WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN OR THINK YOU CAN’T — YOU’RE RIGHT — YOU’RE RIGHT — YOU’RE RIGHT — YOU’RE RIGHT — YOU’RE RIGHT — YOU’RE RIGHT
While Mike has been working in information technology for a little over two decades, his journey started as a design and project management engineer in South Africa, Namibia and England. He has a BSc in civil engineering and a number of years of experience in the engineering sphere. From this background, he learned the key problem-solving and solution engineering skills that he needed to excel in the business analysis and applied use of business systems areas that he finds himself in today.
In 2004, Mike braved the tough South African market and founded Aspire Solutions, an information technology company that, at the time, specialised in geospatial technology. Over a period of 18 years, he has led the development and implementation of many complex information technology projects.
He worked resolutely to keep the company relevant and focused, by clearly distinguishing the Aspire brand and the company’s areas of expertise and specialisation and its unique business approach. He also developed a solid understanding of Aspire’s competitors and how to set the company apart and above. With dogged determination, a strong vision and the synergy of good partnerships, Mike lead Aspire Solutions to emerge in the market as a specialist solution technology company.
In 2016, Mike recognised that it was time to take further strides forward. Knowing that Aspire was strong in both its technical work and its adaptability to work with partners within the industry who shared Aspire’s niche approach, he moved to partner with Mushfiqoh Samodien’s business, Evolve Management; a consultancy that advanced business practice, profit and people, utilizing evidence-based practice and technology adoption. The two companies’ founders and visions were perfectly aligned, and the partnership resulted in Aspire Solutions becoming the powerhouse that is today – a larger, more experienced team that takes on specialised projects of high complexity for a range of large enterprises, such as the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, BAT and ACSA.
Mike is currently the operations director of Aspire Solutions and, alongside Mushfiqoh, continues to drive Aspire Solutions forward into a confident and expanding future.
HIRE CHARACTER. TRAIN SKILL. TRAIN SKILL. TRAIN SKILL. TRAIN SKILL. TRAIN SKILL. TRAIN SKILL.
In a country where good quality software developers are very scarce and where education in the industry is more often than not based on broader theoretical aspects of ICT, finding developers with the right abilities and mindset to be productive within the Aspire Solutions’ team of high-calibre developers was never an easy task.
Mike realised that the best way to have the excellent team of developers that the Aspire Solutions’ work demands would be to train new recruits on the job, and so he applied a “start now” philosophy and in this way, on the move, the Aspire Academy was founded.
Mike is the primary driver of the academy and has established a system of training that allows young developers to move from trainees to productive development assets as quickly as possible.
Since its launch, the academy has grown and has taken in and trained, at no cost, not only employees of Aspire, but scholars and students who have shown an aptitude for and interest in becoming developers. Each learner takes on an academy project that is self-chosen and developed for the duration of the learning process. This ‘learning by doing’ approach allows for learners to work though all the areas of study required to become competent programmers. Advanced learners who have travelled further through the process are given the opportunity to teach what they have learnt to upcoming students to reinforce their own learning.
Believing that established ICT business owners have a responsibility to help the South African small business community to move the country and the economy forward, Mike gives of his time to present at various education seminars and webinars, sharing the lessons and insights he has learnt the hard way and giving advice to young people starting out in the ICT industry.
THEY ASK ME WHAT I MAKE. I SAY I MAKE PEOPLE THINK. I MAKE PEOPLE THINK. I MAKE PEOPLE THINK. I MAKE PEOPLE THINK. I MAKE PEOPLE THINK. I MAKE PEOPLE THINK.
Mike has been invited to speak at numerous local and international conferences and expos. He has delivered keynote speeches and participated as a panelist at prestigious events like the International Airport GIS Conference and gatherings organized by entities such as Gartner, Trimble, Standard Bank, and the City of Cape Town.
Mike’s influence extends beyond live events. He has shared his insights and expertise through various media platforms, including radio interviews, podcasts, and webinars, where he not only talks about Aspire Solutions and its technologies, but also shares his experience and lessons learnt from both his successes and challenges as a business leader, and what it takes to make it in the ICT industry in South Africa.
He aims to inspire potential programmers, young entrepreneurs and old-school business thinkers alike and is an active advocate for women and girls in ICT.
Mike has been recognized with an African Tech 2023 Award for Leader of the Year.
Mike is fortunate to reside in a beautiful country where there are many great opportunities for living an active lifestyle. From an early age, he developed a love for hockey and over the years has played in a number of top hockey leagues and is a founder member of the Cafe Del Mar Hockey Club that has been running successfully for almost two decades. He lives by the philosophy that a sporting environment is a good arena in which to develop the discipline required to run a successful business and his levelheaded approach, team-player attitude and supportive leadership skills were practiced and honed on the hockey field over the years. Recently Mike exchanged his hockey togs for hiking boots and now can be found hiking the spectacular Cape Town mountains.
ADVERSITY CAUSES SOME PEOPLE TO BREAK; OTHERS TO BREAK RECORDS BREAK RECORDS BREAK RECORDS BREAK RECORDS BREAK RECORDS BREAK RECORDS
