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When Jamie Morrison looks around his office at The Business Village, there’s a sense of familiarity that only comes with time. Not just months or years, but more than a decade of building a business in the same place.
His company, Yorkshire Computer Services, now supports businesses across the region with IT support, repairs, and technical solutions. But its roots go all the way back to when Jamie first arrived at The Business Village as a 16 year old apprentice.
“I started working for a company here when I was about 16,” he says. “I learned TV, game console, and computer repairs – everything like that.”
At the time, it was just a job. But being at The Business Village meant he was in the right place when everything changed. A few years later, the company closed and Jamie was out of work. He didn’t have to look far for what came next.
“There was a scheme here called Genesis that helped you start a business,” Jamie remembers. “It paid minimum wage for 3 months and had free office space for a year. That gave me the confidence to go for it.”
But Genesis offered more than financial support. It gave structure, guidance, and a community of people starting out at the same time. “There were a few of us on the Genesis programme. We’d all help each other out and do jobs for each other. It didn’t feel like you were on your own.”
What began as a broad mix of repairs soon became more focused. Within a few months, Jamie had regular customers.
“A company in Carlton approached me for IT support. It started with a handful of computers but has become full-scale IT infrastructure. They have more like 50 computers now and we’ve grown together over the years.”
Soon after, a Barnsley business specialising in excavations got in touch for similar support. Jamie continues to work closely with them today, despite significant personnel changes over the years.
When the Genesis programme ended, Jamie moved into his own office at The Business Village, where he still works today. Whilst the structured support may have changed, the network around him didn’t.
“I’ve been here since about 2010,” he says. “The Business Village team are always there to support. Even now, they still recommend me or pass work on.”
That steady flow of introductions has played a big part in how the business has grown. Some come through recommendations. Others through everyday conversations in corridors. Once people know and trust you, the work tends to follow. That’s been a consistent theme throughout Jamie’s journey.
As the flow of work continued, Jamie began to realise he couldn’t do everything.
“In the early days, I was firefighting with too much work coming in. I was fixing people’s Xboxes and laptops alongside business to business work. It all got a bit too much, so I decided to stop doing domestic jobs. I stripped the website back and focused on IT support and web design.”
Today, Yorkshire Computer Services works mainly with long-term clients. It provides ongoing IT support and systems management, with much of the work coming from repeat customers and referrals.
“I’ve got customers now that I’ve had for years,” Jamie says. “You grow with them.”
Looking back, The Business Village has been more than just a place to rent an office. It’s been a constant throughout Jamie’s working life.
“It was ideal when I started,” he shares. “You had your own space but were still around other businesses.”
That balance is still important now, even though the way he works has changed.
“I’m out on site more these days so the office has become more of a place to meet people. When clients visit, the site looks impressive. It’s not like meeting in a cafe. People come in, they see your name on the door, they see how easy it is to park, and it feels more professional.”
That first impression helps build trust before the work even begins. Behind the scenes, practical support plays a big role too.
“The reception is probably 50% of why I’m still here. It’s fantastic. I get laptops and large equipment dropped off there when I’m out, and they’re always happy to help.”
Alongside that, the wider community continues to bring in work. Sometimes it’s as simple as putting yourself out there. Jamie once put up a poster offering £200 websites for new businesses and picked up five clients from it. Other times, it comes through direct introductions.
“If Kevin passes a job onto me, 9 out of 10 times, I’ll do it. It’s a two-way relationship that helps him and helps The Business Village.”
Now, more than a decade after starting his business, things have come full circle. Jamie is preparing to move into a new office on site – and it happens to be right where it all began.
“My desk will be in pretty much the same place as when I first started on Genesis.”
“Longevity says it all,” he adds. “A couple of years ago, The Business Village gave me a bottle of champagne for being one of their longest standing tenants. And I’ve stayed here for a reason.”
It’s not just the office. Or the location. Or even the facilities.
“It’s the community,” he says. “That’s the main thing.”
And for businesses starting out, that matters more than anything.
“If I were a new IT guy setting up a business,” Jamie adds, “there’s no better place in South Yorkshire that I can think of.”
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