What made you want to set up Netprotocol?

Paul: Back in 2000, Mike and I were working at a legal software business. It became clear they didn’t share our wider view of what value looks like for a client. They prioritised software delivery but didn’t focus on the bigger IT picture. We believed in creating more holistic solutions that genuinely supported people and their businesses.

Mike: There was a huge opportunity to deliver more value. As Paul said, the company we worked for only really saw software as the product. All the surrounding infrastructure and security - which was essential - they saw more as a necessary evil. Paul and I realised we could do it better. We could offer full IT solutions that not only supported the software but helped clients work more efficiently and securely.

Why did you start it together?

Paul: We’re technically complementary and have similar skill sets. Kindred spirits.

Mike: We first met during my university placement at a law firm where Paul was already working. We clicked instantly — same values, same desire to do work that actually made a difference. Not long after, Paul called me up with a job offer and the rest is history. We’ve always had aligned mindsets and it just worked.

What’s changed in terms of client needs over the last 25 years?

Paul: Client needs are more complex now. Cybersecurity used to be an afterthought but now it’s central. Everything is more interconnected, more strategic.

Mike: When we started out, most firms still had physical backups, literally paper files. Now everything is digital and always-on. If a system goes down, business stops. That reliance has only increased. We were advocating for things like multi-factor authentication back in 2005 - no-one wanted it back then and now it’s pretty much mandatory. The pace of change, accelerated forward in decades by COVID has reshaped everything.

What’s been Netprotocol’s biggest challenge?

Paul: Finding the right people. We look for a very specific skillset and mindset. It’s not easy, but when we find them, they stay with us for the long haul.

Mike: Honestly for me, it’s everything outside the tech. Paul and I were engineers — not businesspeople. Growing the business has meant learning how to manage the wraparound: operations, people, scale. We’ve always nailed the tech. But learning to run and grow the wider business with the right people has been the biggest evolution.

What will be the biggest challenge in the next 25 years?

Paul: Cybersecurity and AI. Our clients (and the industries they work in), are big targets and protecting them (and their clients) will only get harder. We have to keep evolving.

Mike: The rate of change. AI, cloud repatriation, shifting infrastructures — it’s relentless. There’s also the people side. Tech is changing how we work and what jobs exist. Keeping up, staying smart and supporting people through that change — that’s the real challenge. We’ve always believed in helping our clients find the right tech, not just the newest thing.

What hasn’t changed?

Paul: The remarkable speed at which everything changes.

Mike: The speed, and the constant need to stay ahead. The pressure to be useful, relevant and reliable hasn’t changed - if anything, it’s increased. And we’ve always stayed true to one core principle: do the job well, do it once and do it properly.

What’s been your personal highlight?

Paul: The people. We’ve built a team here that feels like a family and that’s something I don’t take for granted. I’d also say that bringing Matt Widdowson on board as Sales Director in 2012 was a real turning point for us — he’s had, and continues to have, a huge impact on the business.

Mike: I agree with Paul, and there's a further two moments that stand out for me. First, the leap of faith in 2000. Paul had four kids and was the sole income earner and we still decided to start this business. That takes huge courage. Second — one of our most recent projects with Thompson's solicitors. A complex job, brilliantly delivered by the team, with outstanding client feedback. That’s what it’s all about. And really, it’s always been about the people, inside and outside the company.