I thought I knew everything at 21, but looking back, I had a very naïve world view.

I had jumped straight into a graduate training scheme at Rolls Royce after working in engineering and going to university, and after nine months became a full-time development support engineer.

The university exams and textbooks don’t teach you that you’ll inevitably gain most of your experience on the job, learning from your peers.

‘I wish I’d worn more hair gel when I had the choice!’

A young Glaswegian coming out of university, I learnt very quickly that I didn’t need to know everything straight away.

If I’m being honest, I wasn’t the best engineer and was never top of the class. My cultural background means that I’m very inquisitive and I realised quite early on that I would be better off engineering people rather than products.

I spent a lot of time moving between different countries. I worked in Germany, the US, Scotland and eventually came to Manchester. I worked in a variety of businesses and sectors, from automotive and aerospace to oil and gas. But in all of these roles, my managerial task was to transform and grow the businesses, working on turnaround projects and solving problems.

Now, at WN VTech, my role is quite the opposite. When I was brought on as CEO, the company already had a strong and talented team, who were brilliant at what they did.

I wish I’d been brave enough to find my voice earlier

I didn’t need to come in and ‘fix’ anything. Instead, I focused on aligning the team’s ambition with the rapid growth of the business. I try to inspire people to focus on how much they can achieve and what they can do, rather than worrying about the limitations.

If I could tell my 21-year-old self something it would be this. From an early age, I feel that we are indoctrinated that in order to succeed, we need to put in extra hours and become workaholics –and this is what I did.

Looking back, I wish I had learned to slow down and create a balance. I’m now a firm believer that a strong business has the capability to deliver fantastic results within a working week, not within people’s personal lives. I’m happy that this is the culture that we have created at WN VTech.

I’m proud to say that I was good at embracing opportunity without the need to stick to any kind of career plan, I never really had one to be honest, and this is a lesson I’d advise anyone who is starting their career. If an opportunity feels right, then progress it.

Finally, at 21, I wish I’d spent more time with older people. I’d tell myself to be less youthful and listen to the experiences and lessons of the older generation around me, whether that’s family members or work colleagues. Knowledge really is power.