MY BUSINESS

NETWORKING MY BUSINESS

How did you come to start up? I was 15 and working in a café after school every Wednesday and all day on Sundays. On Wednesdays, the team would leave me to clean the gravy bowl from Sunday, which was covered in an inch-thick layer of dried gravy. I knew there had to be a better way to earn money, so I followed one of my passions and started repairing computers.

How has the business grown since then? We are now in our 10th year as a business and operate from a 6,000sq ft offi ce in Chichester. Our customer base has grown to more than 200 clients, including household names and international companies.

Can you run me through a typical day? Th is can vary, from business development and enhancement of internal processes/systems to liaising with the team, managing the extension to the offi ce, client account management, new business enquiries/ sales, and so on.

What’s been the highlight for your business so far? It must be fi xing the WiFi at Keith Richards’ house.

What’s the strangest request you’ve had from a customer? I was contacted to fi x a computer that wasn’t turning

MY BUSINESS

Luke Mead An unpleasant teen job led Luke to start up a computer repair business, LMS Group. It’s now an established fi rm in Chichester

on. Th e reason it wasn’t turning on was because of a regional power cut.

What one thing couldn’t your business function without? Our team – we have invested a lot of time and resources into fi nding the best people to improve our service off erings and bring something fun to the workplace. Oh, and coff ee!

What’s the best thing about working for yourself? Having control over my life and being free to spend more time with my wife and son. I can also work from anywhere in the world, although I love to be in the offi ce.

And the hardest part? Knowing when to stop. I often get a burst of energy of an evening and before I know it, it can be 1am!

What do you wish you’d known when you fi rst started out? Figures. Bearing in mind I started trading when I was 15 and set up the limited company at 19, it took me a few years to grasp it all.

If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be? I feel I wasted the fi rst few years. If I’d had a clear years. IfI dhadaclear focus, we would be further focus, we would be further ahead. We may have a strong ahead. We may have a strong business, a freehold building and an amazing team, but this could have come sooner.

How does your FSB membership help? FSB has helped us build relationships with local businesses and has provided great advice to continue growing. Th e business advice and articles have been of great value, keeping us up to date on new laws and so on.

Where will the business Where will th be in fi ve years’ time? be in fi ve yea We plan to have a headcount We plan to hav of 24 and will still be of 24 and will based out of our offi ce in basedoutof ou Chichester. We’re currently Chichester. We expanding and rearranging expanding and our offi ce to make room our office to m for further growth. for further gro

What do you do What do you outside work? outs I enjoy spending I enj time with my time family, walking, family, w socialising, good food, socialising, go beer gardens and skiing. beergardens

Could you feature in My Could you feat Business? Email Business? Email fi rstvoice@ redactive.co.uk redactive.co.uk with My Business in the subject line, explaining why in the subject lin your your fi rm is a little bit difi rm is a littl ff erent. Read more My Business Read more My B stories at stories at bit.ly/2kCeJWsbit.ly/2