About me

Leader | Manager | Designer | Creator

So this is where I am supposed to tell you how wonderful I am, brag about what I have done, what I know and what I have achieved. So I wont disappoint, ha!

In all seriousness I won’t be doing that, I am Jonathan Reed, my day job is General Manager at Amron Associates Limited, where we specialise in supplying metal products with holes in for the Built Environment. My main role at Amron is to lead the development and implementation of the business strategies in the UK and European markets; by adapting and enhancing the company’s global and regional strategy to the local market conditions. Sounds fun doesn’t it? It can be stressful but it is very rewarding. Everyday is different and throws up different challenges, I have the pleasure in recruiting, training, developing, supervising, and motivating my colleagues to ensure we have a professional, experienced, skilled and a motivated team capable of meeting the company’s long-term objectives.

I have a side passion for creating things for the real and digital world, whether it be logos, websites or designing new products and taking them to market, I’m not fussy, antyhing design and I am all over it, when I have time.

I have a passion for all things dogs and raising money for all types of dogs charities and also its a great excuse as I do love a good running event.

This is me after running the Great South Run several years ago.

How I got to where I am today

I trained as a Product Designer at the University of Portsmouth, after completing that degree I moved back to Kent, unsure what I wanted to do, I took an intern at a local manufacturing company in Sittingbourne. 3 months soon passed and my internship was up, so I took a full-time design job at a fencing company, however all day everyday I was sat in front of a PC drawing gates and fencing, I latest 14 months there and knew I needed to broaden my knowledge and move on.

During my time at the fencing company I had dabbled in the web, designing a few things here and there, mainly using drop and drag software’s, but it got me hook. After a lot of research I found a Master’s Degree at University of Greenwich where I could study Web Design and also get a formal degree at the end of it. This was perfect for me, as at the time I wanted to head into web design, so I undertook the course, but as it was only 1 day a week in classes I needed a job for the remainder of the week, so I found myself back at the manufacturing company I had interned for previously.  Whilst back with that company I was tasked with developing a new product division for the company, one which saw me selling group manufactured products into the architectural market place.

This was going to be a large task and a lot was going to be expected from me, it was something that I needed to grab with both hands and just get on and do! I foresaw I would be creating my own destiny with the new product division that I was creating. It was something new for the group company, a new direction for them and myself and I had 3 years to get it self sustaining. So 6 months into the project I bumped into Amron Associates, at the time they were going to be a direct competitor to us. So one thing led to another and I was soon leading the acquisition discussions of Amron Associates and within a year we had purchased Amron. We closed down the new division I was setting up as we had acquired Amron and I moved over to become the Business Development Manager. I headed up new product developments, sales into new markets and the marketing for the business for several years. The acquisition and my development all went well and at the beginning of 2017 I became the General Manager, during this year I completed a ILM Level 7 in Leadership and Management, and am looking at becoming a Chartered Manager towards the end of the year. The course has been excellent in giving me the knowledge and tools required to developed into a stronger, more confident and determined leader and manager.

Knowledge is power

What I have learnt to date has been invaluable, take some risks (as long as they as educated and justifiable) have a dream and a goal. Then do not stop until you reach it, I am still working towards mine and learning and growing my knowledge in different fields and areas everyday.

I have a thirst for knowledge, to try and become as knowledgeable as I can, I am constantly learning and evolving as a individual. This quote has stuck with me throughout my whole life and it does ring true:

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.

Having a good and strong network or mentors has been instrumental to my growth, however each mentor is different so you can learn a lot about a wide and varied range of topics from personal life to business, the key to getting knowledge is to ask the right questions.

Knowing and understanding who you are is important, below are just some of the things that make me, me! I believe it is important to know and understand your own value base, this is essential in business and life. It helps you set goals, be motivated and develop as an individual.

So why this blog?

I feel I have learnt a great deal over the last 5 years, although I am still learning and educating myself. I have always been a firm believer of giving back, so I wanted a platform to share my knowledge, I am not saying it is perfect or even right and should be followed but its my real life experience and maybe able to assist someone, somewhere.

Also this blog gives me a great platform for talking about other topics that are of a great interest to myself such as product reviews, lifestyle topics, travelling as well and business and management topics.