In the Spotlight - Vicky Denby

During the trials and tribulations of the pandemic, we saw increased investment in local businesses. It became very clear that if you wanted your favourite independent business to make it, you had to support it. Though many fell victim to Covid, we are now seeing Lincoln City Centre flourishing again as Lincoln Big continue to reinvigorate our city.

Mosaic member Vicky Denby has a passion for supporting independent businesses and local entrepreneurs. In 2019 she founded Live Like Loyalty, an app-based Staff Perks Scheme that supports the local economy. We sat down with Vicky on a cloudy Wednesday morning to learn more.

Vicky had another business called Mummy & Little Me. “I got to the point where I'd been doing it for quite a long time and I felt I needed something new and exciting.” Having already had an independent retail business she was passionate about looking after other businesses. “I could see the high street deteriorating, but we've got so many amazing independents in Lincolnshire, so I thought, right I need to start a business to support them.” That's how Live Like Loyalty was created. It became an app-based staff perks scheme; employers could offer freebies and exclusive discounts from independent businesses encouraging new customers into local businesses through their staff, but also via word of mouth.

"One Size does not fit all."

One of Vicky's biggest challenges was getting larger companies on board because in the past their priority was to treat all the staff the same. "I've been working with a very exciting new customer, Bishop Grosseteste University. The Director of HR, Jonathan Cheeseman, is a really forward-thinking guy and he said to me, 'We love your perks, as apart from supporting independent business they are tailored and super relevant to our staff.' So a year and a half ago he went to his staff who had been on a national perk system for a while and spoke to them. We finally shook hands last November." Vicky's goal is to make people feel individual with their perks, they make it personal to make people feel really special. One size fits all has become less fashionable as employers listen more to their staff.

Having Bishop Grosseteste University join Live Like Loyalty has been a milestone for Vicky. She is grateful for the business but it's also important because of who they are. "You have a lot of hoops to jump through with that kind of organisation but Jonathan has been able to support me through it because he could see the value and benefit for their staff." They will have access to all these incredible different things to suit all of their employees from the age of 18 to 65. "Since we've gone live, it's really catapulted me into the market, because at last, I have companies coming to me! Things have really started to get exciting in the last couple of months."

"When you have a dream you can make it become a reality"

Vicky first visited Mosaic in 2020; during the pandemic, she had a tour near the time she was setting up Live Like Loyalty. "I had this future fantasy of working here and I always thought it was going to be two or three years away. But when you have a dream you can make it become a reality." Vicky sold her share of Mummy & Little Me to Tracy, her business partner, this allowed her to focus on Live Like Loyalty. "Mosaic is in a great location in Lincoln and everything is accessible which is especially great for my business - to be in close proximity of local businesses and to have all these great businesses working around me." Vicky wanted something with a really good community hub; having worked from home for a few months she wanted to be around people." Mosaic ticked all the boxes. Everything is made very easy, everything you need is here and I have always said how helpful the mosaic team are. They make life easy they are always there, ready to help."

"Most importantly the price is right. When you're a small business owner it is all about the price. I think Mosaic is very well priced for what you get."

Wrapping up our conversation I asked Vicky if she had any advice for other local entrepreneurs? "Talk to as many people as you can, take a few risks, and enjoy yourself and the journey. But make sure you have a mentor - we all have weak areas. I know my weak area. Mine is finance and numbers so I have a mentor who I sit down with once a week and work out what I need to do, where I need to go and set out a plan."

"Put a business plan in place because once you do, you start talking about your future plans, and then they start to happen."

We are so glad that Vicky is part of our Mosaic Community, if you'd like to learn more about becoming a Mosaic member visit our website or get in touch.