Adam explain to us how TMT First was first created?
It all started here in the Potteries with my first shop which was in Longton. It was called: ‘The Mobile Trader,’ and we bought phones from consumers, tidied them up, reset them and sold them on. That business soon grew five stores and TMT came from that. That’s why it’s called TMT – after The Mobile Trader so I never forget where we came from.
When did you realise that the business could grow into something huge?
It was when a member of a very well-known entrepreneur’s team came into the Mobile Trader shop and needed a solution to a problem, they’d had with some mobile phone software. It was a staff member of the now very famous billionaire philanthropist John Caudwell.
I was able to solve the problem and do what they needed. It was at this point where I was starting to manage large numbers of devices – often 10,000’s at a time. It was at that point, a Eureka moment if you like that I realised that there was a market to support with large volume mobile phone configuration. Then TMT was born and I’ve never looked back.
As a business what’s really important to you?
Our aim is of course to grow but not at the environment’s expense. Sustainability is at the very heart of what we do. In fact, our mission statement is ‘keeping consumer technology alive for longer.’
Sustainability is at the very core of TMT’s values. We do want to help keep technology alive for longer, it’s better for the planet and our customers.
Not many people know that 80% of carbon generated in a mobile phone’s life, is generated during the manufacturing process – if we can extend the life of a device from two to four years, it better for everyone’s wallet or purse and of course for the environment. A lot of our focus will continue to be around sustainability moving forward.
From an entrepreneurial perspective who do you most admire?
There are lots of businesspeople that I admire – that have come up with an idea, seen it through and developed a successful company as a result but there’s no-one specific. I always respect and admire people who have built businesses that make a real difference, whether that’s from a philanthropic or environmental perspective. From a company point of view, I’d have to say what Tesla has done has been amazing. They disrupted the market and made it better from an environmental perspective. They’re no longer just manufacturing vehicles – now it’s about renewable energy as well. That has to be admired.