My motoring inspiration: John Moody

This young entrepreneur wasn’t all that fussed about a career in the automotive industry at first, but now he’s found his niche helping businesses streamline their HR work

Where did you study and what were your favourite subjects?

I studied A Level Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Sawtry Village Academy near Peterborough, and now I’m studying for a Level 5 qualification in Human Resource Management through the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Is the automotive industry something you’ve always been interested in?

A lot of my earliest memories are of my dad working on classic cars. He started out as an apprentice panel beater before changing direction and qualifying as a lawyer. Now he provides legal advice to garages. He has also been a Fellow of the IMI for many years.

If I’m honest, I never really thought about following in his footsteps and working in the motor industry, but things change. My parents’ work in the industry inspired me to create In-House HR.

Where did the idea come from?

My parents were coming across the same HR problems again and again, so I thought there had to be a solution. In-House HR brings together absence management, customisable documentation and reminder functionality all in one place.

How did you decide what functionality the In-House platform needed?

I worked with a number of business within the automotive industry while I was developing the platform to help me tailor the functions to their needs.

What can In-House HR offer the industry?

A lot of people don’t have the time or the knowledge to work through the many different HR requirements. One example is the lack of knowledge around data protection. Wall planners are still a thing in many businesses, displaying everything from holiday and sickness records to employee names. That might actually break the GDPR rules.  In-House HR aims to solve this problem, while also providing businesses with a library of template documents to help them deal with HR effectively and efficiently.

What plans do you have for In-House HR in the future?

The future looks very exciting. I’m hoping to bolt on some online training and health and safety provision, and I’m speaking to HR professionals who can do on-site occupational health assessments, as well as carrying out health and safety audits.

I’m trying to create a network of professional advisers who can assist In-House HR users on an ad-hoc basis as and when needed, which would help tremendously and add a huge amount of flexibility.

What advice would you give to others who have an idea but are unsure how to kickstart it?

My experience of the motor industry has been that there’s a huge number of people out there who are willing to help and support you. I’ve been amazed by the generosity of professionals within the industry. If I could give any advice, it would be to speak to other professionals in the industry who will be able to point you in the right direction.

Who are your motoring heroes and inspirations? To feature next, email james.scoltock@thinkpublishing.co.uk

This is an edited extract from IMI's new MotorPro magazine, received free as part of IMI membership. Time to find out more about becoming a member of the most influential community in UK automotive…?