TALKING BUSINESS


SHARING THE HEALTHY WORD WITH THE WORLD


Healthy Stuff Online was born out of a couple’s passion to help people lead healthier lives. A decade on Northampton-based managing director CARL RAVEN talks about the company’s meteoric rise over the past couple of years and how it has transformed into a global player.


When Andrew West founded Healthy Stuff Online he initially thought the bio resonance technology at his disposal would be used solely to help people quit smoking. With support from his wife Carol, a nutritionist, he quickly realised that this technology could be used to deliver far healthier living benefits and saw that while food intolerance testing had become a big issue no one was addressing it. In addition the business also invested in equipment to provide cold pressed juice programmes to the consumer market. With its new outlook the small start-up company had soon


taken on staff and offices and developed into a sustainable business. Providing non-invasive bio resonance testing allowed customers to be tested for intolerances for hundreds of food and non-food items at an affordable price. Inspired by Andrew’s father, whose own illnesses had improved thanks to using juice programmes, the couple even set up a Health Retreat in Spain that offered clients a mix of yoga, healthy eating, Pilates, meditation and juice programmes. However, by the summer of 2016, the couple found that the


retreat was consuming much of their time and effort. Andrew and Carol wanted to focus the growth of their UK business and so with great prudence, they sought external assistance and were introduced to Marcus Richardson, and in turn Carl Raven, to assist them in realising their growth dreams and aspirations and to safeguard the future of the business. The team worked wonderfully and following an intensive period of restructuring and foundation laying the business was in great shape for the journey ahead. The new team focused on their agreed


strategy and specific roles, being led by chairman Marcus Richardson, with Carl taking full responsibility for the firm’s sales and marketing. Managing director Carl said: “The year that


followed was a complete rollercoaster and I was doing 20 hours a day, every day, for 12 months. “In that time we went from operating in two


‘WE WENT FROM OPERATING IN


Marcus and Carl immediately began recruiting and within six months the workforce had doubled and LifeLab Testing was launched. Lifelab Testing offers an effective blood test for food allergies and intolerances and today boasts a global network of 120 practitioners, nutritionists, doctors, sales agents and distributors. Carl explained: “During our first year with the company we worked really hard and produced some amazing results but the one thing myself and Marcus should have done sooner was invest in more people. Ultimately our investment in people is what allowed us to launch Lifelab Testing within six months and we couldn’t have done it without them. “Initially, Lifelab Testing was only in the UK


TWO COUNTRIES TO 26 COUNTRIES’


countries to 26 countries which included launching a new website in each country. We established our global promotional activity with the likes of Groupon and Wowcher and now partner with 16 promotional agents. Furthermore, as a commitment to our growing global customer base we also made operational changes to our customer care team by providing a 24-hour service, five days a week and launched our live chat service.” During this first 12 months the company posted an impressive


set of figures. Its turnover grew by 183%, its gross profit increased by 206%, its operating profit rose by 273% and its net income grew by 261%. Looking to continually add to the product portfolio the team


visited a conference in San Diego in July 2017 to learn about blood testing for allergies and intolerances. This confirmed that blood testing was the next venture for Healthy Stuff Online,


36 inbusiness OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018


but this summer we have launched in Australia and America. All three countries are ahead of the game in their efforts to address food


intolerances and allergies. “Our intention is to expand into more countries and help more people live healthier lives by


understanding their food allergies and intolerances. Our three key bases in the UK, America and Australia will in


turn allow us to service the European, Canadian and Asia Pacific regions.” Lifelab Testing has also been busy, not only helping the


consumer market, but by sharing its expertise with elite athletes from the GB Olympic Swimming Team, GB cross country skiers, the GB Bobsleigh team, Bedford Blues rugby team and medal winning Paralympic swimmer Oliver Hynd. In addition, it is sponsoring Team Row4Victory who are preparing to row 3,000 nautical miles in aid of the Royal British Legion. Carl added: “Blood testing is a big thing for us at the moment


and we’re thrilled that it has gone from a standing start to global player this year. We’re also delighted to say that the rest of the business is also doing amazingly well, and in two years we have grown from a £0.6m business to a £4.5m business.”


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