WiFi SPARK at Eighteen

This month WiFi SPARK celebrates its 18th birthday. Previous years have allowed us to have a little office party and celebrate with a slice of lightning bolt cake, but with the majority of our team still working remotely, our celebrations will be mostly virtual.  

So, instead, we thought we’d reflect on our journey to 18... It was 2003 and a world of corporate bureaucracy and bad bosses persuaded me to dive headfirst into my new business venture. WiFi SPARK. A team size of one, I quickly gained employees as we pioneered the world's best WiFi management platform.   

From humble beginnings providing WiFi solutions to B&Bs and small venues, the business quickly took off and we gained some of the best hotels, marinas, and conference venues in the country, only slightly ahead of our work with the NHS in 2009 which now dominates our services.  

Over the years, I have worked with some incredible people. I am not talking about the high-profile big hitters (although we have many of those) but good down-to-earth and humble human beings who have been with me on this journey, many of whom for over ten years, some for over fifteen.  

One of which is Pawel Gajda, a ‘SPARKie’ through and through, Pawel has been part of the team before there was really a team to speak of, here’s how Pawel reflects on WiFi SPARK at eighteen. 

‘It was 2004. I’d joined a company called Verax Systems – first as an intern and then as a part-time student worker. Verax was started by Matt O’Donovan’s friends and they coded the SPARK® and Flint products in the early days of WiFi SPARK. I was soon moved to be solely responsible for the SPARK® product. I needed to learn on the job and for me as a non-native English speaker, that meant a new language and how to code at the same time.  

I was struck by Matt’s high standards and the belief he has in his team, working and learning alongside him is how I became a ‘SPARKie’.  

If I can thank anyone it would certainly be Matt in the first place. He is a good friend of mine and is always ready to give help and support when you need it. But broadly I’d like to thank all the ‘SPARKies’ for all these years. They are a unique group of people who are always open and helpful. You’ve all built an environment that I really enjoy and even though it’s 17 years in WiFi SPARK for me, I wouldn’t change a thing.’  

It has been a blast and I have learned so much from so many good customers and teammates. I have always classed myself as the luckiest boss because my fellow ‘SPARKies’ have all been passionate about what we do. Working with passionate people makes life a lot easier.  

So here we are, 18 years young and ready for the next chapter of WiFi SPARK.  

As we come of age at 18, this business has learned a lot, experienced plenty and is now ready to take on the next challenge. Backed by the worldwide and somewhat formidable Volaris and Constellation Software Inc, you can be assured that WiFi SPARK is going to deliver some incredible initiatives in the years to come. I am proud to be working with the best in the business, to be working with exceptional customers, many of whom I class as my friends and to be bringing our technology to our customer's customers to help make life better. 

It is a great time to be at WiFi SPARK and I know the next eighteen years will be every bit as much fun as the first. 

To learn more about the signature SPARK® solution that has helped us get where we are today, see case studies from work with our variety of customers or find a tailored resolution for your facility, explore our website.