The Cost of Saying Nothing
Staying quiet about poor performance can feel kind, but it denies somebody the chance to improve and makes the eventual decision much harder.
Matthew Davis
I'm an entrepreneur, software engineer, and musician from the United Kingdom. I specialise in building web applications and sites using Laravel, and macOS and iPhone applications using Swift.
By day, I'm Chief Technology Officer at Mumsnet, and by night (and weekends), I'm building ShowLab.
In my spare time I can be found playing in or musically directing theatre productions across the UK as well as recording and producing click tracks for touring theatre, bands and artists.
Recent Articles
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The Skill of Making Yourself Replaceable
Being the only person who can do something can look like security, but it often traps you beside the same responsibility forever. Sharing knowledge makes the team safer and creates room for you to take on something new.
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Headcount in the Age of AI
AI gives businesses a choice. They can use the extra capacity to employ fewer people, or keep investing in people and attempt far more than they could before.
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Why Tiny Businesses Fascinate Me
A single person can build a business that supports a family, fits around the life they want and grows only when they want it to. There's something remarkable about a company that can stay this simple and still change its owner's life.
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Taste is More Important Than Ever
AI has made it easier than ever to build every idea we have. The thing that matters now is having the taste to know which ones shouldn't be built at all.
Recent Shows
Footloose
Five Towns Theatre
May 2026
Hadestown
Stoke Youth Musical Theatre Company
Apr 2026
The Spongebob Musical
Five Towns Theatre
Nov 2025