This is the latest in our series of regular Business Q&A features. This week, we heard from Steve Sexton, managing director Techbuyer, which is based at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate.

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does.

We are a supplier of complex IT solutions, software and services – that's the cornerstone of our business.

We sell both refurbished infrastructure and brand new products, typically into the mid corporate space – companies with up to 2,500 users – and we also have operations in Australia and Germany.

What does it take to be successful in business?

People. You have to be fully aware that people are your best asset. We've got people here who have been with us for 18 years – the longevity here is quite extraordinary, and that's because we treat people as individuals. We always try to look after their career progression, reward them well and keep them motivated.

You also need to have good financial understanding, and you need to be a visionary. In other words, you need a good understanding of your market, so that you can see the future and lead your company into it with confidence.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

My career has always been in the IT world. Success for me is improvement and development. I'm in school every day – Techbuyer has such an international presence that I'm always learning something new.

But it's the development of the people around me that gets me out of bed every morning. Around 10 to 15% of our employees' time is spent training.

Companies generally release new technology every three to four years, so stuff released three to four years ago is only just hitting the refurb market. When that happens, we need to know how to refurbish it to the highest standard, and that means taking the lid off and seeing how it works.

What’s been the toughest issue your business has had to deal with over the last 12 months?

An ever-changing world of compliance and legalities. All our stock is housed in the UK – in Harrogate – but we supply products from here worldwide, and there's a constant challenge in ensuring everything we do is compliant and legal. If we were just domestic, none of that would exist.

Donald Trump's tariffs, for example, didn't make things easier. US tariff levels depend on the country of origin – it's higher if something's made in China than it is if it's made in Europe,and there's also the issue of whether a product can be weaponised. So we do a lot of work to make sure everything we sell abroad is compliant with these kinds of demands.

Tariffs basically slowed customers' thinking down – they had to ask 'is it 10% now, or 20%?'. So it introduced uncertainty and a added layer of complexity.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

Bettys is a traditional, family-led business that focuses on customer excellence, and I admire that stance.

I also admire Renewtech, just across the road from here. They're a supplier, a customer, and a competitor – but our industry is like that. They're a good industry leader in our space, and I enjoy working with them.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

I feel very humbled by Simon Theakston [chairman of brewer T&R Theakston Ltd in Masham]. I've met him at a couple of events and found himto be a very inspiring person to spend time with.

He's been in business a long time in a very competitive market, yet he keeps his focus on family values and employing people in an ethical way.

Business leaders as successful as he is are often quite arrogant, but he's very grounded.

What could be done locally to boost business?

Hornbeam Park is very well run, but the public transport isn't great, even though it has a railway station. It would be good to get more routes running in from the edges of town.

Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate?

The best thing is the people. I find the people we employ are just really nice people. It might not be the same for every organisation – maybe we're just lucky at Techbuyer – but we do look for that quality when we recruit: are they a nice person?

I've spent a lot of my career in London, and you don't necessarilty get that in big cities.

I honestly can't think of a negative of running a business in Harrogate. The geography of where we're based doesn't seem to negatively impact how we operate, and actually, Harrogate is such a nice place that a lot of our suppliers are very happy to come to us, and spend a bit of time here.

What are your business plans for the future?

Strategic expansion internationally. We're transitioning from being a product supplier to a supplier of products and services, and our relationships with software vendors and cloud providers are central to that.

There may also be some M&A [mergers and acquisitions], if we find some interesting organisations. We often get people knocking on our door, and we're in a position to look at that if the right opportunity comes along.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I enjoy the gym a lot. I go first thing in the morning, at about 6.30am, and I try to get out at some point during the day just to detox – for a run, or Hyrox, or just to lift some weights. I encourage my employees to do the same, even if it's halfway through the afternoon.

It always reminds me of the story of the two woodsmen. One worked eight hours a day, and the other worked six hours, because he took a two-hour break – but he always ended up cutting more wood than the first woodcutter. When he was asked how he managed to do more in just six hours, and what he did in those missing two hours, he said 'I sharpen my axe'. In other words, sometimes taking a break can make you more productive.

Best places to eat and drink locally?

I'm not a big eater. I'm a vegan and I don't drink, so I don't eat out much. But I do like a coffee and a flapjack. I like Prêt à Manger, Grane, Folk and especially Baltzersen's – they do good granola bowls and almond croissants.

If you know someone in business in the Harrogate district – including Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Nidderdale – and you'd like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.