My Net Worth: David Hallett, co-founder, Company-X

David Hallett has run Hamilton-based software specialist firm Company-X with fellow co-founder Jeremy Hughes since 2012. He has more than 25 years of professional IT experience and says his early adoption of the internet is the reason that by the time most people have heard of a new technology, he has most likely researched it, experienced it, written about it and replaced it with something new and exciting. He and wife Raewyn have four children.

My favourite memory is of my grandmother. She was my Danish mother's mother, and I called her Mormor. She didn't speak much English; she spoke mostly Danish. 

My strongest memories of her are of how a person should behave, but also how they should just relax, take it easy, don't stress – a lot of those concepts on how to approach the world.

My grandmother taught me how to listen and when to speak and not speak. Those teachings are still really strong in me and have become important in my professional life.

When I was growing up, I thought I was going to be an orthopaedic surgeon. I remember when I was about six years old, I knew there were 206 bones in the body. All those facts and things stuck with me. I've never broken a bone.

David Hallett, left, with his brother Michael. (Image: Supplied)

I just love meeting people and talking to people. I love travelling for that reason as well. And that's one of the reasons we love being in so many markets, meeting people from different backgrounds and experiences.

I got involved with computers from a young age. Back then, it was an interesting experience when you wanted to be creative with a computer. 

By the age of 15 or 16, I knew enough about technology and computers that I was able to set up computer suites at school. There was something like 30 computers and I upgraded all the memory, set them all up from scratch, installed the operating systems and that kind of stuff. I really enjoyed that.

With wife Raewyn at Queen Anne's Summer Palace in the Royal Garden of Prague Castle in the Czech Republic during a worldwide trip in 2007. (Image: Supplied) 

I enrolled in a science degree at the University of Waikato and at that stage I realised it was actually going to be a long slog to go through medical school. I guess the only thing you don't really appreciate about medicine is how much study goes into it, until you're tapping on the door of enrolling in a programme.

When I realised I could do a four-year degree in computer science, that was a lot more appealing. I enrolled in the information system software engineering degree. I loved the idea that everything was related to my love of problem-solving.

There are actual real-world problems that, with the application of some technology, you can automate or make more efficient – even reduce someone's effort.

I love the magic of problem-solving and how you can often address people's challenges really effectively with software and tech.

I love efficient stuff. I really, really love making systems efficient and highly chained and productive. 

That's why I love software – in terms of helping to build the efficiency and productivity that link towards a perfect system. It sounds weird, but when something just works, I love it, and when it's really, really beautiful and it just works, even better.

With fellow Company-X co-founder Jeremy Hughes. (Image: Supplied)

The two biggest things my parents taught me were to look out for opportunities and have adventurous experiences.

I often tell people life's actually all about relationships. Often when people are in business, you find that they are trying to go solo or trying to solve problems themselves. 

Everybody has problems, but the fact is it's okay to ask for help. In fact, you should be looking to learn from somebody else's experience and try to experience different things yourself.

I love spending my time on something, trying it, and then becoming confident in it. It's actually really useful because you can then help people with what you’ve learnt.

I really enjoy entertaining – being with people, talking and finding people, all of that. I push the boat out when it comes to entertaining people and try to throw massive parties.

Jeremy Hughes, Hamilton City Council economic development committee chairman Ryan Hamilton, David Hallett and Company-X augmented and virtual reality specialist Lance Bauerfeind with some of the devices the firm uses to deliver software solutions to clients. (Image: Supplied)