Karl Llewellyn is the CEO of Sanctifly. Karl is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Karl provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Sanctifly. Karl Llewellyn joins other leading CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team has recently awarded Sanctifly with our Impact Company of 2019 award. We are delighted to have Karl join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview, and our popular “speed round” as well.
Karl, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day for this interview about your company, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
1. What is the “elevator pitch” for Sanctifly?
Sanctifly is a global travel wellness solution helping frequent travellers to break bad travel habits and travel healthier through better use of their downtime.
2. What is the key to your company’s success?
The sea change in traveller thinking that they need to take better care of themselves on the road. Couple this with the employers increased awareness and responsibly for the well being of their traveling staff. It’s become a market waiting to be served better, better than lounge access to merlot and chips.
3. Many of our readers are just starting to build a company. What advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Cash is king, therefore try, test and trial everything before you buy. If there is a big upfront for any purchase make sure it has an immediate RoI to the end customer. Too much capital purchase of early stage cash is a killer.
4. For other entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
A key customer purchase can be game changing. Go back to your best customer or best prospect and work out a deal, even at no profit, that gives you cash flow, runway and increased market promotion.
5. How important is the commitment to client satisfaction at Sanctifly, and how do you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
Its critical to get first hand feed back from all early adaptors. I used at call every customer post use, and still call lots of them today to listen to their experience of using Sanctifly. Its invaluable to get both the good and the bad, and has been instrumental in shaping the product of today.
Also, if a customer has a poor experience, but knows you’re a start-up, if you are seen to listen and learn, they tend to stay invested in helping you improve.
6. In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
Delegate and set very simple and clear KPIs for your team. Dashboards and use of notice boards are hugely valuable to get an at a glace ‘’state of things” and determine if and where you need to deep dive.
7. What is your “Why”? Why do you get up in the morning, and how do you keep yourself at peak performance to lead Sanctifly?
We are leading a movement in changing a culture. The travel habit of eat, sit and drink before we get in a pressurised tube to eat, sit and drink is, in a word NUTS! In 20 years we’ll look back on it, like we look back on smoking on planes today and go ‘wow! that was crazy’. I’m passionate that frequent travellers need to and want to take better care of themselves on the road, they just need the tools, the outlet. That’s what we building at Sanctifly.
Peak performance? One of the ‘perks’ of founding a wellness brand is as CEO, I’ve got to look, eh …well. So since starting Sanctifly I’ve completed 4 marathons and dozens of adventure races. I’d never ran one before, so I guess I’ve Sanctifly to thank for that – changing my personal outlook to health and fitness.
8. Can you recommend a book that has had an influence in your career? How did it influence you?
Lots of great reads, but career influencing I’d give credit to & Habits of Successful People and Jack Welch Straight from the Gut. Real simple, almost obvious and immediate applicable tools in every business and life. ‘Sharpen your saw’ is something I’ve to remind myself monthly to do as start-up processes strain with scaling.
9. When communicating with your staff, can you tell us the most important thing you do so that they are able to carry out the objectives that you set forth at Sanctifly?
Be consistent. Speak in groups or huddles. With lots of moving parts, giving directions to individuals can lead to mixed message which cases huge lose in productivity.
Listen and take input but be crystal clear what direct the bus is going in and that everyone needs to be on it.
Give the high level goal for the quarter or month and then empower the team to work their end to help move towards it. If you are still making the micro decisions, you’ll never grow – empowerment and responsibility is always the best way to get the most out of an individual (and see if they are a good fit).
10. Can you explain what leadership means to you?
We would like to have some fun and do a “speed round” with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.
We would like to have some fun and do a “speed round” with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.
Here you go!
1. Describe your business in one word?
Wellness
2. Describe your customers in one word?
Traveler
3. What one attribute do you look for when hiring an employee?
Innovation
4. What is the one word you want your customers to say about your company?
Brilliant!
5. In three words or less, describe your passion?
Global Game Changing
6. In three words or less, describe what it takes to be successful?
Dogged Belief in the Vision
7. In three words or less, describe your first year in business at Sanctifly?
Tough but Learning
8. In three words or less, describe how running a successful company has changed you?
Satisfaction
9. What is the one word that you believe has the most power in the English language?
Opportunity
Karl Llewellyn, thank you so much for sitting down with us for our DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We very much appreciate the time you spent helping our readers learn more about what it takes to be a leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Sanctifly, nothing but the best.
Thanks again!
