The World of Business Isn’t Equal – International Women’s Day 2018

March 8, 2018 by Miss Lauren Riley

While the opinions below are my own, I was compensated by Johnson & Johnson for this post

If you’ve been following me for a while now, you know that I can often be found pushing the agenda of diversity in business. Particularly (but not limited to) gender diversity. From my talks to social media shares to the initiatives I support. I firmly believe the world of business really needs equality advocates.

With International Women’s Day 2018 upon us, I was delighted to cover the subject on my blog. When I set out on my entrepreneurial journey a few years ago, I did so emboldened by my naïve experiences to date. I do not believe my race or gender had been a limiting factor in my career as a lawyer to that point. Continue reading →

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Learn More About My Business & Crowdfunding Announcement

January 18, 2018 by Miss Lauren Riley

I wanted to be able to share with you an exciting announcement that I made across social media at the beginning of 2018. As you’re probably more than aware (as I talk about it A LOT), I am the Founder and CEO of a technology start-up called The Link App. This month we announced that The Link App is crowd funding. This has been an exciting project for me personally, because it has meant I’ve got to talk to a lot of my social media contacts, friends, investors and members of the public, all about what The Link App does.

For those who are not familiar with the concept of crowd funding, here is a very brief overview. (Equity) Crowd funding is the opportunity for the general public to invest in a business in exchange for shares in that business. There are a lot of in depth sources of information out there so I will not say anymore.

The Link App has chosen to crowd fund via the FCA regulated platform, Seedrs. As part of the project, we have put together an official video, which can be found here: https://www.seedrs.com/the-link-app

Some more about our business: Working as a solicitor I noticed that the number one source of complaints was communication. Clients’ expectations are rising and as professionals we need to keep up. Because of things like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, people expect Real Time communication, and high-profile cyber security intact has made people value security more than ever. The answer is the Link App. It’s a multi-device, cloud-based, encrypted communication platform that delivers updates to clients’ Smartphones instantly or via web portal.

You can create things like e-signature requests or send forms to be filled out by your client. Plus, the Link App gives you smart ways to interact with your clients‒like them requesting a call-back.

We are already a live product being sold in the UK and South Africa. We’ve recently completely two successful funding rounds, and we are the official app partner of some of the biggest names in the legal sector. We’ve recently been head-hunted by a prestigious Silicone Valley accelerator and will be joining them in early 2018 to cement our global strategy. We’ve been named in a recent Law Society published book as a secure alternative to email. Not only that, but we’ve got plenty of positive feedback from both law firms and investors. The technology itself is agnostic. Even though it’s been sold to the legal sector so far, we believe it’s compatible with any industry you can think of. Our addressable target market is £2.7 Billion Pounds in UK verticals only. And of course, beyond that, we have the potential to be a completely global business.

Sir Nigel Knowles is our Chairman and an existing investor: “The legal services sector needs to remain profitable. It needs to work smarter and the Link App allows lawyers to work smarter by giving them the opportunity to work more effectively and efficiently. The legal sector has been looking for the Link App for a long time. I believe Lauren is a real force of nature. I’m very happy to be chairman of Link App and an advisor to Lauren. I was an original investor and I will be investing more in this round”

I hope that that was a useful overview about what the business does. I will be sharing more about my entrepreneurial journey with you on my blog as so many of you ask about it on social media.

As everybody knows, investment carries risk, therefore the official risk warning for any investment is at the bottom of this post.

As we are in 2018 is seems appropriate to mention how amazing everybody was in 2017, showing support for the business and sharing things that matter to us, such as this campaign.

I hope you all have a great week!

Lauren

Investing involves risks, including loss of capital, illiquidity, lack of dividends and dilution, and should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. This communication has been approved as a financial promotion by Seedrs Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 550317).

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Sri Lanka Part 2: Ocean Reef & Ayurveda Healing

September 23, 2017 by Miss Lauren Riley

After so many crazy hours worked already this year I'm grateful for lazy beach days #srilanka #oceanview #chilled #reef #travelblogger #wanderlust

@MissLaurenRiley Instagram

So onto the next part of my trip, 5 nights at the Barberyn Reef Resort on the South West Coast of Sri Lanka. As the name suggests this is on the beach and when I arrived it was my first glimpse of the ocean since landing. The instant I see the sea I smile, I have always been the same. To add to it, the beach front location it in an alluring mix of chaos and calm- The waves coming in from the ocean are quite rough but they break about 20 meters out on the reef. That leads to a few good things; you can walk on the reef, you can hear the waves very clearly at night and the water directly in front of the resort is almost motionless. Great paradox. Which brings me nicely into my reason for being here; the contradictions of modern life. Ones quest to feel happy and fulfilled versus the pressures of the everyday commute, bills, deadlines, the failure associated with not posting to Instagram daily. There are a lot of things at odds and I wanted to learn another way of balancing them.

Continue reading →

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Sri Lanka Pt 1- Jungle, Culture and Safari

August 27, 2017 by Miss Lauren Riley

@MissLaurenRiley Instagram

Here I go- off on another adventure. Oh no wait, that was the old me. The new me just works all hours under the sun in pursuit of her dreams. Now I am not complaining, I love being an entrepreneur BUT to function at optimum levels one needs balance & that is what I am seeking in my latest series of blogs all about wellness.

Continue reading →

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The Lake District 2017

May 28, 2017 by Miss Lauren Riley

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Why you never have to leave home again

October 16, 2016 by Miss Lauren Riley

OK so I am exaggerating slightly, but only slightly. As a tech entrepreneur, I look at some of my fellow tech startups and think that’s genius. It started with the likes of Uber, Deliveroo and Just Eat finding success catering to just how lazy we’ve become- ahem I mean how savvy we are to use technology and our time so wisely. Que a string of apps to have almost all of our needs delivered right to our door. This is one of the most enjoyable and fascinating blogs I have been a part of- just look at all the things I achieved without leaving my house…

Handy- London’s fast and easy home cleaning service. I found it had easy online booking but do keep in mind it’s reoccurring automatically. Super convenient and great service but perhaps over rigid- by that I mean your choices have to fit into very definite boxes. Like the addition of one bedroom window I wanted cleaning the only option was to charge for the whole house. Overall good service and you can’t help but love the convenience of rattling through the to do list via an app.

Hello Fresh- now I’m by no means a chef but even I can do this and I loved the experience. Once a week you get all the ingredients delivered to your door. Everything you need to make fancy dinners from scratch. Step by step guides too. Childs play and forced me out of my boring food routine. I genuinely feel I’ve learnt things I can take forward and (as you know if you follow me on snap chat lauren_riley22 or Insta @misslaurenriley) They are all pretty healthy and I’ve discovered some rather interesting vegetables too. I highly recommend giving them a try.

Bevy- an app that’s designed to supply alcohol and various other associated products to keep the party going- think nibbles etc via an app. Swift and friendly delivery under an hour in fact and good communication in the meantime. I ordered only Gin and chewing gum and only wish this existed when I was a bit less business and a bit more of a party. Please drink responsibly!

TruBe- personal trainers to your door. Exactly what you are imagining. The UX (user experience) is very intuitive and I love the idea of those people who aren’t confident enough to leap head fist into the gym having this option. Gyms can sometimes be daunting places. I like it because I am so busy, this can fit around my lifestyle easily. It is important to keep fit and healthy where you can.

Spa by car- another one doing exactly what it says on the tin. Spas are always a favourite of mine and I the fact I was sat on my own sofa watching tv while having my nails done was a big bonus. It surprised me how much better the experience was minus the trip to the salon. I also had a massage, a must for a those leading a busy lifestyle.

Nutriseed- juice diet delivered straight to my door (as you can probably see the particular door was my office on this occasion). All nutritional work and portion control done for you. All you have to do is keep it refrigerated and drink five times per day. It’s not going to be suitable for everyone and I don’t encourage dramatic weight loss methods but pre-holiday I wanted to give my body a detox from all the naughty stuff I put in it living life a million miles an hour. For me the best benefit was how amazing an apple tastes afterward, totally resetting your taste buds.

This was such a fascinating experiment and I will certainly use these great apps again to suit what I have going on at the moment. Thanks to the brands involved in making this happen and you for reading. Please do give this a share.

http://www.handy.com/

http://www.hellofresh.co.uk

http://www.bevy.co/London

http://trubeapp.com

http://www.spabycar.com

https://www.nutriseed.co.uk/

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Travel: A weekend in Wales 2016

September 25, 2016 by Miss Lauren Riley

There is definitely a theme developing with my travel blogs and just my blog in general…Escapism and living a life less stressed.

When the wonderful people from Virgin Experiences got in touch with me about the opportunity to explore a little bit more of the UK and escape the city I didn’t need asking twice. I had a look at their many and varied staycations online, each a little different from your usual break but I settled on Wales. Continue reading →

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Travel: The Lakes 2016

August 21, 2016 by Miss Lauren Riley

I have been pretty open to date about the highs and lows of business and how stress can sometimes creep into the entrepreneurial journey if we don’t keep a close eye on our wellbeing. When an opportunity to visit the tranquillity of The Lake District and try out a brand new luxury B and B came up, it was bit of a no-brainer. It was a wonderful weekend and I am happy to share the experience with you.

I took just one day off from The Link App (if you don’t count being on my emails constantly) and drove over 200miles to ‘The Lakes’. It took almost ten hours, which was unusually long and may be the subject of a much less exciting blog. Once there, totally worth it for the dramatic change of pace. I live in London so I don’t drive too many places the prospect of a road trip is even more exciting. We arrived at The Malabar at about 6pm on Friday evening. The Malabar luxury B&B is situated on the edge of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales at the foot of the Howgill Fells. Run by first-time B& Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday to The Link App- 2 today!

August 15, 2016 by Miss Lauren Riley

Today marks the second birthday of my business The Link App and I wanted to celebrate this day with you all!

For the past two years, The Link App transformed from an app idea inside my head to a tool for law firms, thanks to those law firms who have adopted the app within their daily use. Helping law firms communicate with clients has been achieved but equally as importantly we have helped to improve customer service for firms clients Continue reading →

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4 ways an app can improve your client relations

July 15, 2016 by Miss Lauren Riley

As my regular readers will know, my fulltime work and all consuming passion is my business The Link App. As part of this I regularly get asked my advice about apps for business and here is my latest business blog that I wanted to share with you guys too…

No matter how professional and reputable a service your firm may provide, it’s always difficult to remain constantly in touch with clients. The inevitable day-to-day chase-ups alongside case and administrative work means your time is precious – especially so on those extra busy days.

You know it’s important to maintain healthy relationships; but it’s also crucial if you want repeat business. Making slight changes to the way you communicate with clients can make a huge difference, but we understand it has to be practical for you too. Don’t worry, it’s a conundrum most law firms we talk to experience, you’re not alone.

phone app

The first thing to think about if you feel you’re neglecting your clients a little, is a way of making communication faster and more efficient.

This often involves complete process changes – no thank you. Due to the fact there’s a distinct lack of alternative solutions available, we often see firms stick to the way they know best, which is understandable.

Introducing The Link App

We decided we wanted to make a change, so we designed an app which boosts your client communication abilities, strengthens your client relations, and closes the gap between you and your clients. It’s pretty unique in the fact it’s designed just for the legal industry – and it’s called The Link App.

Working as a stand alone or integrated system The Link App acts as a communication channel between law firms and clients; in the form of a desktop application and mobile app respectively. This single channel keeps the two parties in touch at all times, and the app is ideal for providing quick case updates and for prioritising communication.

Here are 4 ways the app will benefit your clients, and keep them satisfied:

1. Simple and instant messaging

By reducing the need to check multiple platforms such as email, letters and phone, it creates a more efficient process for case updates. This method of ‘real-time’ communication helps efficiency, and has several features, including:

— Immediate update messages via push notifications straight to clients’ mobile devices
— Callback requests’ which use a traffic light system – avoid phone tennis and prioritise

2. Easy to use

The app is simple and intuitive; especially for your tech-savvy clients who are used to this kind of technology. We’ve used the fewest possible pages and sub-menus in order to make it extremely easy to navigate.

The desktop application is also very straightforward, and doesn’t take much training to get everyone set up – which is also great in the long term. Not only that, we provide tech support to help you with the technical problems you may encounter.

3. Safe & secure

First and foremost on our list of priorities when designing the app was to ensure it was completely secure. Communication between client and firm are encrypted via our servers, which should allay your concerns regarding confidentiality.

Not only this, only the clients can access their own case with their unique login details. Push notification messages are confidential, and there has to be a log-in before anything private can be seen on the device, in a similar way banking apps do:

“All your client and firm data is protected. We use 256 SSL encryption – the same security levels the banks use. All data is backed up across an independent data centre and never leaves the UK or EU.”

4. Ready to go via a free mobile app

The Link App is easy to download and set up – all your client needs is their own personal log-in details, which will be automatically provided.

— Available on both the Android Play Store and the Apple App Store
— As it is a mobile app, it’s accessible 24/7 – unlike email, it’s probably with them wherever they go, meaning they are in more control
— Clients won’t need to pay a penny for the app

We’re at a time when the legal industry needs to start embracing innovation. By providing solutions that your clients want you can start to make the changes now. By taking up The Link App, you’ll already be showing existing and potential clients how innovative you are – happier existing clients, and not only this, it’s a great selling point for potential new ones.

Take a look at our app with a no-obligation demo. Click here to register.

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