On 11^th September 2001, I was working from my flat in London

My first startup was an Oracle partner

I had spent the last 6 months becoming an official Oracle partner

Oracle had given us our own unique market to sell to

Our team had created a set of unique IP that no other partner had

We had even acquired another partner which gave us access to some of the best talent

It was now all about scaling up

While working from home a database administrator (DBA) sent an email with the photo of the first plane hitting the New York World Trade Centre

He was known for sending “bad taste” photos around and we had to talk to him before

I phoned the office and he said 4 words to me, that I had missed from the original email

“Turn the television on”

I turned the television on and watched the second plane go into the tower

And then sat there for the rest of the day watching the horror unfold

I knew at that point that this would mean a worldwide recession

Business just stopped buying, the very business we needed to buy so we could sell

And that was the end of the start-up

But of course, there was a bigger picture

So many people had lost loved ones and my business was insignificant to all that

There is a business learning here

You can have the best people and be all set up for success but the geopolitics may not be right for you!

Enough about business

Has 9/11 changed me? 

Yes. If my partner leaves the house and I’m staying at home. There isn’t a casual goodbye. Or a shout out as she leaves the house. I always make sure we say goodbye “properly”.