Written by James Harris, CEO & Founder at Seraph Science

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted”

10 years ago, I started Seraph Science. I took this photo from my desk in the spare bedroom. My big-hearted boy, Bear, came in with my Uggs so I put them on him. It was a brief moment of relief at a very stressful time. There was a lot at risk. Penny (my wife) and I had two mortgages, no tenant, no income, and a very small window to make the company successful. But it felt right to give it a go. And with luck, effort and a little help along the way, we signed our first contract on the 16th day. We were up and running, and the next 10 years have been incredibly rewarding.

Reflecting on the journey, I’m inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit you see in people starting out. The excitement, the fear, the highs and lows. And I feel grateful to those who showed kindness and support to me when I needed it. We often think of work as a place where we have to win, to beat others. But Seraph might not be here if it wasn’t for the moments when others did something they didn’t have to. They showed kindness without an expectation of return. Here are just a few of those people:

Simon Lynch, thank you for getting our first ever project; you were at the start of it all and Change Makers flourishes today. Sarah McCaldin, thank you for writing a letter you didn’t need to write. It enabled us to secure our first deal. Darren Upson, thank you for taking my cold call – you were the first person to hear me out. Jim Lewcock, thank you for recognising a fellow entrepreneur and tripling your spend to help us get established. Thank you also to Louis Fernandes for always advocating Seraph. James Ewing too. Thank you to the SAS team for working with us for almost 10-years, especially Rachel Tait, Katrina Wakefield and Laurie Miles for your support across the years. And Rob Reynolds, thank you for calling me when the pandemic hit, and asking “how can I help?” That is something I will never forget. And finally, my wife, Penny Rose-Harris, thank you for backing us to make the business work when we could have lost everything. We wouldn’t be here without your willingness to accept the downside, feel the fear and do it anyway.

As with any great journey, it’s not always been an easy ride. My furry companion had an ability to relieve stress that I miss greatly. He was a true gent, who exuded the traits of hashtag#kindness and hashtag#integrity everyday (except for the day he ate my parma ham and rocket baguette). I am grateful for the time we had as pals. This picture was taken on day one, just after I incorporated the company. And I am immensely grateful for what life has brought since then. I have seen my family grow up, and happiness flourish at home. I work in a role I love, and with a team that is motivating and inspiring every day.

Thank you to everyone who’s helped along the way. I am forever grateful.