Rubix VT – 25 years in the making

It’s hard to believe that Rubix VT has only been around for just over two years. The Rubix branding seems to be everywhere, and you can almost guarantee meeting one of the team at a Sussex networking event. Rubix VT appears to be the textbook example of an overnight success story. In fact, the Rubix journey is 25 years in the making.

Nick Poyner, Rubix founder and Managing Director, started his telecoms career back in 1998. Having been in the telecoms industry for a quarter of a century, Nick has seen huge changes in comms technology and experienced all the peaks and troughs. For Nick, some things remain constant: the need to provide an excellent service and to understand what the customer really needs.

The quality that he has always possessed is the determination to succeed and keep learning. Rubix isn’t Nick’s first attempt to build his own telecoms company, but he has learnt from previous ill-fated ventures.

Nick says: “I always harboured an ambition to have my own telecoms business, but things didn’t go smoothly before when I tried to strike out on my own. I had a couple of costly failed attempts. I trusted the wrong people and made mistakes, but I always had the belief I could make it work one day.”

It is a case of third time lucky. Rubix VT is a dynamic and welcome addition to the local business scene.

It is often said that a recession can be a great time to start a new business. Some of the most successful businesses launched in a downturn including Microsoft, Airbnb, WhatsApp and JD Sports. The thinking is that if you can thrive when times are tough, then you will be well placed to grow when the economy sparks up again. And there are advantages – it can be easier to find talented people and there may be less business competition. 

Rubix didn’t just launch in a recession – it came to life at a time during a pandemic when people were uncertain if they would ever return to the workplace.

“I probably chose the worst time to launch Rubix VT,” Nick reflects. “In October 2020, the country had just entered its second lockdown, but for me, personally, the time was right. 

“I was working for a company that wasn’t treating its people well and I didn’t share its values. I wanted a business where the people are respected. The planets aligned and I decided to jump in with both feet.”

Just over two years later, Rubix VT is firmly established and is enjoying a sustainable and consistent growth phase.

SBT sat down with Nick to find out more about his business journey  

How did you first get into the telecoms industry – and what did you do before?

I was working in recruitment at Brooke Street and I was doing very well sourcing people for Cavendish Communications in Newhaven and, one day, a role came in and I thought why not go for it myself. Effectively I placed myself.

I did enjoy working in recruitment. I even managed to place Ian Trevett into Sussex Life Magazine – which was quite an achievement! Maybe I couldn’t beat that!

Brooke Street played an important part at the very start of my career. I wanted to leave school as soon as I was allowed, so at the age of 16, I left school on the Thursday and on the Monday, I was at a Brooke Street temp agency in London.

They said they had nothing for me, but I can be very persistent. I just waited and waited in the office until they ‘suddenly’ found something for me. They just wanted to get me out of the office.

My first temp job was for London Underground doing data entry but soon found something far more interesting. I started working at a barristers’ chambers and I was sent on prison visits, police interviews and to court to take notes. I was 16 and unqualified but it didn’t seem to matter then. It was exciting and sometimes a bit scary – I did hear about some horrific cases.

I intended to do my A levels and study law at university but the trouble was I was now used to earning money – and I liked it too much! 

Instead, I got a Trainee Manager position at Sainsburys which meant a relocation from Kent to Brighton (the Lewes Road store). I have lived here ever since, and my three children were born in the city. I met my wife, Clare, when we were both working in the bar at The Fortunes of War.

How did you take to working in the telecoms sector?

I started in telecoms at the perfect time. There were so many opportunities out there, it was just a matter of being professional and focused.

There was a great deal of uncertainty about the upcoming Millennium as there were real fears that computers would crash. Early computer software programs had set up date fields with only two digits for the year. As a result, there was serious alarm that when the clock struck midnight on December 31st 1999, the computers would read the year ‘00’ as 1900, and the result would be a global tech meltdown.

Businesses and governments spent billions on software fixes for their computer systems, and the same applied for telecoms software. The solution was either replacing or upgrading phone systems and, as an industry, we could hardly keep up with the demand. 

We all took full advantage by using fear to sell. I didn’t mind at all at the time but, looking back, I don’t think that is the way to do business. 

We have another big deadline coming up as in 2025, when BT Openreach will be permanently switching off the UK’s analogue telephone network, including ISDN lines, which many businesses are still using. Every phone line in the UK will become digital with all calls routed over the internet (usually referred to as VOIP calls). 

The demand will be very high, but I am determined that we will only offer services that will benefit a customer and will offer a genuinely useful consulting service.

We are here for the long haul, and our reputation is very important to me. 

How did you succeed in telecoms sales?

Firstly, through hard work. Sales can be tough. You have to pick up the phone and knock on doors. You will get rejections and deals can fall through after you have committed a great amount of time and effort. You need to be resilient and keep going.

I have always been a firm believer that people do business with people, and building strong personal relationships is essential. I have made many friends with customers over the years, and I like to think that they trust me. I will always go the extra mile to ensure I have offered an excellent service. 

Added to this, it is important to be knowledgeable about the products you are selling and to keep informed about new innovations. 

You had a couple of unsuccessful attempts at starting your own business. What went wrong and what did you learn?

Quite simply, I went into business with the wrong people and I made the mistake of trusting them. I won’t go into the details, but I was very badly let down, and it shook my faith in working with other people. I started Rubix VT on my own for this reason. Hopefully I am a better judge of character now.

What was the motivation for starting Rubix VT?

I did go through some very painful experiences when I had my own businesses and, for a while, I just wanted to get my head down and earn the money I needed for my family. But it wasn’t long before the urge to start my own business came back.

I have worked with many people in the industry, and I have seen what works well and what doesn’t. I have been ready for a long time, but I wanted to build up sufficient funds to finance the start-up. People need to be paid when you are building the business.

In the end, I decided the time was right when I found myself working for a company where the culture was unacceptable to me. I firmly believe that you should always treat your people with respect. I couldn’t face working any longer in a business where people weren’t being treated well.

What were the challenges you faced when starting the business?

I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve but, in hindsight, I was in too much of a rush. I tried to grow the company too quickly and recruited too hastily. I employed some people without proper due diligence, and I recruited some very good people too early in the business cycle. Although I had built up financial reserves, the wage bill got a bit out of control. I had to make some very hard decisions. 

I truly believe we have got it right now. We have a talented and hardworking core team, and we are now set to grow the business in a sustainable manner. We are looking to take more people on now, but I will take a more thoughtful approach to recruitment.

There is nothing more important in a business than the people. We have a young sales team (Phoenix Young, Will Farthing and Sean Hurley) who all have a great attitude and are keen to learn. I have total faith in Jazmin Palmer who heads up the support operations and in Ekaterina Shakirova who manages the finances. And I brought in Ian Trevett to have a fresh look at telecoms marketing. We have a tight, ambitious team – and I think (and hope) that our people enjoy working for Rubix.

How important is the company culture?

It is at the heart of everything I want to achieve. I am determined to grow a business with the right values and ethics. This means treating the staff with respect and ensuring they are part of the journey. It also means being transparent and offering a high level of customer service.  

I truly believe in giving something back and supporting local charities. Last year, we raised some money to help send a lovely young boy called Loui Legend to America for life-changing surgery. We have enjoyed working with the Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and we are inspired by the work of The Starr Trust, which helps young people fulfil their potential. We will be do more with Rob Starr and the team in 2023. 

Just over two years in, are you happy with the progress of the business?

Absolutely. I learnt a lot from the growth of The Focus Group, which has been enormously successful. Ralph and Chris built the business through a mix of acquisition and organic growth. Early on we acquired two companies and we have grown steadily ever since. We are now at the end of year two and we are now exceeding £1million annual turnover.

The journey is just starting. And 2023 will be very exciting. We have some big plans – watch this space!

About us

Telecoms. Simplified.

Rubix VT keeps things simple.Telecoms doesn’t need to be complex.

The team at Rubix will recommend the flexible phone system that genuinely helps your business. 

Whether you work at home or in the office, whether you make calls using a desk phone, mobile or laptop, they will get you connected. 

Contact Rubix at hello@rubixvt.com or call 020 3740 4923.
www.rubixvt.com