021 Surviving the Pandemic & Coming Back Stronger

Today we’re talking to technology entrepreneur David Barker about his experience of the pandemic as a contractor, how the loss of funding meant the closure the business he was contracted to, and also how he created new opportunities for himself.  It’s very interesting to hear about the different options facing David, and what led him to take certain decisions which have subsequently borne fruit later.  Here are just a few of insights from our conversation:

• Always make sure you’ve got a plan B, and a plan C!
• Always exit contracts in the right way as you never know when you will work with those people again.
• The world is always changing, so you need to ensure your professional skills are always up to date.
• Luck is being in the right place at the right time, but you need to be strategic to ensure that you are in that right place at that right time.
• Be mindful that there will always be disruption and economic shocks that you need to adapt to.

It’s a wide ranging conversation which includes the power of your professional networks, the importance of doing the right thing, and the benefit of supporting others.

About David Barker

David always wanted to work in technology and as his school careers advisor said he wouldn’t make it, David was determined to prove him wrong.  He did this spectacularly by being an early adopter of the internet, and co-founding one of the UK’s first ever digital marketing agencies in 1994 – way ahead of the rest of the world!  David has an impressive track record in business and entrepreneurship, and much of what he does is driven by a wider social purpose to dispel inequalities.  You can contact him here: