Female Founder: Laura Fox and Objective

My story
Founded in 1987 by Cath Fox, our journey began with a clear vision to harness the power of technology to help solve challenges and create success for our customers. From those early days, our commitment to innovation has remained. By 1992, we had earned recognition as a specialist in Microsoft technologies, an early milestone which laid the foundation for our future achievements. In 1999 we became the first company in the UK, and only the second globally, to be accredited as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for e-commerce. In 2006, our reputation for delivering bespoke software solutions was further cemented when Microsoft’s launched Gold Certified Partner for Custom Development Solutions which we retained until it was expired recently.

Growth brought change, and in 2011, we relocated from Basildon to Chelmsford, making room for new talent and a focusing of our services. Just a year later, we expanded our capabilities with the launch of our mobile development service for iOS and Android—ensuring we stayed ahead in an increasingly mobile-first world. Our commitment to innovation took another step forward in 2016 through a knowledge partnership with the Institute for Analytics and Data Science at the University of Essex. This collaboration enabled us to establish our data analytics service, helping clients extract powerful value from their information and put their data to use through AI solutions.

In 2017, as we celebrated 30 years in business, we founded the Honalee Fund. The Honalee Fund is our charitable fund, administered through the Essex Community Foundation, dedicated to supporting local causes and giving back to the community that has supported us for so long. A leadership transition came in 2019 when Lara Fox took the reins as Managing Director, continuing the legacy with fresh energy and a forward-looking vision. By 2021, after a decade in Chelmsford, we made a major investment in our future with the acquisition of our own office space, marking a new chapter in our story. And now, in 2025, we’re proud to be recognised as an Essex Tech 50 company, an accolade that reflects our sustained innovation and impact across the region and beyond.

Throughout the years, we’ve evolved with the technology while staying true to our formula of combining technical expertise with a people-first approach to help turn our client’s visions into successes.

Why I started my business
It was founded by my mother, Cath, in 1987. Cath is very forward thinking and was way ahead of her time helping businesses centralise and use their information. We still do this today although the technology has changed.

I joined after I graduated in order to get some work experience doing marketing. I moved into project management and fell in love with it and I couldn’t imagine doing anything other than working in the family business now.

Challenges you have faced & how you have overcome those challenges

Stepping into the role of Managing Director in 2019, I faced the unique challenge of succeeding the company’s founder, my mother, who had built the business over three decades. Balancing the responsibility of preserving her legacy while bringing my own vision and ideas to the table was both an honour and a leadership test.

One of my first decisions was to invest in our future by purchasing our own office premises. We exchanged contracts in March 2020, the day after the UK went into lockdown. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the move to be delayed by more than a year, and overnight, like all other businesses, priorities shifted dramatically. I found myself navigating remote work, economic uncertainty, and the responsibility of supporting our team through an unprecedented time. To add to the personal intensity of that period, I was also pregnant with my first child throughout much of the pandemic. I gave birth just before we finally moved into our new office, a moment that symbolised both a fresh chapter for the company and a deeply personal milestone.

Leading the business through such volatility, while adjusting to parenthood, redefining our work culture, and sustaining client relationships required resilience, flexibility, and trust in our team. It wasn’t the beginning I had imagined, but it shaped the leader I’ve become and reinforced the importance of empathy, clear communication, and long-term thinking.

Your greatest achievement whilst having your own business
Beyond the day-to-day demands of business leadership, I’ve made it a priority to contribute to the wider business landscape in Essex. I regularly participate with the Essex Community Foundation events through our charitable fund and I joined the IoD Committee for Essex, became a board member of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), and now serve on the Greater Essex Business Board, amplifying the voice of small businesses. I believe all business leaders should help contribute to their local community. New customers, successful projects, an office move, and awards fill me with pride, but I’m most proud of Objective being a business that gives back to its local community.

Anything else you think would empower women to start their own business
We’re often taught what a business leader should look like but that version doesn’t reflect everyone’s reality. Just because you’re not spending your time at golf days or late-night networking events doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. You don’t need to wake up at 5am to build a thriving business. You can design a business that works for your life, on your terms, with your values, and still make a powerful impact. I watched my mother build, sustain, and run a business with three children but she also never missed helping us with homework or supporting us when we needed it.

Website and Social Media Links
Website: objective.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/objective-computing-limited