The industry is in a “really weird place”, industry stalwart Jamie Brothwell asserted as she opened up on the launch of her new business.
After leaving Exertis in September, Brothwell has returned with Midis Touch, which aims to “supercharge” growth at resellers, MSPs, vendors and distributors.
Talking to IT Channel Oxygen just before her Exertis exit, Brothwell questioned the “direction of travel” of the IT industry when it comes to diversity, saying “it feels like we’re reverting back to five years ago”.
“I’m open to opportunities in the channel, but I sadly fear there might not be one for me,” she said at the time.
“I think people are playing it safe”
Three months on, Brothwell’s convictions have only hardened as she argued channel firms are playing it too safe when it comes to leadership appointments.
“Everything I said to you, I think I was right,” she said.
“Somebody put below something I’d posted, ‘if no doors are opening to you, build your own door’. Well, that’s what I’ve done.
“Speaking to people in the jobs market, I think people are playing it safe.
“Why are [companies] speaking to the same people that haven’t achieved what they needed to achieve?
“The industry’s just in this really weird place at the moment that it needs to break out of.
“Because times are tough, people are taking the safe option, but the safe option isn’t going to take their business forward.”
“I’ve never failed”
Despite recent events at the wider Exertis business, Brothwell said she’d grown the distributor’s AV business three-fold and has “never failed at anything I’ve done”.
“I’ve spent my whole career swimming against the tide, creating growth in areas that aren’t growing. Plus there’s the culture element,” she said.
“We’re in a really challenging time, where businesses need to diversify and change and evolve – but also cost is challenged. Having access to me on a short-term basis I think is real opportunity for people.”
‘Midis’ alludes not only to the king with the famously flaxen feel but is also a portmanteau of Brothwell’s stints at Midwich and Exertis.
Brothwell’s diatribe in September is one of IT Channel Oxygen’s most-read stories of the year.
“It’s a bit like my Mum always says – I have a unique ability to say what everyone else is thinking and get away with it,” she said.
“I just speak from my heart, and I think people buy into it.”
Doug Woodburn is editor of IT Channel Oxygen
