It’s a great line. It looks good on a slide. It’s the equivalent of saying you have a ‘vibrant work culture’ because there are beanbags and a foosball table in the office. At Ignyto, we walk the talk – hiring based on values is quite literally how we build our team.

We believe experience is important, but attitude, aptitude and alignment with our values matter more. That’s not always the “safe” hire on paper. We’re here to build something meaningful, and that means taking a chance on people who share our mindset, even if their CV doesn’t follow the typical trajectory.

Just ask Andy McLaughlin.

When we first met Andy, he wasn’t working in tech, he was managing a craft beer bar in Leeds. No Salesforce job titles, no consulting experience, no big-name clients. What he did have was the right Salesforce qualifications, curiosity, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to get involved and learn.

So we hired him.

“I don’t think they usually hire people with zero experience, but they gave me a chance.”

Andy didn’t come from a graduate scheme or a traditional tech background. He came from hospitality, having worked in and managed bars in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.

Over four years in Wellington, he helped open new venues and carved out a niche in the craft beer scene. Back in the UK, he took on a general manager role at Friends of Ham, where he ran the show for five years.

Then COVID hit.

“Hospitality is tough,” he told us. “Margins, costs, lifestyle — it’s exhausting. I was on furlough, doing deliveries, and I realised I was ready for a new challenge.”

That challenge came in the form of Salesforce. With some encouragement from family (his dad and stepbrother both work in the ecosystem), Andy got stuck into Trailhead, joined a bootcamp, built a live project, and started applying.

That’s when he found Ignyto.

“I searched for AppExchange consultancies and clicked on Ignyto. It looked good. I applied, and Simon, the CEO, replied directly.”

From that first message came a conversation, a second-stage task, and ultimately a job offer, just in time for the birth of his daughter.

Why We Took a Chance on Andy

We saw something in Andy that doesn’t show up in LinkedIn filters.

He was thoughtful. Curious. Passionate about systems. And aligned with the things we care about most: ownership, reliability, honesty, integrity, and delivering beyond expectations.

“Ignyto actually lives their values every day — and Andy shares these same values. That’s why it works.”

His hospitality experience was more relevant than it might seem: managing people, solving problems in real time, and implementing new systems (he even led a till software rollout). Plus (added bonus), he credits Football Manager for giving him a head start in thinking like a Salesforce consultant.

“Everyone was supportive.”

Making the switch from hospitality to tech isn’t easy, especially when your first day starts at home, not in an office.

Andy jumped straight into learning mode. He spent the first part of his week shadowing calls, then stepped into his own by Thursday.

“You come in with limited knowledge, but if you do more, you learn more.”

That’s exactly what we’re here for. We know new starters won’t have all the answers on day one, especially those coming from outside the industry. What matters is creating an environment where people feel supported, encouraged, and safe to ask questions.

“Everyone was supportive. I had daily chats with Callum, and they gave me room to ask questions.”

Our culture is built around sharing knowledge, not gatekeeping it. From structured onboarding to squad check-ins and open Slack channels, we make sure no one’s on their own, no matter how new they are, or where they’re working from.

“Never met anyone in person, but I feel like I know everyone. They even sent a baby gift – flowers, a blanket, a soft toy with her name on it. That was really touching.”

The Bigger Picture

Sure, Andy didn’t have hands-on Salesforce experience in the working world, but he had the enthusiasm, mindset and potential we look for, and now he’s thriving.

“I’m focused on nailing the basics. Then I’d like to specialise; Sales Cloud really interests me. Agentforce too.”

In a world where talent is tight and CVs can only tell you so much, we’re proud to champion a culture that looks beyond the obvious.

Because when you hire for fit, not just credentials, you build teams of like-minded people who understand what matters and make it happen.