It is also in an environment like this that you get to know how individuals operate when the going is good, or when the chips are down… and it’s when the chips are down that a person’s true character is revealed.. Unfortunately for us as a team, this was quite often. It became very apparent to me that Ken’s character was one to emulate and a team full of people as positive as Ken would be invincible, and that is how I knew that whatever we did together, we would be successful.
Having said that, a team of 2 was not going to cut it to support our worldly aspirations which were to follow… “to become a global software vendor”. That’s where Darryl, more affectionately known as Darang, came into the picture. There was a distinct lack of intellect in our team prior to Darang’s arrival; Ken barely passed Standard Grade Maths, and having done Economics 1 three times over, he was now proudly qualified in Economics 3. His spreadsheet career was cut short after only managing Lotus 1 and 2… with the elusive Lotus 3 never to be completed! And it took me 5 years to complete a 3 year degree. Darang on the other hand is one of the smartest people on the planet, and it was through him that Alchemex was conceived. So three friends, with an idea (thanks Darang) and a common set of values, but more importantly, an underlying respect for each other, started a business that has, after 10 years of belief, dedication and teamwork later, become a success!
As you have seen, each of us is so very different in the way we work, the way we communicate, our interests, our emotions, our disciplines… BUT, this is all underpinned by a common set of morals and values that will always be respected, and will always prevail through thick and thin. It is this respect and understanding that lays the foundation of the culture that we try so hard to build and maintain at Alchemex. It is what makes working with friends not only possible, but magnificent! It is this foundation that has guided us to get every member of our team onto our bus with the hope that you all can experience a rich and meaningful working life in the Alchemex family!
I sincerely appreciate every ounce of effort and sacrifice that the ‘Alchemexicans’ have made in helping us build this company. Now that we are a Sage company, let’s carry on doing what we do even better and show the world that working is FUN!
