Luke Braham, a former DJ turned IT executive, attributes his ability to manage a busy schedule to a combination of drum‘n’bass, effective use of innovative, time-saving technology and a steadfast dedication to breakfast.
The 39-year-old left school after his GCSEs to follow his passion for technology and music. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years, focusing on technical design and project management. He’s now head of technology operations at RED Commerce, which provides businesses with IT consultants who are proficient in SAP Solutions.
I won’t start my day until I’ve had breakfast. I’ve eaten the same thing every morning for 35 years; brown toast with peanut butter and orange juice. Until I’ve had that I’m not ready to go. If I had a meeting and was late, I would delay it and have my breakfast first. I’m not rigid about many things, but I’m rigid about breakfast.
Music keeps my energy up throughout the day. I used to be a DJ and played all over the world, including Ministry of Sound in London. Now I find it hard to concentrate without background music, and find bad music is better than no music at all. If I was writing a document or a proposal, I’d put drum‘n’bass music on, or something really fast.
I’m most productive in the morning – and also when I have a hangover. It’s really strange. If I have something big on the next day my wife will say don’t stay up late or drink, but I somehow perform better when I do that. I think it’s because it spurs me on to want to get the job done.
I’ve been interested in technology from an early age. I think, like music, it was the multiple layers required. A hardware component of a computer is like an instrument, collective hardware and instruments make computers or music. So it wasn’t a specific technology that got me excited, it was all technology. It’s the same now – I love seeing how technology is changing our world.
I use technology to maximise my efficency. SAP Concur makes admin easier, so it reduces the time I spend doing expenses. For example, through SAP Concur we went from having paper receipts to digitising the expense process. That way, you’re saving time and you’re not going to lose a receipt because it’s all digital and it’s easier. Expenses and approving expenses are just like checking my personal online bank or paying a bill. And there’s no second-guessing required when booking, approving or purchasing. These seamless experiences and many other app-based technologies reduce time in my workday, allowing me concentrate on the things that matter.
Frappuccinos are an important thing in my life. I don’t drink coffee, but I do like a caramel frappuccino with whipped cream on top. I’m a sugar man and the frappuccino is coffee and sugar, so it really gets me going. But it only gives you a 40-minute boost, then you sink again, so I don’t rely on it alone to give me energy.
It’s better for business to make friendships and long-term relationships. If you can talk about what someone’s kids do or what their dog ate at the weekend, then it makes the work part of things very easy. It’s easier to deal with friends and family than it is with a random person, so I make that extra effort with our suppliers.
I like to think I’m a good judge of character. In most cases I get it right in the first instance of meeting someone. When it comes to deciding who to work with, it just clicks. Like with any relationship, it just feels right. That kind of feeling is what I go with when I’m deciding whether to work with people. The most important thing is someone’s personality.
Braham’s use of technology allows him to spend his time on what matters to him – building friendships and long-term relationships while reducing his carbon footprint
I’m very environmental. We’ve recently reduced our carbon footprint by using innovative technology. By booking all of our travel expenses with SAP Concur, we have been able to become more green, which is a massive thing for me. We’ve analysed all our travel data, collected by SAP Concur, and we now use eco-friendly alternatives where possible to try to offset our carbon footprint.
What I love most about my work is inciting change. I believe success is based on changing the world and making it a better place, as cheesy as that sounds. I want to leave this planet knowing I made a difference and that the world was a better place with me on it. I sleep better when I know I’ve done something good for the day.
I merge my personal and business life into one. I’ve got a really big family; my dad was one of 10 and I’ve got more than 70 cousins. I speak to some of them every day and a handful of them are my besties. Some of them even come into the office to work or have a chat, it’s a relaxed environment and people here know my family well. I don’t watch much TV, so the best way to de-stress is spending time with family.
SAP Concur provides intelligent solutions to help your business automate admin tasks such as expenses and invoices – giving you and your business the time and energy to focus on growing, innovating and making fruitful connections. To find out more about how SAP Concur can help you combine efficiency with intelligence, go to concur.co.uk
