Why I started The Happy Prize Company
For 6 years I headed up a small company called Unmissable.
It wasn’t mine, I didn’t start it, but I began working there almost from its initiation.
Having greatly admired the man who birthed it into being, Unmissable began life as a humble startup in a tiny little space above one of those funky trainer shops you see peppering the length of Neal St, in Covent Garden, London.
I loved the work. And so did the rest of the team. We felt like a family and just like with any family, I laughed, cried, sweated (it was hot above that shop!) and worked damn hard before taking up the helm.
When we hit our targets we’d all go out for lunch to celebrate, because we all loved great food. Or we’d go skiing together for the weekend, because one of the team part-owned a chalet (who knew!). One time, we spent the day out on a yacht because one of the investors had one. Or, we’d just pop around the corner to the spit and sawdust pub and crawl home in the early hours. We made it work for us. In fact, it worked for everyone; the investors, the people who worked there and the customers who bought from us.
Unmissable started off life as a bit of an adventure for everyone involved, one that sought to understand and satisfy people’s dreams and aspirations. We were so taken by the idea of what was fast becoming known as the ‘experience economy’, that we spent a year researching and interviewing people to find out what these dreams and aspirations actually were, rather than guessing them for ourselves. We did things properly, deeply, fully, passionately.
It turned out that what most people were aspiring to in the late 90’s/early 2000’s was a dream travel experience. A huge cultural shift had begun; people had gone from working hard in order to save up for, say, a fridge, or microwave (and been genuinely excited about that) to dreaming of a week’s holiday in Majorca say, or Marbella.
One stage on from that and Unmissable began offering an evolution in the dream holiday mindset — experiences that created some seriously cool memories – such as diving with Great White’s in South Africa, kayaking with Killer whales on Vancouver Island, or perhaps flying a Russian MIG fighter jet. The concepts were so original, new and appealing that big-name brands began approaching us to ask if they could use our travel experiences as prizes for their consumer promotions, or as rewards to incentivise and motivate their staff.
But like all good wine, parties and holidays, eventually it ended, and following the sale of Unmissable, I spent the next year considering, researching and experiencing a new type of adventure – another interest of mine – wellbeing. And using the experience I’d gained, I formed a startup called The Life Adventure, to address what I’d observed – how many of us seem to find ourselves feeling anything from simply curiosity about our state of mind and how we operate in the world around us, to feeling entirely emotionally bereft at how to navigate our way through life with little or no guidance whatsoever.
We dream of happiness, yet it often eludes us and there’s a huge growing awareness around this. Regular and popular articles in publications such as the Sunday Times Style Magazine all point to the idea that whilst we live in a 24/7-connected world, we’re feeling more disconnected and stressed than at any other period in our history. Or perhaps we’re just more aware of it.
With the launch of companies such as The School of Life in London and Mind Valley Academy in Asia, The Life Adventure sits alongside these as a resource for those wanting to delve deeper and make life a more enriching and rewarding experience, both inside and outside the workplace.
And so to my latest adventure, to The Happy Prize Company, which begins life by drawing upon both these experiences and bringing them together to offer dreams and experiences of a different kind. Meaningful, enriching ones, that brands and businesses can use to thank or motivate staff and customers. After all, organisations play a huge part in influencing the world around us. So if those influences are positive, the impact is enormous.
It’s not always been the case, of course, but with new ways of thinking and being and through inspired leadership, this is beginning to change. Forward-thinking companies are now seeing that continued success relies upon a strong sense of purpose and a future where they contribute positively to the wellbeing of their customers and the people that work for them.
That’s why I thought it was time for The Happy Prize Company. We’re seeking to narrow the distance between companies and the positive impact they have on people and the world around them.
