On Wednesday 28th August, Fraser Burnett hosted the sixth instalment in the Network of Tomorrow event series, this time partnering with Danny Campbell, founder of HOKO. The event was inspiring with Danny sharing his journey, lessons learned and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Rutherford Cross would like to thank everyone who attended. It was great to see some new faces alongside those who have been involved from the very start. The energy in the room was vibrant and it was brilliant to see existing relationships strengthen while new connections were being formed. The purpose of the Network of Tomorrow series is to build meaningful, long-lasting relationships and we are delighted that the event once again delivered on that front.
Danny’s story is one of naivety, optimism and an obsession with solving problems. He spoke about spotting a gap in the market and taking a bold leap to launch HOKO, all whilst raising a young family. He described HOKO as a tech company growing inside an architect company host, highlighting the innovative approach the team has taken to make home renovations simpler and more efficient. Danny shared his frustration with the home renovation process, for example how a £150K budget would result in receiving premium service at a Porsche garage but poor service when renovating your home and how that drove him to create better experiences for clients.
Building HOKO was not without its challenges. Crowdfunding was a nightmare, managing a growing team came with unexpected pressures and scaling from a team of 10 in a Glasgow office to 35 people at one point brought chaos and the need to focus on efficiencies. Despite these hurdles, Danny has stayed committed to his vision.
Danny also gave insight into HOKO’s technology driven approach. The team has developed AI tools and other platforms to connect architects with clients efficiently, giving professionals the tools they need to deliver outstanding results. His passion for innovation has taken him abroad to meet architects in Australia and the United States, all while delivering a large number of construction projects last year.
Danny also shared some personal highlights from working on Scotland’s Home of the Year. He talked about spending six weeks on the road filming, navigating the pressures and quirks of the experience and often feeling “treated like a baby” as he learned the ropes. One of his favourite projects from that time was an earth house in Inverness, an old shooting lodge that combined innovation and design beautifully. Danny also reflected on the importance of maintaining strong professional relationships and not burning bridges, which ultimately led an ex-colleague to recommend him for the BBC show, opening a game changing door for his career and the business.
The event was a reminder that entrepreneurship is rarely straightforward. It takes courage, problem solving, resilience and a willingness to challenge the norm. Danny’s journey with HOKO exemplifies that mindset, combining vision, technology and a focus on creating better experiences for people.
A huge thank you again to Danny and to everyone who attended. The event, once again, captured what Network of Tomorrow is all about: bringing together ambitious, curious and driven individuals to connect, share and build meaningful relationships.
If you are interested in attending future Network of Tomorrow events, please do not hesitate to reach out to Fraser Burnett at [email protected]
