From Ground Hopper to IT Solution Provider

My Journey to Parowls Software GmbH

By Paul Milner, Founder & CEO

I was born in Rotherham and raised in Doncaster, South Yorkshire — two gritty, but honest Northern towns. My childhood revolved around sport, especially following Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday with my father. We traveled the country together, chasing the highs and enduring the lows, and somewhere along the way, visiting stadia became a lifelong passion. Today, I’ve visited over 230 stadia and proudly joined the 92 Club — every league stadium in England ticked off.

But while football shaped my weekends, technology quietly captured my imagination. When Clive Sinclair introduced the ZX80, ZX81, and Spectrum, I was hooked. Programming became second nature, and the arrival of BBC Model Bs in school only deepened my curiosity. I didn’t know what I wanted to be yet — but I knew I loved solving problems through code.

That led me to study Mathematics at Newcastle University. I ended up there instead of Manchester (despite my fascination with the Toblerone buildings!) and spent three formative years immersed in Geordie hospitality. Though the Computing and Mathematics departments didn’t always see eye to eye, I kept tinkering with M6800 programming and laid the foundation for a career that would span continents.

Breaking Into the Industry

My first job offer came from Granada TV & Rental in Bedford — out of 1,300 applicants, I was the first of ten selected. The reason? I was friendly to the receptionist, who turned out to be the interviewer’s daughter. Sometimes, it’s the little things.

From there, I moved to Quality Software Products in Newcastle, writing online, real-time financial software packages in COBOL and CICS. I saw more opportunities with COBOL than my experience with PL/I offered. I discovered REXX — still my favorite language (so dynamic and flexible) — and quickly realized how rigid IT roles were perceived to be. Batch or online? I didn’t fit the mold. I could do both, and that became my edge.

New York, New Challenges

Restless and curious, I headed to New York. The city that never sleeps, it was intimidating at first, but I soon found my way. I joined a struggling project, wrote utilities that turned it around, and helped deliver significant profit. Everyone involved was happy and enjoyed the ride. I ran two New York Marathons and even attended the World Cup Final in Los Angeles — my dream matchup, Italy vs Brazil, though it ended 0–0. Poor old Roberto Baggio. Still, unforgettable.

Eventually, homesickness pulled me back to the UK. I joined a company installing voice response software for banks, but the call of New York lingered. I returned briefly, but learned a valuable lesson: going back isn’t always going forward. People remember the old you, even when you’ve changed. But the fond memories of New York remain, I always enjoy visiting.

Freelancing, Football, and Switzerland

Next up was freelancing, which gave me freedom. I built strong connections, delivered award-winning projects, and embraced new technologies. I also completed my ground-hopping mission — all 92 football league stadiums visited.

Then came Switzerland. I applied to a bank on a whim, didn’t expect an offer, but got one. I’d always wanted to work in finance, and this was my chance. What started as a short stint turned into a 20-year chapter. Switzerland became home — a place of reliability, quality, and balance. I volunteered, joined hackathons, and explored emerging tech like Blockchain.

To back up my business knowledge I spent some time visiting Monaco to acquire an EMBA. It’s fun to constantly learn and develop.

The Birth of Parowls Software GmbH

Music has always been a passion. I often imagine music videos when I hear songs, be they on the radio or in my collection, but finding the associated video was always a challenge. So I built a solution to automate it: the VidRightNow app and website. To manage it, I founded Parowls Software GmbH — a Swiss consultancy focused on reliable, scalable tech solutions.

Today, Parowls is my platform for strategic IT consulting, custom software development, and digital innovation. We help clients navigate emerging technologies with clarity and precision — whether in healthcare, blockchain, AI or beyond.

Let’s Collaborate

If my journey resonates with you — if you value insight, integrity, and impact — I’d love to work together. Whether you’re a startup, SME, or enterprise, Parowls Software GmbH is here to help you build what’s next.

All the contact details are on the contact page.