Lauren Riley set up The Link App in 2014. A qualified solicitor, she grew frustrated with the slow pace of the legal industry and recognised that clients were looking for faster responses, more clarity on case progress and an overall better customer service experience.
Here, she shares what a week in her working life is all about…
Monday
I’m up at 5am – earlier than normal, as I’m travelling to Edinburgh today. I’ve been invited to speak at an event held by The Law Society of Scotland and am really looking forward to it. Edinburgh is one of my favourite places and I’ll get the train up so that I can work as I travel (as well as enjoy the scenery!). I’ve set up a great selection of meetings with potential firms throughout the day to make the most of my time while there.
Now that we’re established, these meetings are even more enjoyable, as we can demonstrate how many successful firms are already using the app and reaping the benefits. The legal sector is very traditional but is finally starting to evolve, and seeing that client needs are changing. Consumers demand clarity and can get that on almost anything these days – we can track a parcel, a journey, even a pizza! But something as important as a legal case has traditionally been mired in secrecy and it’s time to change that. The accountancy sector recognised this a few years ago – all industries need to evolve. It’s a busy day – I have several really successful meetings then a late journey home so it’s straight to bed for me.
Tuesday
Up at 6.30 for a 7am workout. I usually fit one in every morning and missed it yesterday. It’s a great start to the day, I feel a little sluggish if I don’t have my morning exercise! Then it’s straight into the office – we moved into new premises on King Street at the end of last year and I’m so proud: it’s a great location and there’s room for the team to grow.
We have a Board meeting in the morning, followed by a catch up with our advisors on our Growth Scale Up Programme – we recently travelled to Australia to expand the business and it’s very exciting to discuss the outcomes of the trip. I have a sales pitch in the afternoon then we have team yoga in the office as part of our employee wellness programme.
After work I take my dog Wilbur for a nice long walk, then have an early night. I listen to Blinkist – I try to fit in one a day – they’re condensed audio books and really help me relax, along with exercise and daily meditation.
Wednesday
A full day in the office today which is great, as it gives me time to have individual meetings: we’ve recently made a number of senior level appointments to aid our growth plans. I really enjoy the sales review meeting with our new BDM. There’s a lot of potential for us to be a major player in the relatively new legaltech market. Wilbur comes into the office today. He doesn’t come all the time, but he is the unofficial ‘office dog’ and is very popular and gets thoroughly spoilt by all the team! I have a quiet dinner out with friends then quite an early night.
Thursday
The working day starts with an early call with a potential hire, followed by a call to our mentor in the USA, who have helped scale large tech companies in Silicon Valley. The US legal industry operates slightly differently to the UK, but the challenges remain the same as it adapts to keep up with wider business changes – so there are lots of opportunities. Following the call, I head out of the office to grab a bite to eat with a friend. I usually eat on the go but it’s nice to have a breather and there are so many fantastic options around our office, we’re very lucky. Manchester continues to evolve and it’s a brilliant city to live and work in.
After lunch, I have a catch up with the tech team to discuss recent product developments and ensure we are on track. We’ve invested heavily in customer research to ensure The Link App is the best it can be. The feedback has been used to move the product forward and we’re about to launch a new version. Everything is on schedule, which is great. In the evening I go to the cinema.
Friday
It’s an early flight to Southampton for a meeting with one of our key partners. A full agenda involves discussing upcoming developments, the expanded list of product features and full product training. I then call into the office for our Friday standup meeting with the whole TLA team. We use this time to go through everyone’s weekly tasks and updates. It means that we can all be clear on the week ahead, knowing our aims and priorities, in order to fully enjoy the weekend. I’m staying with friends on the South Coast for the weekend before London meetings on Monday, so I log off to enjoy lots of good company, fantastic food and fresh sea air.
