The UK PropTech Association has created a range of unique award categories that look at the underlying qualities of winning companies. It was a nice surprise to win against some tough competition and the categories we won show the effort we put into growing a forward thinking, people-centered organisation. I believe there is a lesson in there for other companies.
We were named Fastest Growing Business which was nice, because keeping up fast growth over a long time is hard work for all involved. Recognition from the wider PropTech community mean a lot as well. Sure, customers often say our software has helped them save time and grow their business, but we’re not in the glitzy and glamorous part of property technology. As such, we don’t make headlines as often.
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We enable a step change in the land finding and assessment process, which has a knock-on effect on the number of houses built. Last year alone, our customers found nearly 100,000 potential development opportunities! A great product is of course central to achieve fast growth, but the other two awards we won deal with factors that are often overlooked. Factors that are important in developing a great product.
The first, Excellence in People Development, is such an important part of any company. I believe people join startups so they can have a direct impact on the business. They want to be close to decision making, knowing they will be allowed and required to go beyond their comfort zone. Ownership of the company and the ability to grow with it are also important if you are to keep your team motivated.
With the right frameworks in place, we’ve been able to do that. Some of the things that we have had great success with are regular one-on-one’s between employees and founders, weekly lunch presentations where team members share insights from their work and of course the Land Assembly.
The Land Assembly is incredibly important for me and Andrew. It is a quarterly day that makes sure everyone in the company knows where LandInsight is going and understands what the short- and long-term goals are. It is also a great opportunity to have an open debate around key decisions that need to be made. Everyone won’t always agree, but they will always be heard, minimising the risk of disgruntlement. This kind of transparency is useful for all business owners that see themselves growing fast and want to make sure the whole team is onboard.
The third award we won was Diversity Advocate. I was proud to win this award because it's something I truly believe in. Diversity can be defined in a lot of ways, but at its core it is about being welcoming to anyone, no matter who they are or how they define themselves. Focus should be on the value they bring to your organisation, nothing else.
The property industry has a long way to go to shake off traditional tendencies, and the people working in the industry tend to be quite homogenous. This is really a shame as we have proven that having a diverse team not only makes moral sense, but also business sense.
The best argument for this? You need to have the best ideas to have the best product. Having a diverse team brings a wider range of skills and ideas to the table. We have been able to approach problems from multiple angles and solve them in ways that would not have been possible, were it not for the diversity of our team.
Having an open and empowering culture means our team is more willing to bring their ideas, no matter how “out there” they might first seem. It also means things that are taken for granted are questioned. More than once we have changed the direction during product development.
It is clear to me that all the awards are related. Investing in our team has built loyalty and passion for what we are doing. It has also enabled each member of the team to help us become the fastest growing PropTech company in the UK.
If you are interested in trying our land finding and assessment solution, you can get more information about our product here. If you are interested in joining the team (we are always looking for new people) check out our current openings here.
/Jonny Britton, Founder & CEO