Why I Wrote Against the Giants
In February 2026, I had no intention of writing a book.
My original goal was much simpler. I wanted to record some memories for my family, my children, and my grandchildren. Like many people, I assumed they knew the broad outline of my life and career, but I realized there were countless stories, lessons, challenges, and experiences that had never been written down.
As I began documenting those memories, something unexpected happened.
For the first time in my life, I started looking back at my career as a whole rather than focusing on the next challenge ahead. Engineers and entrepreneurs are usually busy looking forward. There is always another problem to solve, another customer to help, another opportunity to pursue. Looking back had never been something I spent much time doing.
The more I wrote, the more I reflected on the journey that Shirley and I had shared together. From Scotland to Silicon Valley, from apprenticeships and engineering degrees to building MiCOM Labs, I began to appreciate the scale of what we as a family had actually accomplished. Many of the events felt ordinary at the time because we were simply getting on with life. Only in hindsight did I begin to see how extraordinary some of those experiences had been.
I remember saying to Shirley, "It looks like we have so much more here."
What started as a collection of family memories quickly became something larger.
The result is Against the Giants.
Part memoir, part business story, and part collection of lessons learned the hard way, it tells the story of an unconventional journey from Scotland to Silicon Valley and the creation of MiCOM Labs. Along the way, it explores entrepreneurship, innovation, persistence, leadership, and the importance of family. More importantly, it captures the people, values, and decisions that made that journey possible.
