Paul Davies is chief operating officer at Yozu, a software development company.
Based in Liverpool, Yozu has been supporting the digital transformation of UK businesses since 2013 and has worked with companies like Yodel to design and build bespoke software platforms and apps.
Davies joined the company in 2019 as senior project manager before rising through the ranks to his current role in 2022, and is a leader focused on strategic growth.
From lucky breaks to best failures, he shares all the lessons he’s learnt…
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
I like feeling organised ahead of tackling each day, so I am constantly making or updating ‘to do’ lists using the Eisenhower matrix (Do/Decide/Delegate/Delete). Between a busy role and personal life, I always have a lot of ideas and new tasks rolling around in my head and this daily habit helps me to make sense of those thoughts.
Making lists makes me feel a little more tranquil and less overwhelmed… and occasionally I get some stuff done, which feels nice!
What’s been your luckiest break?
Without a doubt being hired at Yozu – and I’m not just saying that because I still work here!
As soon as I met our founder, Luke, and understood what he wanted to achieve as an agency and with the wider team, I knew I could make a contribution and work with a fantastic group of people too. The job came along at the right time and ended up being the perfect fit.
I would say my career has accelerated in the five plus years since I’ve been here. I get to work on interesting and challenging projects, and operate in new areas way outside of my comfort zone. I’m really grateful for that.
What’s your best failure?
When I was studying Journalism at uni, I had a work placement at a TV station that I quickly realised I didn’t enjoy, which led me to not going back.
I had to find another placement fast and I ended up at a commercial radio station in Liverpool, which led to me being employed for two years and part of a team that won a prestigious national award despite being a very small boutique station!
It also taught me that journalism (and radio) wasn’t the right path for me, but it was a valuable experience nonetheless.
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
I’ve been volunteering as a business mentor on a couple of national programmes, working with digital professionals helping them to overcome challenges and improve their skill sets.
I’ve found it so rewarding to see people you’ve collaborated with succeed, and it’s a real buzz for me when you know you might have played a small part in that. I’ve learned so much from the mentees too!
Which podcast or book would you recommend others to read and why?
I end up referring to the book How to Win Friends and Influence People quite a lot. Despite it being published in the 1930s, the teachings of that book are as relevant today as they were back then.
I’ve always felt that if you know how to build rapport and/or valuable relationships with people, then you are going to have positive outcomes in a lot of areas of your life.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
One day, Liverpool will win the league title again!
That is true actually, but in more professional terms, I would say don’t worry about figuring out the path ahead right now. Open yourself up to new experiences and meet lots of new people, because opportunities will naturally come your way.
It took me quite a long time to have the confidence to build a professional network, but once I made this a habit I have really reaped the rewards.
Having people to turn to when you are trying to solve a problem, learn something new or to act as a sounding board, has been extremely valuable in my leadership role and I only wish I’d made more connections from a younger age!
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
When I’ve worked with great coaches and mentors who’ve been able to help me find clarity or break down a problem I’ve been struggling with. It’s taught me the value of that kind of support, and it’s an area where I myself try to play that role for others.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
It won’t surprise my closer circle of friends, but I would call myself a veteran gamer!
Whilst I don’t spend an incredible amount of time gaming these days, it’s a great way of powering down for me. Video games these days are so rich in story-telling and educating about subjects you have zero knowledge of (see Assassin’s Creed series, yes I’m a history geek too!)
I also might have a collection of retro consoles that I accidentally bought during the pandemic… if anyone fancies a game of Streets of Rage on the Mega Drive, DM me!
If there was one thing you could change about your career, what would it be and why?
I’ve worked in a few cities and abroad, but I think I would have enjoyed living and working out of London.
I really enjoy the buzz of the city when I visit and I take in a lot of the social and cultural scene. I’ve been lucky enough to work with clients down there though, so it’s not a huge loss!
What does success look like to you?
Quality of life is what I measure success by. What drives me is to enjoy my work, have fun with friends, family and colleagues and hopefully get at least one decent holiday a year!
