Here at Work In Startups, we’re on a mission to champion the best and most exciting startups in the UK. To support this, we’re starting a new blog series highlighting some of the most innovative and fast-growing startups around. Follow us as we interview startup founders and employees across the country and find out more about their goals and ambitions, what the future holds and (for all you startup jobseekers out there looking for the inside scoop) what they look for in a prospective employee.

This week, we’re interviewing Shane Mayes, Talent Acquisition Manager at LoyaltyLion – a data-driven e-commerce loyalty and engagement platform which provides loyalty programs that increase customer retention for merchants worldwide. LoyaltyLion is another cool startup on our platform that’s growing like crazy,  looking to double its workforce and shake up the way that ecommerce retailers do business. 

What is LoyaltyLion’s mission?

Our mission is to help retailers succeed in the age of Amazon. Ecommerce today is like the high street before it became dominated by a handful of generic, impersonal businesses. By helping entrepreneurs succeed, we hope to stop ecommerce going the way of the brick and mortar store. This is why LoyaltyLion exists. 

What are your values as an employer?

We give people a setting to grow and produce their best work and be recognised for it. The attitude and mindset of your team will have a profound impact on your product and customers – we are very people focussed because of this.

Ownership and trust are at the core of our working philosophy. Everyone here has a tangible impact on our product and more broadly, the way that we work.

We act with urgency and focus but we give people the flexibility to be innovative and try new things. We’re award winning because we innovate and differentiate.

If we say it then we will do it. We make good on our promises. We can’t say much about Loyalty if we don’t make good on our own words.

You guys have grown a lot over the last year. What’s next?

Rewind to January 2019 and we were working out of a one bedroom apartment. We’ve grown to nearly 40 people since then. 

We’ve added some incredibly talented and smart people to our team, and we’re building something together. What’s next? Mistakes a plenty, I’m sure! Then success, then more growth…

All of the great people that joined LoyaltyLion have done so because they believe in our platform, and our vision. More importantly they believe that we are the best place to be to achieve their own professional goals – and that’s a big responsibility for us. This year we want to continue to make good on that and invest in our people, and give them opportunities and experiences that they value.

Great culture aside, are there any company perks?

Let’s start with the things that I think our people value the most. 

Flexible working, remote working and a work from home policy mean that I can stay home and work knowing that my sofa delivery won’t be missed. It means that Magda can work from Paris for part of her trip to save her using all of her holiday. It’s a great way to work and we trust our people.

Free breakfast and lunch on a Monday are really popular. We’re dog friendly and have a couple of regular four legged visitors. We have a heap of refreshments on tap and a bunch of games and entertainment and more importantly a bunch of people that you will want to play with. 

We tend to wind down at 4:30 on a Friday and play some games and we have a fantastic Office Manager who looks after our social calendar – more recently we went on a scavenger hunt around London and did the crystal maze!

There’s so much more and we’re always looking for ways to enhance our offering…

What do you look for in an employee?

We like people who are self reflective and who can look inward. A lot of what we’re doing is a first experience for us, which means that things don’t always go to plan. To deal with that you need to have a growth mindset.

People who are naturally curious and value every new learning opportunity that comes their way. No one joins LoyaltyLion a loyalty expert – some of us were completely new to ecommerce. Embracing those opportunities to learn is important. Identifying valuable learning opportunities and seeking them out is what will set you apart.

Finally, we look for employees who are themselves. We have a broad range of backgrounds, experience, interests, values, goals and I’d say we’re an even split across the Hogwarts Houses (if you join us, you will definitely be sorted into a house). Come as you are, make an impact, and grow with us.