Better Business / Member interview
“The most important thing for me to focus on in business is maintaining consistency”
Yusra Shaeik is technical director at Dial A Geek, a Bristol based IT support/managed services provider. We spoke to her about her career journey so far, who’s inspired her along the way, advice she would offer to those looking to pursue her industry, and more.
Can you describe the career journey that has led you to where you are today?
My avoidance of being tied into a 3-year contract (university), led me to look for alternatives – that’s where I found an IT apprenticeship at Dial A Geek. My reasoning for doing an IT apprenticeship was mainly to learn how to fix my own computer in the event it broke, I didn’t really think much further than that, it just felt like a useful life skill I’d need at some point. However, once I started, I realised that I had a natural passion for technology, and work in tech didn’t feel like working, but more like a hobby. I love learning and have a naturally very curious personality, so I hyper focused on being the best in my roles at Dial A Geek.
This consisted of doing the things I was bad at until I got good enough. For example, I was nervous answering phone calls at first, so I decided to answer all of them until I encountered all possible scenarios. I wanted to get familiar with the feeling of discomfort as I figured I would have to eventually deal with it in my career at some point – so why not now when I don’t have other life responsibilities like a family or mortgage.
Many job roles and a degree later, I am now the company’s Technical Director – which seems like a long way to go from and apprentice doing 1st Line Technical Support, but after years of progressing within the company, I found myself capable of stepping up into this high-responsibility role and I hope that my colleagues will agree that this leadership role comes to me very naturally.
Tell us about one (or more) of the people who inspired you along the way?
I found a lot of inspiration online. An inspiration that comes to mind will probably have to be a YouTube channel called Drain Cleaning Australia. It’s essentially a plumber doing plumbing jobs and recording the process. It was just meant to be an easy-watch channel with the big payout being (you guessed it)… a clean drain!
What stood out to me is his unwavering passion for his job – you can see the genuine enthusiasm and dedication he has have for his work, even when dealing with unpleasant and physically demanding aspects of the job.
I can’t fail to mention my mum, sister, and best friend who inspire me every day. My mum’s unwavering support, my sister’s authenticity, and my best friend’s indomitable spirit have all profoundly shaped who I am. They teach me the value of sensitivity, morality, and having fun Each of them, in their unique way, has shown me what it means to face challenges with grace and to pursue one’s passions wholeheartedly.
Are there any memorable challenges you have faced along the way?
One of the most memorable challenges I faced was balancing my professional responsibilities with my academic commitments. This was mostly self-inflicted, as I didn’t want my studies to hold back from my career progression, so I decided to do both through a degree level apprenticeship. I remember having to complete an ISO 27001 compliance project which took about 70 hours over a 2-week period, while managing four office moves and completing two large assignments at the same time.
Naturally, I had to sacrifice a good chunk of personal time to get these over the line. As a result, I learned what a full capacity of workload looked like for me, how I handled stress, and how to prioritise tasks effectively and delegate when necessary, which helped my understand myself better. My memory of the experience is a bit faded now since I usually move on quite quickly from stressful situations.
What is the most important thing for you to focus on in business?
The most important thing for me to focus on in business is maintaining consistency. Whether it’s in delivering high-quality work, adhering to deadlines, or upholding company values. I see a lot of similarities between the IT industry and a fire department. You want them to be there to answer in times of emergency and put out a fire, but you also want them to carry out proactive work like raising awareness, conducting safety checks and communicating prevention and other safety messages. Consistency builds trust and reliability, which fosters a stable and positive work environment. This eventually helps align everyone towards common goals, which is essential for the success and growth of any business.
If you had one piece of advice to offer people aspiring to your role, what would it be?
I believe everyone has natural inclinations for how they like to live their lives and should find a role that compliments this.
I enjoy sitting still and focused at a desk and big-picture thinking – and the technical director role expects exactly that from me. I wouldn’t be good at fast-paced active jobs, such as chef or paramedic. I need a lot of time to think and plan before carrying out actions – you’d end up with a plate of cold food while I waste time deciding how to place the vegetables. I’d say only aspire to my role if you too are happy with slow paced roles that come with a high responsibility and require a lot of planning before executing anything.
A strong indicator of your strengths would be to take a look at what you would do if money was unlimited. Would you travel? Would you volunteer? Would you start a farm? Write a book?
Start from there and then pick a career that compliments it. Hopefully, you’ll be able to discover a career that lets you feel naturally competent and reduce any potential for imposter syndrome.
For others who specifically want a similar role to myself and become a company director, I would recommend learning about The Peter Principle. Once I learned about this, it fundamentally changed how I viewed company hierarchies, career advancement, and how to reward employees who don’t want to advance upwards but still improve in their role.
If you could change one thing about your sector, or Bristol as a whole, what would it be?
IT companies should be much more transparent on pricing. Hidden fees connected to cyber security mean businesses often don’t chose that service – and the truth is, this is the most important thing an IT company should offer to their clients. Having clear and consistent pricing information outlining all costs, including any additional fees, would help companies make informed decisions when comparing quotes and foster trust.
Also, using multiple third parties for their certifications makes everything so much complicated – this is not necessary and I am proud to say that Dial A Geek is a leader in the movement of an all-in-one comprehensive security compliance provider.
This simplicity of offering and clear and consistent pricing information are things I’ve pushed for Dial a Geek to adopt for a while and now that we have, I hope we will encourage other organisations to do the same.
What are your aspirations for the future (personally and for Bristol)?
I want to see Dial A Geek continue being a trusted partner and source of ease for businesses in the UK when it comes to IT compliance and management. I also want us to continue our philosophy of sharing best practice with other IT providers and not hoarding the knowledge that’s beneficial to all.
For Bristol, I hope to see it thrive as a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable city. There are more and more B Corps (including us) popping up across the city and I really hope this trend continues. I envision Bristol as a place where innovation thrives, where businesses can flourish while also contributing positively to the community and environment.
Main photo: Dial A Geek
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