SPECS APPEAL
IT’S ONE THING TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS BUT IT’S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME TO SHAKE UP AN INDUSTRY. JAMES MURRAY WELLS, 24, HAS DONE JUST THAT THROUGH HIS COMPANY WWW.GLASSESDIRECT.COM
“It’s not the economics that thrill me. It’s the creating things — being able to look over the shoulder of a computer programmer who’s designing your website… seeing things come together,” he tells me.
With a turnover of more than £2 million in 2006, that figure increased to over £4 million by the end of last. So…how did somebody at such a tender age, do so much, in such little time?
designing your website…seeing things come together,” he tells me.
I don’t intend to give up though, customers need this service."
With the original intention of “just getting a bit of pocket money”, James was utterly astonished when he returned from a week’s holiday in Tuscany to find the website had over a thousand hits. www.glassesdirect.com was receiving extraordinary attention and the money began to pour in.
“I’m not passionate about glasses,” he continues. “I’m passionate about providing a good service… whatever the product. There’s no feeling like it when somebody writes in to say how happy they are. I’ve received literally hundreds of emails from satisfied customers and hardly any complaints.”
“I put much of the success down to my love of creating,” James says with a broad smile. “I’ve never been the type to stand still. I like doing things, making things happen.” The Glasses Direct offices started life in converted barns in the Wiltshire village of Malmesbury in 2004. However, the rapid growth of the company meant that within three years it had a staff of thirty five and phones that never seem to stop ringing, making it an oasis of buzz and activity. To cope with the expansion the company recently moved its customer services and operations to a larger site in Swindon, while the headquarters moved up to London to an office one mile down the road from Marble Arch. James sits in a large, white-walled office surrounded by what looks like endless plaques, awards and framed articles.
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They include the Startups.com entrepreneur of the year, the Livewire young entrepreneur of the year and Lloyds Bank enterprising Brit of the year.
good entrepreneur; he immediately thought outside the box. He began to question if a thin metal frame and two pieces of glass could really warrant such a high price.
“It’s a great feeling to think I’ve done so much,” he tells me. “I try not to dwell on it and stay focused. You can’t let it get to your head!”
"I made hundreds of phone calls to investigate the manufacturing price of glasses, but all I found was a huge wall of resistance. No one was prepared to tell me how much it cost," he explains.
The rapid growth of the company is evident from the recent £2 million investment with Albion, well known marketing company, to promote their brand and provide their advertising. Other recent changes within the organisation have seen David Magliano - the marketing brains behind Easyjet and the successful 2012 Olympic bid - appointed as a non-executive director.
"I finally found one man who, after a lot of work, eventually answered my questions. Amazingly I discovered it costs only £7 to make a pair of glasses. Opticians were making a profit of 2000%. Something had to be done."
Jamie’s climb to entrepreneurial idol hood has an inspirational story. Just as David took on Goliath, James took on the British optical industry...and won.
James set to work finding a manufacturer who would supply him and finally found one. After hiring a couple of IT experts through an ad on the university notice board, James set up an office in the playroom of his parents’ house.
It was in his final year at Bristol University when he went to buy reading glasses and returned home £150 lighter. As a student, this was a massive sum to pay and, like any
“That was the most exciting period. It’s not the economics that thrill me. It’s the creating things — being able to look over the shoulder of a computer programmer who’s
“If someone had told me three years ago that I would be running a company selling reading glasses I would not have believed them. I have no formal business training – I just saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to provide an essential service at a good price. I had been planning to take a post graduate diploma in Law but the surprise success of this business has meant my plans have altered drastically.” Along with the success came a lot of animosity from high street opticians. "They're not happy about it," he says. "But then I'm offering glasses for a fraction of the price they're charging so it's not surprising. They’ve tried to sue me but have been unsuccessful. I’ve even received threatening mail!