The LifeTools story
| It seemed like the end of the world for Christopher Payne from Stockport when he was made redundant in August 1992. He had been the Managing Director of Europress Software Ltd and had masterminded the launch of a range of educational software called Fun School which had sold half a million copies in the UK. the parent group, Europress Ltd, was going through financial challenges and needed to cut costs fast. Chris and many others suddenly found themselves without a job. |
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"I didn't know what to do with myself at first, and I felt very down. Europress agreed to pay me a good salary for the next two years as long as I kept out of software publishing. However I'd only ever worked in software publishing; it was all I knew. And I didn't know if Europress as a company would still be in business two years later with the way things were going.
"However I'd seen an amazing device called the MC2 ("the MC-squared") at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas several months earlier. It used pulsing light and rhythmic sound to induce deep states of consciousness. I had a sample shipped over and tried it at home. I've never felt so relaxed in all my life. I decided that if I could do anything I'd set up a mail order business selling them in the UK."
So a few months after Chris was made redundant he flew back to the States to research light and sound technology in more depth. In May 1993 he formed LifeTools and put a small ad in the Manchester Evening News. He got no response. Chris was a member of an activity organisation called Spice so he inserted a leaflet in the club newsletter, and the first orders started to roll in. A small £125 advert in Kindred Spirit brought in £2,000 (US$3,000) in business. Chris doubled the size of the ad, which brought in even more revenue, so he took the plunge and placed a full-page colour advert -- and hundreds of enquiries poured in.
"At last I knew the business was really taking off. It was so exhilarating. I was running LifeTools from the box room of my house, with stock stored in the main bedroom. Not ideal! Every night I'd drive to the post office with big parcels in Tesco shopping bags and stand in the queue with everyone else. Soon we were big enough to have Parcel Force come and collect parcels from home."
Soon afterwards Chris moved the business out of his home and into a business centre which charged £50 a week (US$75) for rent, and he took on his first member of staff. About the same time Chris contacted an old friend called Carol Ellison who was on the same Business Studies degree at Leeds Polytechnic. She had recently set up a media booking company in London. "We got together and she booked an advert in Viz comic with the headline "Blow Your Mind". the phones went crazy and enquiries flooded in.
"We had an answering machine to take evening calls, but I found that very few people left messages. So I tracked down a 24-hour answering company who charged us for every call they received. This made sure that we captured everyone who rang in."
Since that time Chris has moved the business four times, has a sales office in Reading, has 50,000 customers, and 250,000 enquirers -- all from an initial £8,000 (US$11,000) investment.
"It has been a fascinating journey. I've taken on staff that I didn't feel would work out in the long term, and they are still with me; I've taken on people who I thought would be great, then I ended up dismissing them, perhaps if they made a tremendous cock-up.
"The biggest lesson I've learned is about taking action. When I take action I sometimes make so-called 'mistakes' and that can be costly. But that's life. Over half my decisions have 'worked out', often incredibly well.
"If I'm not feeling too good about myself I usually realise that it's because I'm not making enough decisions and taking action:I'm hiding behind being busy instead.
"But when I do take action I feel terrific. I want to feel happy and at peace with myself, knowing that I've made a difference to people's lives. Through LifeTools I can scour the planet for the very best books, CDs and devices to enable people to create the life they want so that they can be happy.
"Some people are a little in awe with what we've created, but I tell them: you can do that too. On one level all I did was plant a seed then water it regularly. So many people forget to water their plants, so not surprisingly they die! Some have given up entirely and have plastic flowers and plants! So anyone out there who has a dream can make it happen by taking the necessary action. From there miracles can happen."
If you want to know more, or are interested in working for us, contact Chris by email: kate @ lifetools.com
Find out about about the designer of LifeTools' brochures and packaging: Wendy Barratt.
Looking for a place to stay on the west coast of Scotland? Chris' parents-in-law have a lovely b&b!
Find out about the gadgets and software Chris Payne uses for increasing productivity.
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