*Shaun is a finalist in the 2011 IWCYC Challenge - click here to read more*

My first IT business was created when I was 8 years old when I built a dating agency on my ZX Sinclair Spectrum and charged other kids at school 20p to join... I was a very, very early IT entrepreneur! 

I'm now 33 and technical director of a mobile solutions company, Sapere Software Limited, based in Teesside.  As a company we build end to end integrated software solutions for business and we do it extremely well.  I run the company alongside my co-director Paul Drake.

What held true for me all those years ago at school is still as relevant for me today, I love what I do and I get a kick out of building stuff people want to use and play with.  That sense of job satisfaction awakened 20 odd years ago still drives me to this very day...

I've always had a passion for building things which are ingenious and a passion for tackling challenges, so the IT industry has always seemed to be an ideal fit for me both personally and professionally.

I always wanted to work in IT from being a kid and after I left school I first worked as an IT gopher for a utilities PLC and then decided to go to college (computer science), then University (computer science) then post grad (more computer science).

From the above you'd be forgiven for thinking 'geek' BUT... I wouldn't say I'm a typical geek. I can discuss bytes and bits with the best of them but I like the human aspect of technology and its usage more than anything else.  I do however own a binary clock.

I have a comprehensive knowledge of my industry, a flair for novel solutions to problems and a real desire to impart the knowledge I have to help others do their job better.  I understand and passionately believe that business is fundamentally about people, so being able to relate to individuals from any background and any industry is the skill that I believe makes me an entrepreneur, along with a strong instinct for grasping opportunities and exploiting gaps where I find them.

After education I worked for a number of IT companies in various roles but never really settled.  Ultimately, I like to make the decisions, steer my own ship etc and so I eventually became an IT contractor.  I loved contracting but felt that many companies I've worked for both as a member of staff and a contractor offered a poor and expensive service.

With my passion for what I do, my attention to detail it occurred to me that why didn't I become their competition?  I want to keep the customer happy, I love what I do so why not?  Sapere Software was born… We're now 2 years in and despite starting our business during the worst recession in living memory we're doing really well with all signs pointing to 2011 being our best year yet.

My advice for anybody thinking of becoming their own boss is make the leap. There are many highs and lows, it's never boring - when it works its down to you and when it doesn't... it's still sadly down to you. Through it all, you're making the decisions and building and creating something that is yours.

It's the best feeling in the world to love what you do - and nothing beats that for a living.