Richard Ells is a serial UK entrepreneur who has never given up.

In his early teens he didn’t know what he wanted to do when he grew up. He had no idea that one day he’d be the CEO and Founder of Electroneum. This cryptocurrency project was launched to give people in developing nations a better chance to access the global digital market and to have a greater opportunity for financial inclusion, to break the poverty cycle that many are trapped in.

Richard remembered: “I didn’t think I had been a good student and that was obviously how my teachers saw because they said I would get terrible, horrible grades.” 

He took a few moments to reflect before telling the story of his early school years. “I was always distracted and didn’t pay attention to what people were saying.” He added, with a smile, “I might have had attention deficit disorder. Although, at that time, nobody was diagnosed.” We were instead slapped upside the head. I was often hit.” He proved his teachers wrong, however, by getting good grades.

Richard looked back to the past and remembered, “I was a geeky kid at a school that focused on metalwork and less on maths and sciences.”

He remembered that they had a computer area. “They gave it me pretty much.” I started learning coding in the early days and I was always interested in how I could use it to make my life easier and my work more efficient.

Keenness to electronics and computers

His parents were always supportive and a source of inspiration. His father is an independent electrical engineer and his mother works for the Ministry of Agriculture in a research facility. 

“I got my passion for research and knowledge from my mom.” He said that his father, who had a home workshop where he fixed many things, was the source of his passion for technology.

Because we were short on money, I had to buy used computer parts and gadgets. My father taught me how to repair many of them.

Richard often looks back on his childhood to remember being attracted to coding at a young age. “There was no graphics when I grew up.” This is how old I am. But I wrote an algorithm. “I created a dot at the center of the screen and animated it to move in a circular motion.”

Richard was interested in many things, including science. “But honestly, when I was in my early teens I had no idea what my future would hold or where I fit in the world.”

A life-changing moment, an aptitude for business

Richard’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age. He did chores and delivered newspapers. He also sold magazines to classmates for money to purchase computer parts and gadgets. Some of these he then refurbished and resold at a profit.

He said that his entrepreneurial spirit was really sparked when he obtained his driving license at the age of 17. This allowed him to suddenly travel far distances and deliver his goods and services. And a truly defining moment was when he created ‘Data Dump,’ which can be considered the starting point of his path to success in his three leading tech ventures.

Before the Internet as we know today, people used to exchange information in digital spaces. Data Dump was the name of mine. “I created a graphic bulletin for university professors that they could use to send messages and share information with their colleagues around the world.”

Success is possible

Richard Ells, Adrian Reeves, and their team founded Sitewizard With their own money. The idea was to create a website design system which would become one of the first content management systems on the market.

News outlet reported that by 2011, the firm had more than 3,500 clients, and was one of UK’s top-recommended website design companies. Kent Online. SiteWizard was awarded the Bright Business Award for Software by National Business Awards in 2004.

By recruiting and training designers to integrate their Photoshop-based bespoke designs into SiteWizard’s CMS system, SiteWizard saved a lot of time compared to conventional design. This allowed them to create beautiful bespoke websites for a fraction as much money.

Richard explains that SiteWizard’s success is due to the simplicity of its model. “While everyone was trying to make money by selling websites, we sold them at cost while making our money through monthly hosting fees.”

SiteWizard, Richard’s biggest success back then, was SiteWizard. And iThe success of 2013 would continue to increase. He founded RetortalA company that specialises in digital marketing for the direct-selling industry. It’s a dashboard for managing social media that is currently used by thousands, including Mary Kay Nutrition, FOREVER and Herbalife Nutrition.

Blockchain and cryptocurrency

“In 2016, my team and me began to think that we could do something with cryptocurrency, which I thought at the time would be so difficult for people to use. My crypto ideas were linked to mobile phones. Since I had an excellent team of programmers and coders, I decided to push ahead with plans for Electroneum, a mobile cryptocurrency.

After the US$40 million ICO was successful, he began to understand that the ICO could be used to help those without bank accounts and to promote global financial inclusion. He also partnered up with UBUNTU Pathways, and other NGOs to ensure that they were having a positive impact on African countries and delivering life-changing assistance for thousands of families.

Through the Electroneum Richard realised there was a huge interest in Electroneum in developing countries after the ICO in September 2017. This ICO remains to be the largest ever, with more than 115,000 participants.

Electroneum now has more than one million active wallets. Ells was also launched AnyTask, ETN is a platform that allows freelancers to work on a similar basis as Fiverr. It has been used by thousands of people. City AM’s first edition of the City AM Awards presented the UK-based crypto firm with the Sustainability award and the social impact award. Crypto Awards In March 2020,

Richard has rebranded Electroneum. He has also added EVM compatibility, smart contracts and other features. He launched a blockchain education initiative in Africa to expand Electroneum’s eco-system with decentralised apps aimed at improving the lives of people. Richard, who is never one to give up on a project he has taken on, told me once that “for the very first time in my entire life, I truly believe that I can improve the lives many.”