From Newport to the world: How Enjovia is pioneering the Future of Gift Voucher Management.

"Our partnership with AGP has catalysed our global success in e-commerce technology."

Newport-based Enjovia stands as a testament to innovative thinking in the e-commerce sector. Starting as a participant in the Alacrity Foundation Entrepreneurship programme, it has become a leader in simplifying gift card and voucher management for businesses worldwide. 

The company's core mission is to empower businesses, especially in the global hospitality and service industry, by offering an efficient and user-friendly voucher and gift card management platform. This platform aims to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and boost revenues. 

Enjovia's journey, enhanced by support from the Accelerated Growth Programme, demonstrates the power of strategic planning, team alignment, and embracing change, propelling them from a local start-up to a global e-commerce leader. 

 Here, Managing Director Sam Gibson shares his business journey and explains how support from Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has helped along the way.  

Tell us about Enjovia.
I remember our early days in 2014, driven by a mission to empower the global hospitality and service industry. Our clear aim was to provide an easy-to-use platform for businesses to manage gift cards and vouchers, enhancing their revenue and customer experience. 

Our platform is two-fold: an online store for customers to buy gift experiences and vouchers and an admin dashboard for businesses to manage these processes. Our feature-rich system – the most comprehensive in the market – and our business model sets us apart. We operate on a commission basis without setup or monthly fees, making our platform accessible to businesses of all sizes. 

We're on the brink of releasing the third iteration of our system, featuring an open API and improved features. This upgrade will enable us to operate on a much larger scale and expand into new global markets. 

Running a lean team allows us to be agile and responsive. Each team member is an owner, aligning our goals and motivations. This structure has been vital in rapidly adjusting our business to meet emerging challenges. 

We're also guided by an experienced board, which has been instrumental in steering our strategy and growth. 

What challenges has your business faced since starting out? How have you adapted to these challenges?
Our industry was hit hard by COVID-19, but our global presence and focus on inbound marketing were our lifelines. We survived - and even doubled our customer base - by streamlining costs, using grants, and relying on cash reserves from previous profits. Our organic search dominance played a critical role in this achievement – more of which later! 

We now boast over 180 customers across 35 countries. Our growth can be quantified in numbers and our resilience and adaptability during such challenging times. 

What is your proudest moment in business so far?
I'm particularly proud of how we've helped clients like the Celtic Manor Resort dramatically increase their annual gift voucher sales from £700k to £2.5m using our system. We also take a lot of pride in our socially responsible practices. Supporting local businesses, especially charities and start-ups, is a core part of our ethos. We offer preferred sales commission rates to aid their growth and success. We succeed when they succeed, and we love to see small businesses grow through their partnership with us.  

How has support from Business Wales helped your business?
We've been fortunate to receive support through various COVID-19 grants, investment funding from the Welsh Government, Wesley Clover, the Waterloo Foundation, and private investors. This support has been instrumental in our growth and development. 

Our partnership with the Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) has been pivotal in our transformation, particularly through SEO and inbound marketing guidance. The support from AGP has been instrumental in driving our growth, helping us achieve a dominant online presence. 

Thanks to AGP's specialist work packages, we have worked closely with Lee Woodman at Visit Digital, who helped set us up on our SEO and inbound marketing journey.  

Lee taught us how to optimise our website and system and the importance of writing content to capture traffic. Thanks to this work, we now rank in the top three for 50 of the keywords in our industry and are ranked number one for about 20 of them. This was a game changer for our business. It has led to us embedding expertise in SEO and organic search within the team. AGP's support in refining our marketing and SEO strategies has been nothing short of a game-changer, establishing our dominance in organic search within our industry. 

This work transformed us from an outbound sales, to an inbound sales company, which has driven 90% of our growth ever since. 

What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs? 

• Think early about customer acquisition. 

• Embrace inbound marketing. 

• Experiment often. 

• Aim for profitability before expansion. 

• Build a team that complements your skills and shares your vision. 

Learn more about Enjovia.

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme

Revolancer: Redefining freelance work with a revolutionary skill-swapping platform.

"The Accelerated Growth Programme was a catalyst in our journey, providing invaluable insights and resources that helped us to scale our vision globally."

Launched in 2021, Revolancer is reshaping the global freelance landscape by facilitating a skill-swapping ecosystem. The platform offers career freedom to freelancers and represents a significant shift in how freelance work is valued and exchanged. It also empowers self-employed people to grow their businesses without financial constraints.

The platform is the brainchild of Karl Swanepoel, whose entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of remarkable. Starting his freelance career at 13 and selling his first business at 15, Karl realised early that the freelance industry was fraught with challenges and often undervalued its most crucial asset - freelancers themselves. This realisation sparked the idea for Revolancer. Karl envisioned a platform where freelancers could exchange services and support each other, eliminating the need for a substantial initial budget. It was a bold move to shift the paradigm from a money-centric to a skill-centric economy within the freelancing world.

Today, the platform's 100,000-strong user base spans over 100 countries, a testament to its international reach. It is backed by investors, including SFC Capital, and has earned recognition from Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak, who has referred to Revolancer as a "cool startup."
 

Here, Karl Swanepoel shares his business journey and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Tell us about Revolancer.
My experience in the freelance industry highlighted a significant gap. Freelancers often struggle with undervaluation and lack access to essential services. Revolancer was born to create a fairer, more collaborative environment for freelancers. Witnessing the challenges within the freelance industry first-hand, I was determined to address these fundamental issues. Revolancer was born from my desire to create a beacon of hope and opportunity for freelancers everywhere.

Revolancer is more than a platform; it's a community where skills and services are traded, fostering mutual growth and collaboration. It offers a unique credit system, allowing freelancers to exchange services seamlessly, circumventing the financial barriers typical of traditional freelance platforms.
 

As it continues to grow and evolve, Revolancer is set to redefine what it means to be a freelancer in today's fast-paced, interconnected world.
 

How does Revolancer transform the typical freelance experience?
Traditional freelancing often involves monetary transactions, which can be limiting. Revolancer changes this dynamic by introducing a credit system. Freelancers earn credits through their services, which they can spend on other services within the platform. This approach encourages a more community-centric, supportive freelance culture.
 

How has the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme supported your growth journey?
AGP's support has been pivotal. They provided strategic insights, particularly in marketing and financial planning, that were crucial during our initial growth phase. Their guidance helped us navigate the challenges of starting up during the pandemic and significantly impacted our global expansion.
 

What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Starting during the pandemic presented unique challenges. However, we saw this as an opportunity to offer a solution for freelancers affected by the crisis. Our most significant learning was the importance of global expansion, which we initially delayed. In hindsight, going global earlier would have accelerated our growth even more.
 

What are your future aspirations for Revolancer?
We aim to continue expanding our global reach, creating a diverse, inclusive community of freelancers. We're constantly exploring new ways to enhance our platform, making it more accessible and valuable for freelancers worldwide.
 

What advice would you share with other entrepreneurs?

● Recognise and act on timely opportunities, especially during unforeseen adversities.

● Remain steadfast in your mission and values; they will guide your venture through tumultuous times.

● Continually seek feedback and be prepared to pivot based on market needs.

● Surround yourself with a passionate team that believes in your vision.

● Seek out mentorship and guidance from experienced industry leaders

Learn more about Revolancer, visit here.

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme

Unlocking Technological Potential: WeGetDesign's Journey from Start-up to Tech Leader.

"Thanks to support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, we've seen phenomenal growth in revenue and our ability to create impactful software solutions."

Situated in Cardiff, WeGetDesign emerged in late 2017 as a small tech start-up with an expansive vision. Specialising in scalable Software as a Service (SaaS) and back-office infrastructure, the company has grown to 14 full-time staff members and several external contractors. Boasting an impressive year-over-year growth rate, WeGetDesign has become a significant player in the tech industry.

Managing Director Omar Moulani recounts how WeGetDesign transcended its humble beginnings to become a global leader in technology solutions.

Tell us about WeGetDesign.
Founded in 2017, WeGetDesign has always been about more than just software development. Our mission extends to crafting customisable, efficient solutions that drive various industries forward.Our growth strategy is twofold: we focus on organic customer acquisition and spin-off new limited companies based on the tech apps we develop in-house.

With a diverse product offering, we've expanded our services to cater to global organisations. Serving sectors ranging from finance to healthcare, we are a one-stop solution for customised tech needs. We have created projects internally through our 'Labs' scheme. Some of these include Mysmartclass.io, which focuses on educational solutions, ZippyProject.com, a project management tool and Justsign.io, a digital document signer platform.

What challenges have you faced during this transformation?
Our journey hasn't been plain sailing. Initially, our team was small, juggling multiple roles ranging from administrative and financial management to development work. The weight of these responsibilities often seemed overwhelming. Another roadblock was client acquisition. While word-of-mouth recommendations got us off the ground, we aspired to build a broader, global client base.

In hindsight, we probably ventured into too many markets too quickly. Although our enthusiasm was high, this scattergun approach may have diluted our focus and impacted our growth. In our eagerness to grow, we stretched ourselves too thin by entering markets like e-commerce and healthcare without adequate focus. This led us to reassess and narrow our target markets.

If we could do it again, our strategy would involve a more concentrated effort on a single core business line, allowing us to become experts in that area before diversifying.

The Accelerated Growth Programme, particularly our Relationship Manager Nicola Rylett-Jones, has given us vital support with this. Working with them helped refine our marketing strategies and develop a more explicit value proposition. This support was a game-changer for us, extending our reach beyond what we thought possible.

How have you adapted to these challenges?
Like all start-ups, we have faced many challenges and chose to see them as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks.

For instance, when we struggled with workload management in our early days, we viewed it as an opportunity to grow our team and delegate more effectively. To manage workloads better, we implemented agile methodologies, enhancing our project delivery timelines. This eased the burden on our original team members and led to more specialised, efficient work.

Our collaboration with the Accelerated Growth Programme was pivotal in overcoming the challenge of expanding our client base. Their expert advice helped us fine-tune our marketing initiatives and connect with clients beyond our initial reach, such as large charities and commercial global enterprises. With this support, we initiated targeted digital marketing campaigns to attract potential clients in new markets.

What is your proudest moment in business?
Two moments truly stand out. The first was when donation software we developed for NZF, a charity, generated an astonishing £7.5 million in just a month. It was an eye-opener, showing us the tangible impact our technology could have on the world.

The second was landing a contract with the well-established hedge fund Blantyre Capital. This wasn't just a business achievement; it was a validation of the quality and reliability of our services.

These landmark projects have boosted our portfolio and encouraged us to look for ways to create social impact through technology.

How has support from Business Wales helped your business?
We have benefitted immensely from the support provided by various Welsh Government schemes. Apart from direct funding and non-payable grants, the Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) has been particularly beneficial. AGP work packages have enabled us to refine our brand and extend our services, contributing to our impressive year-on-year growth and workforce expansion.

This support has been instrumental in fine-tuning our branding and extending our services, contributing to a 40% growth year on year and doubling our workforce.

What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?

· ● Prioritise client work; it's the backbone that supports your growth.

· ● Standardise processes early on to maintain a consistent quality of deliverables.

· ● Delegate tasks to allow team members to specialise, enhancing overall productivity.

· ● Focus on a long-term vision to steer your company in the right direction.

· ● Cultivate a strong support network to navigate challenges effectively.

Learn more about WeGetDesign.

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme