Every so often, someone comes along who completely flips the script on what a “career path” should look like. Mike Dobinson is one of those people. A Brighton-born entrepreneur, he went from managing busy bars to founding BarByte, a tech startup that’s reshaping how hospitality businesses operate.
Mike’s story isn’t just about tech or business—it’s about courage, reinvention, and turning real-world frustrations into smart digital solutions. Let’s dive into how this former bar manager became a full-fledged tech founder, the lessons his journey offers, and what’s next for him in 2025.
1. From Bartender to Business Visionary
Mike Dobinson grew up in Brighton, England, surrounded by a thriving local culture and vibrant nightlife. It’s no surprise that he gravitated toward the hospitality industry early on. His energy, people skills, and work ethic quickly propelled him from part-time shifts to managing some of the most popular venues around, including Be At One, Las Iguanas, and Shuffle Bar & Kitchen.
Those years behind the bar were more than just about serving drinks—they taught him how to handle pressure, manage people, and understand what makes a business tick. By his early 30s, he had already built a solid reputation for leadership and operational excellence.
2. Spotting a Problem—and Building a Solution
Every entrepreneur has that “aha” moment, and for Mike, it came while managing teams and juggling the chaos of bar operations. He noticed a pattern: hospitality businesses were struggling with outdated systems and inefficient processes. Inventory tracking, shift scheduling, and communication were often messy and disconnected.
Instead of just complaining about it, he decided to fix it.
Mike realized that technology could bridge the gap—but he needed the skills to make that happen. So in 2023, he enrolled in Northcoders, a top UK coding bootcamp, to learn full-stack web development.
There, he mastered tools like JavaScript, React, PostgreSQL, Firebase, and Express.js—and more importantly, he discovered how to turn his industry knowledge into digital innovation.
3. Founding BarByte: Tech That Understands Hospitality
By 2024, Mike launched BarByte, a software platform designed to make life easier for bar and restaurant owners. The idea was simple: create a single, user-friendly hub that could handle:
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Inventory management
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Staff scheduling
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Customer engagement tools
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Real-time analytics and reporting
What made BarByte stand out wasn’t just its functionality—it was its authenticity. Mike built it from firsthand experience, not just theory. He knew exactly where hospitality managers struggled because he’d been one himself.
Soon, the platform started catching attention from business owners who wanted smarter, simpler tech to streamline their daily grind. And Mike didn’t stop there—he actively collected feedback, attended hospitality expos, and kept refining BarByte to stay in tune with what users actually needed.
4. The Personal Side: Family, Humor, and Balance
Behind every ambitious founder is a grounding force—and for Mike, that’s Maisie Adam, his wife and a beloved British comedian and writer.
Their love story began years ago, culminating in a picturesque engagement in Prague in December 2021 and a joyful wedding in June 2023. The couple often shares glimpses of their life online—always filled with laughter, warmth, and a healthy dose of British wit.
While Mike is private about his family life, it’s clear that their bond keeps him balanced amid the rollercoaster of startup life. Their mutual support and creative chemistry are a big part of his story.
5. Leadership That Starts with Empathy
Mike’s leadership approach comes straight from his roots in hospitality—he’s hands-on, approachable, and deeply values teamwork. He believes that a good leader doesn’t just delegate—they listen, guide, and empower.
His philosophy can be summed up in three traits:
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Empathy: Understanding people’s challenges because he’s been there himself.
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Accountability: Taking ownership of both successes and setbacks.
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Adaptability: Learning continuously and adjusting quickly in dynamic environments.
Colleagues and collaborators describe him as the kind of leader who never asks someone to do something he wouldn’t do himself—a quality that’s earned him deep respect in both hospitality and tech circles.
6. Building Wealth Through Purpose, Not Just Profit
Mike Dobinson’s estimated net worth sits somewhere between £300,000 and £500,000 as of 2025. While that figure reflects years of hard work, it’s not what drives him.
For Mike, success isn’t just measured in numbers—it’s about impact. His mission with BarByte is to make running hospitality businesses easier and more efficient, freeing up owners and managers to focus on what they love most: creating great experiences for their customers.
And as BarByte continues to grow, the potential for expansion—across the UK and beyond—means the best is yet to come.
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7. The Bigger Picture: Inspiring Career Reinvention
What makes Mike’s story truly powerful is how it speaks to anyone feeling “stuck” in their career. He’s living proof that it’s never too late to start fresh, learn new skills, and build something from scratch.
He’s even begun mentoring others who want to make a similar leap—especially those from non-tech backgrounds who fear the transition. His advice is simple yet empowering:
“Your experience is valuable. The trick is learning how to translate it into something new.”
Mike’s future plans include expanding BarByte internationally and collaborating with universities or bootcamps to develop tech training programs for hospitality professionals—helping others bridge the same gap he once faced.
Why Mike Dobinson Deserves Your Attention
It’s easy to admire successful entrepreneurs, but what sets Mike apart is his authenticity. He’s not a Silicon Valley executive with a fancy degree—he’s a hardworking guy from Brighton who turned everyday challenges into innovation.
His journey shows that career reinvention doesn’t require luck or privilege—it requires curiosity, courage, and consistency. From bartending to coding, from managing late-night shifts to managing a startup, Mike embodies what it means to grow through change.
Final Thoughts
Mike Dobinson’s story isn’t just about one man’s career—it’s a roadmap for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over or building something meaningful. His leap from hospitality to technology proves that reinvention is possible when passion meets persistence.
Whether you’re managing a business, writing code, or chasing your next big idea, there’s something to learn from Mike’s journey. He reminds us that success isn’t a straight line—it’s a series of bold steps, creative risks, and lessons learned along the way.
From pouring drinks to pouring his energy into digital innovation, Mike Dobinson shows that the right mindset can turn any challenge into opportunity.