Entrepreneur Battles Against Odds To Gain Degree After Receiving Support For Dyslexia From Wrexham Glyndwr University

An entrepreneur who battled against the odds to gain a degree after living with undiagnosed dyslexia for more than 40 years has developed an app to help small businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

52-year-old Peter Scott, from St Asaph, was told at school that he lacked intelligence and ability but still went on to enjoy a career in finance in numerous roles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Yet only when he joined Wrexham Glyndwr University in 2013 to study Business Marketing did he finally receive an official diagnosis for dyslexia. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This allowed him to access support to help him to achieve a first class degree and now, two years on he has launched his own business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

SMS Notifications is a simple text reminder service for small businesses to manage their relationships with customers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The app, Peter says, is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, offering a service which is simpler and more affordable than anything that’s been on the market before. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He finished his studies with Bangor University in 2015 due to personal reasons but the expertise of Wrexham Glyndwr University was pivotal in helping Peter access learning support and Disablity Learning Allowance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Peter said: “My career within business spanned many decades and I had varied success, mainly due to the myriad of poor decisions which are commonplace for people with dyslexia. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Dyslexia was something I always suspected I had, though, and I took the opportunity for a formal assessment through Wrexham Glyndwr University’s excellent disability support service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I was soon diagnosed with bad dyslexia as well as attention deficit disorder (ADD). Over the years I’d learnt many coping mechanisms which had hidden the symptoms but the diagnosis helped find better methods of studying and appropriate learning techniques.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Peter has developed SMS Notifications using his existing knowledge of web development and teaching himself PHP programming. The tool can be used by small businesses through an app or via an internet browser. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It allows a business to automatically send reminders on a specified date for 10p per message, without entering into a contract or having to invest in expensive technology. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I wanted to develop an affordable solution for any small business, whether that be MOT garages needing to send MOT reminders, hairdressers to send appointment reminders or restaurants and pubs to send table reservation reminders to customers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There were similar systems available but research showed that these were either complicated or expensive – or both. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is still in its early days but I hope that by starting my own business I’ve shown that the challenges which dyslexia and ADD undoubtedly force on their sufferers and families, anything is possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These need not limit anyone’s development and with the right help people living with either or both conditions can achieve as well as, if not better, as everyone else.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​