Spotlight Series: Lightning Travel Recruitment.
Legacy Club goes under the hood of some early stage entrepreneurs, to see what makes them and their businesses tick!
Recruitment business Founder Chris King of Lightning Travel Recruitment
Please tell us a little bit about you the person (not you the business owner): I'm an energetic and life loving guy that is proudly part of the LGBTQI+ community. I am an advocate for things such as equality and sustainability and when i'm not working can be found rolling around a football pitch or following womens tennis (my mastermind topic of choice). I love to travel and have been lucky enough to travel to some incredible companies and am a social butterfly trying out as many cool places in London as i can!
Describe your business in less than 30 words: Lightning is a full service recruitment consultancy brand with a love and understanding that covers all parts of the luxury travel & lifestyle industry.
What industry or sector does your business fall in to?: Recruitment
What did you do before you started your business?: I run hosted buyers programmes for invite only luxury trade shows around the world (it's a real job i promise!). I started at the company when there were 15 staff and left when there was over 70. I actually left because of some health struggles meaning i could no longer do desk work...thought about what i was good at and the network i had and came up with the lightning brand name at the pub with friends. I actually conceptualised and launched the wider business when i was recovering from operations whilst on ALL the good (legal) drugs from my bed.
What have been the biggest struggles that you have encountered, and what did you do to overcome them?: The biggest struggles i've encountered were going from a thriving office to working in my bedroom, often absolutely crazy hours....when i started i landed clients in the US and was working from 7am through to 3am for a good month trying to keep everything going. I also made some (on reflection) terrible decisions with where i invested money in software, and naively thought i could just grow the business on Linkedin...but you live and learn. I also struggled with not having others understanding what it was to run a business, so have since worked on my network of fellow business owners and trusted industry contacts to help me as a sounding board. Lastly, the power of getting out the house and visiting co-works and hotel lobbys - it will help you mentally so much!
Have you had any external investment to date?: No
What has been the impact of COVID-19 on your business and did you make any changes, or pivots?: I recruit for the travel industry so literally had clients fold their business' and there came a point i had £50 left in my bank account and was faced with a global pandemic to contend with. Turns out, i really did believe in this business and worked tirelessly throughout lockdown to help the industry with everything from CV help (i edited over 500 cv's) through to hosting a weekly travel quiz for 3 months. During this time i actually placed a candidate and used the money to invest back in the business on a rebrand to attract new clients and really up my social game...i didn't pivot as such but now have such a strong brand identity and actually have more clients and brand recognition now than before lockdown.
What have been the barriers to your business growth?: Access to finance/funding
Do you have any business heroes, if so, who are they?: I do, my old CEO Serge Dive, who founded This is Beyond...he's just an incredibly talented human who believed in a vision and dared to disrupt an industry that 'had always done it this way' - i live by this ethos now and wouldn't be where i am today without him.
Financial Rewards or Business Awards?: Financial Rewards
What was the last book you read?: The Sober Diaries - Clare Pooley
Tell us something totally unique about your business: We took a recruitment consultancy model and gave it a personality
Finally, please tell us what we can look forward to with your business as we head in to 2021: At the moment i'm just finalising a move to Athens to spend 6 months there and 6 months in London, and with this aiming to bring on board my first member of staff (eeeek!) and we're hoping to bring on more really exciting clients as the luxury travel market picks up.