Gareth Smith

Swan CD is a Swansea-based IT business founded in 1997. What started as a small venture between two students has grown into a business supporting more than 6,000 customers, while adapting to almost 30 years of extraordinary technological change. We help businesses and individuals keep their technology working, secure and reliable. Our services include computer repairs and upgrades, business IT support, maintenance, cybersecurity and data recovery. Our customers range from manufacturers, solicitors, dentists and schools to small businesses and home users. What makes us different is simple: we always find a solution to the problem. That does not always mean selling something. Sometimes the right answer is repairing an existing computer, sometimes replacing it, and sometimes simply explaining something clearly. We give honest advice, even when that means losing a sale. For a business, an IT failure can mean lost productivity and income. For an individual, losing important photographs or personal data can be devastating. We understand that technology matters because of what it enables people to do. Many customers have stayed with us for decades, some since our earliest years. We have also trained eight apprentices and employed around 20 people throughout our history. The technology has changed dramatically since 1997. Our values haven't: honesty, reliability, personal service and genuinely caring about our customers.

Behind Swan CD is a team of people who genuinely care about solving problems and helping customers. Over the years, around 20 people have worked for Swan CD, including eight apprentices, and several have gone on to successful careers in IT and cybersecurity. I am particularly proud that some who started their careers with us have progressed to senior roles elsewhere. Today, our team combines technical knowledge with something just as important: the ability to listen. We don't simply fix computers; we understand what customers actually need and find the right solution. Whether recovering precious family photographs, keeping a business operational, solving a cybersecurity problem or helping someone understand technology, everyone contributes. Our longest-serving current employee has been with us for around 10 years, reflecting the importance we place on loyalty and developing people. I believe in recognising hard work, treating people fairly and creating an environment where people can enjoy their work without being pushed to breaking point. During COVID, our workforce was reduced to just two people, but we continued supporting customers when many IT businesses closed. We adapted, collecting and delivering equipment and keeping essential businesses and vulnerable customers connected. Ultimately, Swan CD's success isn't down to one person. It is the knowledge, commitment and care of the whole team that has allowed us to support thousands of customers and thrive for ~ 30 years.

My journey has never been a straightforward business plan. I was born and raised in Wales and, from an early age, was fascinated by understanding how things worked. I was the child who took things apart to find out what was inside. That curiosity eventually led me to study Chemistry at Warwick University and then complete a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry at Swansea University. In 1997, while doing my PhD, I started Swan CD with a friend. We wanted to afford the new computer technology we needed and discovered there was also an opportunity to help others with theirs. Our first major project was creating an interactive CD prospectus for Swansea University. As technology changed, so did we, moving from CD authoring into computer repairs, IT support and business services. When my co-founder could no longer commit the time, I had a choice: return to Chemistry or continue alone. I chose to continue. That decision shaped everything that followed. There have been plenty of challenges. We survived the 2008 recession shortly after investing in larger premises, a major fraudulent transaction that left us with substantial stock, and the enormous disruption of COVID. During the pandemic, when our team was reduced to just two people, I kept Swan CD operating and continued supporting customers who depended on us. Alongside Swan CD, I have pursued other ventures, including developing a reusable individually fitted mask during COVID and, today, working with HyFlux on cryogenic superconducting motors aimed at helping decarbonise aviation. Looking back, I don't think of my journey as being about making money. It has been about curiosity, solving problems, adapting when circumstances change and trying to make a positive difference. After almost 30 years, I am still learning, still solving problems and still looking forward to what comes next.