Swindon Business Lives: Mark Neilson

Our ever-popular Swindon Business Lives returns, and in this edition, we caught up with local business owner and boxing promoter, Mark Neilson.

Where is home and why?
Broome Manor, its close enough to Old Town with its deli’s and bar’s but it’s also on the edge of beautiful countryside.

What inspired you to set up your business here?
Being born here, having had my first job here and always having worked and had businesses around the area, it was the logical choice.

What advice would you give anyone looking to do the same?
Being your own boss is liberating but with massive challenges that not everyone can cope with, if you think you can do it , go for it and find a way to make it work.

What do you think attracts business people to Swindon?
Great access, great people, very affordable and a flexible business minded local authority.

How do you like to spend your time off?
My family are very important to me and spending time with them helps me relax, these times make the hard work worthwhile. We are an active family and love camping, travelling, exploring and enjoying good food. We also have a great set of friends who we love to socialise with.

Your phone book must be full of business contacts, but who is the most famous person in there?
I’m a private person...

Your 2pm meeting has been cancelled, meaning you now have a two-hour lunch break. What do you do? 
I hit my ‘to do list’ - which never seems to get any smaller regardless of the amount of jobs that get done!

Describe Swindon in three words...
Thriving – Ambitious - Evolving

What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Having been an employee for most of my career, it has to be starting in business in 2007 (just as the economic crisis hit) and now to be involved with numerous businesses with turnover over £8,000,000!

You've got 20 words to surprise us with. Go...
Success doesn’t necessarily make you happy, but happiness certainly creates success; it's a causal circle.