Hey, so...Saurav Chopra. Co-founder and CEO

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Perkbox Culture BookDefined by our employees, partners and customers. We’re Perkbox – come

inside and meet the team.

This is our culture book. We’ve filled it with all the fun things which we think make working here so unique.

See, Perkbox isn’t just a company – it’s a way of life. Happiness isn’t just part of our product, it’s the core of everything we do.

In the following pages, you’ll find photos from the office, stories from our team and partners, plus a few fun surprises.

So turn the page and start your journey.

‘‘ ork hard, play harder’’W ‘‘ est it, try it,

make it happen’’0301 0402

‘‘ Not a job, a fami y ’’‘‘ Above and beyond ’’

050306 04

‘‘We don’t know its impossibl ’’e

Perkbox stories

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To raise our seed round in 2011, we had to get our website quickly, so I got on Elance, which is a marketplace for developers. We got one guy and told him we need to build a group buying platform for small business owners. He built us a platform based on one in China since they have a lot over there. He built that quite quickly for us and we had a system of putting up deals, and that was really cool.

One night, I was playing around with the site and I was trying to put up deals and all of the sudden there was a pop-up all in Chinese. I was like, “Holy shit, we have been hacked by some Chinese hackers”. Later I realised that since we needed to get it done quickly, the developer just repurposed a Chinese group buying platform. He later told us that he spent the whole week trans-lating the webpage from Chinese to English but what he forgot to do was translate the error messages. So we had all these error messages in Chinese.

And that is just an example of how we tried to do things quickly and get them out the door. Anything is possible.

There are people in our company that are very very close to each other, very very good friends.

We expect mistakes but we expect people to learn quickly. ‘‘‘‘

Saurav Chopra, Co-founder and CEO Chieu Cao, Co-founder and CMO’’ ’’

There are so many things going on in our business but one of the things I really remember and I think I will remember for a long time is actually what Maddie and Gemma did for Priyanka. You know when Priyanka was leaving and you guys came down and said “hey can I do this?” And first of all I was really impacted by that. I have worked in a lot of companies and I have not seen that happen. It could be that I’ve worked for big companies or bigger startups but I’ve never seen that happen.

And then you actually did that I was blown away by the amount of effort that you put in and how well it turned out. I still remember that and it has become one of my favourite stories.

There are people in our company that are very very close to each other, very very good friends. So yeah, that is my favourite story. It has really showed me that everyone cares a lot and loves each other. It is really really nice to see people care so much about each other. It makes a nicer, more fun and engaging environment.

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C U LT U R EOur first launch:

Our first Customer Engagement launch was agreed at the end of December 2013 and our partner had decided they wanted to launch in February 2014, which was very exciting. The only problem was that we didn’t have a full platform up and running, we knew what we had to do but did not really know how we were going to deliver it in such a short amount of time.

There are a huge amount of hoops to jump through with large companies, including legal, IT security, operations, data journeys, brand guidelines and communications plans. It took an unbelievable team effort from Priyanka, Ben, James and Shaid to pull the whole thing together. They even worked over Christmas to ensure we could launch on time and delivered beyond what we were aiming for.

We launched on time and our partner has been with us since, and is still going strong. Our determination to make it work, no matter what was in the way, is the reason we succeeded. Perkbox culture thrives on working together to create something unprecedented, and across every team that same impact is achievable by our teams, and that is a rare position to be in.

Our determination to make it work, no matter what was in the way, is the reason we succeeded.

‘‘And more often than not the impossible becomes yesterday’s story.

‘‘Alastair Doig, Sales Director

’’’’

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I met Saurav and Chieu fairly randomly – I was seeking something and didn’t quite know what. They were looking for someone that wasn’t really me. Not the most auspicious of starts! Yet through the entire endless interview process I realised I really liked their desire to build something that could last, and their basic complete lack of vanity.

I was asked to join as a consultant, hiding the fact that I was looking to join full time. Saurav and Chieu wanted to see how I reacted to people, and how people reacted to me. Perkbox HQ was different then – but was as endearing to me then as it is now. It was a mess of music, ping pong tables, video games and people clumped about on desks way too close to one another. It really was a mess… but a beautiful mess.

But everybody could feel the basic energy – the intention of building something really unique in terms of business and culture. And the sense of togetherness and desire to get things done outweighed by far any lack of experience. In fact, what became clear to me then is that a more experienced team would never be able to do the things we are doing. When you don’t know things are impossible you don’t question whether they are achievable. And that’s what’s wonderful and unique about this place – we continuously strive for the unachievable and the impossible – sometimes not elegantly. But always together. And more often than not the impossible becomes yesterday’s story.

I’m lucky I spotted that then. I’m luckier I now live it every day.

Gautam Sahgal, COO

Perkbox is a place where people are friends, and the team are all tens

Perkbox is a place where you won’t get the blues, but you do get free booze

Perkbox is a place if you’re ever in need, the team will give you free leads

Perkbox is a place that will allow you to grow, in ways that show

Perkbox is a place that succeeds, while meeting everyone’s needs

Perkbox is a place that treats you like a Lord, and always strikes the right chord

Perkbox is a place that helps you engage, so no one’s in a rage

Perkbox is a place that helps you retain, so you can stay sane

Perkbox is a place that is itself an attraction, so you don’t have to take action.

Chris Ritson, Head of Sales

Irina Savitskaya, Senior Business Develpment Manager

Once upon a time, in a land that lacked all kinds of perks, where teamwork is key through fun and hard work,

Perkbox was born, so strong, convenient and so profound, it brought people savings, happiness, love, friendships and sticking around.

Minute by minute, hour by hour, and so on and so forth – Perkbox grew strong,

Strong as a mountain, as fast as the wind, rising up like like the “Rocky Balboa” theme song!

The guys and girls here are truly unique, if you have highs or lows – they sure know what makes you tick.

The adventures are endless, the memories sweet, more so on those “rare” Friday nights when we shake to the beat.

The stories of Perkbox could go on and on, the laughs, the jokes, how we all get along...

But I have a demo, so good day, farewell, I have to go.

The End.

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Madlena Pozlevic, Engagement Manager.

Jack Beldon, Head of Sales.

When I left the US to come to the UK, I expected something of a new beginning, but I would never have considered myself lucky. Being a part of Perkbox, I’ve realised how lucky I really am.

Perkbox has inspired me on so many levels, to achieve wonders! The best part about working at Perkbox is the people. Every single person has made an imprint in my life, even if they don’t know it. I don’t consider Perkbox a job – I consider it a family, my very own Perkbox family!

When I was a small girl my parents used to say - Maddie, choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. To be honest, I have never understood this phrase. Who likes Monday mornings? Or who likes meeting the deadlines or sometimes working under the pressure? NO ONE! But then... I met Perkbox and I have changed my mind....

My Perkbox Story is all about people (Alastair, Saurav, Damir and Ben) who helped me to create my own role, who cared and believed in me to do the job I was dreaming about.

Jack Beldon, Sales Director

Madlena Pozlevic, Engagement Manager

Cristina Santos, Senior Business Development Manager

I joined Perbox almost two years ago – a fresh-faced graduate with next to no experience. Thanks to a hereditary lack of testosterone I’m still fresh-faced, but the passage of time has fixed everything else.

Back then, the team was about a dozen stupendously talented people, all crammed inside a shoebox of an office. Over the last 18 months I’ve watched us double, triple – even quadruple in size.

It’s lucky then, that we’ve managed to fill our new – much more spacious office – with an equally smart, accepting, and hard-working group of individuals, who all contribute towards making Perkbox the amazing place to work it is today.

I’ve made some of my best friends here, had some great experiences, and created enough memories to bore my future grandchildren to death.

“Don’t be stupid Gramps,” they’ll say. “No one could create a company like that with a bunch of second-hand Lenovos.”

Oh how wrong they’ll be.

Working at Perkbox has easily been the best period of my entire career. We have a team that not only works hard, but is supremely intelligent, confident and willing to learn. It’s no wonder why we are performing the way we are.

My favourite memory was taking the top-sellers away for a fully expensed weekend in Barcelona, it was an unreal experience and one that the team truly deserved.

An amazing environment and company culture makes this place unbeatable.

Rob Barrie, Chief Copywriter

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CULTURE MAKES THIS PLACE UNBEATABLE

In my interview for Perkbox I was forced to play table tennis.

I was told this game would decide my fate. It was the game of a lifetime.

“Why do you want to work here?!” The Sales Director roared whilst serving up the ball.

Miraculously, my bat was just able to catch it and I welped, tapping the ball back, “...it just seems...like you’ve a great company culture here.”

“Have you ever worked in a start-up before?!” He asked with a furious lob that re-quired me to make a run for it.

“NO! BUT I’D LOVE THE CHANCE TO SEE HOW A BUSINESS LIKE THIS WILL GROW!!!” I screamed back, my hands stinging from the twack of the paddle.

This rally went on like this for what seemed like hours. He interrogated me about my OTEs and grilled me for inconsistencies in my past experiences. It was brutal.

I don’t remember who won. I think I blacked out and likely lost, but I am positive it was through sheer force of will that I got the job and was forever changed.

Tony Cantwell, Sales Team Manager

Kevin Eze, QA Test Engineer

After finishing university and looking for your first job as a fresh member of the working world, you expect to be that young outsider surrounded by people twice your age and assigned to a tiny desk in an office corner.

I was instead made to feel very welcome by a team of people in my age group flying remote-controlled helicopters, playing house music and juggling stress balls (in the office) – all while being good at their jobs and working on a number of cool projects.

Nine months later, I can still say that Perkbox is a place that doesn’t sacrifice a sense of fun in favour of progress and results, and that’s the kind of culture I aim to take with me wherever I go.

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Ben Leeds, Product Director

Natasha Phillips, Corporate Partnerships Manager

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It all started in a coffee shop near Tottenham Court Road. I met with Chieu and Saurav, who sat me down and explained their vision for the business. I was struck by their overwhelming hunger and passion – and, fresh out of uni, I couldn’t help but feel excited.

What I particularly remember talking about was ‘growth’ – they said the business was ‘moving fast’ and that they had ultra-growth in their sights (I remember Saurav saying ‘10x the size’, at least a dozen times). I was sceptical at the time…

A week later (during my graduation ceremony) I received a job offer at Perkbox – or ‘Huddlebuy’, as it was known at the time, and just a week after that I walked through the door for my first day.

Following directions on my phone on a boiling hot August day, I made my way up grungy Denmark Street, past the Hare Krishna HQ, directly through the middle of a strange Spanish travel agency and into the office.

Well, ‘office’. Both the size and temperature resembled a sauna and there was a jungle of ethernet wires and power cables underfoot. The room was dead silent apart from the dull moan of the pound shop USB mini-fans, and I think it was those that were the only thing keeping everyone breathing while they worked.

I was very open minded and really didn’t have any expectations, but was still somehow completely shocked. Instantly reassessing my decision to take the job offer and questioning my sanity, I wondered what it would be like if I’d just taken the ‘normal’ route – a nice grad scheme in an air-conditioned finance office, like all my other sensible friends. These harsh conditions were the humble beginning of what is now one of the most unique companies I’ve ever seen.

I’m glad to say the company has changed a little bit over the years… I often arrive to our (now fabulously spacious) Blackfriars office to colleagues racing around on scooters and precariously balancing on hoverboards whilst throwing stress balls into a hoop.

The company has a pulse, a vibrancy about it that hits you as soon as you enter the building. Fun and happiness are core to the business and in my opinion, really the key factors in the company’s ongoing success. Led by our strong and aspirational leaders, together we do whatever it takes to be successful.

Sometimes it means staying until 5am, sometimes it means working at the weekend… but it’s all worth it.

What can I say about my experience at Perkbox so far? Well, from the moment I stepped into the office on my first day back in October, to the very day I write this, the same words spring to mind when I think about what Perkbox stands for – a vibrant, determined, ambitious, varied, collaborative company that stems from hard work, but more importantly, teamwork.

The incredible qualities that Perkbox possesses are rare for a company that came to be just over a year ago, signifying its unbelievable success through sheer determination and belief. This is why I love working here so much. The belief that anything is possible and that the impossible is truly within reach is a fantastic vision to hold.

Personally, the exposure that I was able to have from day one and the ability to be able to carve my own path is exactly the type of company I had hoped to be working for. Not only are you allowed to give your input, you are also encouraged to voice your ideas and opinions, ensuring you are part of a collective achievement. This culture makes for a fantastic future and one that I am excited to be a part of!

21UNSTOPPABLE.Together we are

Gul Singh, Partnerships Manager

Perkbox is a company that is made for human beings looking to excel in life. Our focus is to empower, inspire and educate employees and business owners to achieve greatness.

Perkbox has a great company culture – one that is open, honest, focused and dedicated to team goals and morale.

We are looking to instill happiness, individuality, collaboration and a bigger purpose that we can all achieve together.

Alone we are weak, together we are unstoppable.

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My first day at Perkbox happened to coincide with the summer staff party. Actually, I wasn’t due to start work until a few days later, but they suggested I join a bit early so I could see what the company was all about.

It all began with me meeting my new – and very welcoming – Marketing team. The day ended at four, which was great, but what came next was even better: a speed boat ride up the Thames, a party bus full of alcohol, and finally a festival-style booze and buffet party at London Fields. Not your average first day!

Claire Rodwell, Marketing Acquisitions Manager

Matthew Nash, Marketing Manager

I feel very lucky to have made some of my best friends here at Perkbox, as well as work with some incredibly talented people. I’ve grown so much, both personally and professionally, and I will always be grateful for the support I’ve received, particularly from Alastair and Chieu.

Alastair is one of the most intelligent, inspirational and creative people I’ve ever met. As my friend, confidant and mentor, he inspires me every day, and it’s been a privilege to learn from someone so talented. His impact on Perkbox is undeniable – not only has he brought in a lot of that cash money, but he has also played a huge role in establishing our company culture. I think him and Ben have done so many monumental things here and I’m glad I get to work with such talented people.

Being able to grow with a company, and have a voice that is heard and valued by the age of 23, is such a unique thing. All my friends comment on how obsessed I am with work, but I think that most of my colleagues are, simply because we feel like we’re part of the business.

Working with people who are so supportive and caring makes you want to constantly work harder and do better. Nick, Max, Judy, David and Matt are some of my favourite people in the world, and I know some of the people I’ve met here will be my friends forever. The people at Perkbox aren’t just your work friends. They’re so much more than that.

I’m so thankful that Perkbox came into my life, and I can’t imagine ever working anywhere better. I want to end my story with a final huge thank you to Alastair and Dan, who have shaped both my professional and personal lives more than they will ever know. Alastair, I know I tell you all the time, but thank you for always believing in me.

Rosa George-James, Partnerships Marketing Manager

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Expect to work as hard as you play. My first day was the office party - I came in at ten o’clock in the morning, finished at four and was put on a party bus with a bottle of wine by half past.

My second day was eight hours of Excel and a baptism of fire in Salesforce. Followed by a boozy meal in Covent Garden with the team. No rest for the wicked, ey?

I’ve only been at Perkbox for a week and I already feel like part of the team. I love how friendly everyone is – it’s definitely a fun environment to be in!

Perkbox is fast paced yet laid back at the same time, which motivates me to work harder in Marketing and gives me a clearer overview of how a successful business is run.

What’s more, all the staff get unbelievable perks, but what I really love is the free food in the kitchen.

The best part about all this is it’s just the tip

I joined Perkbox in its very early stages. To be exact, I am team member number seven.

What do I love about Perkbox? The culture first and foremost. I’d go so far as to say you won’t get it anywhere else. Work is and has always been FUN here!

So far, for simply doing what I love, I’ve been taken to Barcelona, get beer at my desk every Friday and I work with and learn from all kinds of interesting individuals from a wealth of backgrounds..

Aside from this, I speak with some of the newest and oldest, biggest and smallest, most interesting businesses in the UK! Not to mention being taken on a speed boat across the Thames and more nights out than I can remember!

of the iceberg.

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Perkbox defines employee happiness!

Tanner Mehmet, Business Development Manager

Ellie Selston, Customer Happiness Manager

Danielle Sarpong, Marketing Intern

Rowan Bailey, Senior Account Manager

Being a relative newbie, I am really overwhelmed by the company’s focus on culture and happiness within the team. I’ve never worked in an environment where this was highly regarded in a practical-sense.

I am excited to move to the new office and see all of Maddie’s amazing engagement plans take shape.

My experience so far is that I am really lucky to be working with a team who are inappropriate, funny, sometimes strange and always willing to make each other’s work days easier.

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One year down the line, I don’t entirely regret taking this job! I joined as employee no.32ish, and we are now just shy of 100. On my Perkbox birthday, I paused in the middle of the office, with its barrage of sales patter and at least three sources of questionable/unsynchronized music, for a moment of peace-ful reflection...

In the beginning there was James Crowley, with his infinite knowledge of the back-end and sexy waistcoats. Then came the summer party, with a speedboat down the Thames and a party in a field.

The company exploded in the autumn and there were new fac-es every week guaranteed. I noticed that it never took long for anyone to settle in and, in turn, become those welcoming the new starters into the fold.

The Christmas party is also worth a mention, as it turns out we can organise a piss up in a brewery after all. A well-orches-trated assault on our collective livers - comedy, dancing and a few people who decided to ‘have a nap’ before 8pm, classic Perkbox. 2016 has brought a lot more change and good times already, and the vibe is going strong!

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I began my wonderful journey at Perkbox as an intern on Friday the 25th of August 2016. I know it was a Friday because the first memorable piece of information I received from the co-founder and CMO Chieu Cao was “Start on a Friday, that is when the beer trolley comes around. You will like that. Everybody drinks and has fun”. From that moment forward I knew I had a mentor in Chieu and I’m sure many colleagues feel the same way.

Hannah Sims, Marketing Manager

David Bliss, Marketing Executive

Damir Latte, Recruitment & Talent Manager

Mille Holst, Partnerships Manager

I arrived at Perkbox straight out of uni. To be honest, I didn’t really know much about the real world – and maybe I still don’t – but I saw a listing for a Marketing Intern position at a super cool, happi-ness-promoting start-up so, naturally, I clicked (which is a sign of great marketing, by the way). I filled in my details, went for an inter-view and now just this week I’ve been hired as a full-time employee!

I know I’m supposed to say it’s the work I love most (and I do like that too), but honestly I think it’s the company culture that makes Perkbox so special. You might think I’m paid to say that, but it’s true! I knew this was going to be the case from the moment I arrived for my interview – I couldn’t actually open the main office door because it was wedged shut by a rickety red trolley that I later came to know as the ‘Friday afternoon booze trolley’.

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such smart people every day. They know exactly what they’re doing, but they’re also willing to share their knowledge and expertise with me. I have already learnt so much, and I’m still so excited for what’s to come.

My first week at Perkbox I was in shock... I came from the corporate world into the world of Perkbox which included office music, people laughing, playing with stress-balls and having the most awesome Friday bar. Not long after I found out it also came with the most amazing colleagues which many are now close friends too. Perkbox is the kind of place you dream of working but never think is actually possible. Perkbox is my second family.

Part of my job is to hire people for Perkbox. I have worked for a couple of other startups before and thought I had seen it all, but it was soon to become emi-nently apparent to me that this place is different.

From the good natured vibe that is immediately apparent as you walk in for the first time, to the complete accessibility of all your new cohorts, to the free drinks on Fridays and the hi-jinks that inevitably follow, to the fiercely contest-ed FIFA and table tennis tournaments, to the epic Xmas party which I foggily recollect and beyond, the way that working culture is cultivated here is a sight to behold.

Almost to the point, in fact, that it feels like I’m throwing a party rather than working. Sometimes I find it amazing that I am even paid to do my job. Obvi-ously though, don’t publish this.

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Brad Morris, Senior Business Development Manager

Joe Murphy, Costumer Happiness Executive Elsa Bacchiolelli, Account Manager

Catrin Addison, Account Executive

Sam Monk-Wilson, Account Manager

Charlotte Ollerenshaw, Corporate Account Manager

Robert Gould, Copywriter

Mohsin Chowdhury, Finance Manager

Joe Rawnsley, Partnerships Manager

William Koning, Corporate Partnerships Manager

Will Spence, Account ExecutiveTimothy Withers, Senior Business Develpment Manager

Edwin Joseph, Front-End Web Developer

I enjoy working for Perkbox be-cause of the company’s culture, as well as the people I work with to make it all happen. I take a lot of satisfaction in helping small to medium-sized businesses grow on a daily basis.

During my time at Perkbox, I’ve made new friends and tackled new challenges, sometimes while dressed in a dinosaur onesie. Which is obviously the best thing ever.

Perkbox is full of energy and ambition. We are a cool bunch of people working towards making all UK offices happier places. At Perkbox, we work re-ally hard but we also know how to have fun and to help one an-other.

The unfortunate instances of people leaving sour milk in the coffee machine are redeemed by the constant laughter and amusing conversations across the office. Oh, and all the fizzy water and Belvita biscuits are great.

The best thing about Perkbox is the atmos-phere, there is never a dull moment. The team are always smiling and there is always fun to be had. Whether that is an impromptu table tennis tournament or half the team huddled around Pac Man waiting for someone to beat the top score. Add in our great benefits and this makes for a winning combination (lunch is always cheap with our free tastecard!)

The standing ovations and rounds of applause for teams and individuals that succeed is something that lifts the whole office, re-minding us that we work for an awesome company!

Trekking up to Nuneaton in chilly darkness to deliver a talk in a factory was a challeng-ing but ultimately rewarding experience, especially when I saw 70 faces light up with happiness when I told them about the benefits of Perkbox. It was a pretty awe-some feeling.

Since joining Perkbox I no longer get Sunday blues. The team support you pro-fessionally and personally, and I know I will have made some friends for life.

So there was this one time (not at bandcamp) when everyone was go-ing to go home on Friday because everyone was tired (boring) The next minute we’re all in a bar, then before you know it, 25 colleagues were back at my flat for an after party till the sun came up. Classic Perkbox!

Perkbox is the company that provides simple but desirable employee perks to SMEs. It can make an employee so much happier, which in return for the employer helps attract, engage and retain great staff.

The main reason why I enjoy working for Perkbox is the product. It’s some-thing I believe in, and I think it has the potential I think is huge so I feel I can grow within the company, the posi-tivity, energy, fresh ideas and friend-liness that everyone brings making it a fantastic place to work.

I remember feeling instantly wel-comed and put at ease by the warmth and sociability of everyone at Perkbox.

I have always loved the idea of working for a small start-up busi-ness. I feel like when you work for a small business, it’s like a second family, and to me that’s what Perkbox is. Coming to work every day doesn’t feel like a chore, I get to see, whom I consider, my relatives – distant cousins. I don’t come into work because it’s a job, I genuinely love what I do and be-lieve in what I do. Family is what it means to work at Perkbox.

Simply amazing!

I’ve always felt that the more I have in common with people, the less special my own point of view must be. Both my mind and personality rage against mak-ing these kinds of connections, out of an irrational fear of diluting of losing my precious individuality.

So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that I did not loathe life in a company as team-driv-en as Perkbox. The cold hard truth is that I actually rather like it. Our Marketing team may be youthful and compact, but jeepers, we’re good. Of course, I still have a lot to learn as a copywriter, but I cannot think of a better place to do it.

The never-ending supply of free snacks is both the best and worst thing about working at Perk-box. Now that I’m fat, I really have to redeem one of those gym benefits.

Jevgeni Tarlokov, Graphic and UI/UX Designer

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James Holman, Account Manager

BEING PART OF THE PERKBOX TEAM IS INCREDIBLE.

Legends of yesterdayThere is always something fun going on in the office and everyone there is so positive and great to be around.

Since starting just a few short months ago, I have been given the oppor-tunity to be a part of so many exciting things. The best of which was the photoshoot that we all took part in on my second day. Instead of hiring pro-fessionals, the Perkbox team decided we would be the face of the company, appearing on our website, promotional material and the presentations that are taken out to our customers.

We went to a studio and were given loads of props before heading to a backdrop where we were photographed performing various poses. I’m not sure if it was the atmosphere, or simply the amount of sweets supplied by Perkbox that gave us all the energy to bounce around the studio but it was amazing fun and the pictures turned out great!

It’s not hard to pose for a shoot designed to promote employee happiness when you’re having good fun with an amazing team.

For me, Perkbox defines employee happiness!

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PRIYANKA UPPONIJAMES BRYANTPerkbox employee since 2013-2015

I have a number of fond memories from my time at Perkbox, but one stands out above the rest. We ran an email campaign offering free hand-delivered craft beers to the first members who replied to an email campaign with the words ‘I love beer!’. I spent a hectic Friday afternoon jumping in and out of an Uber, running around various London startup offices, delivering beer by hand to our members. The goal was to build user engagement with the brand and gather first hand feedback and was a resounding success, whilst our Twitter feed went through the roof. Just another day at Perkbox...

Perkbox is a company that practices what they preach. Its remarkable success is testament to the core values that defines the product - that great teams make great things. For many months it was a side project, largely run by myself and Product Manager Ben Leeds, based on an idea that we could use the same core features that helped B2B blue chips retain clients, to help those same businesses attract and retain their employees.

Over a period of roughly 8 months we took it from initial concept through a period of beta testing. We created an MVP using a freemium model, through which we acquired 10,000 employees of some of the UK’s fastest growing young companies as members with zero marketing spend. During this time we honed, tweaked and improved based on constant customer feedback, identifying key features that would help small businesses like us engage with their employees and show them they were valued.

It’s hard to imagine now, but we faced a number of challenges that threatened the success of Perkbox. The transition from freemium MVP to paid membership was arguably the greatest challenge, and tested

When we launched one of our first customer engagement platforms in early 2014, we had to pretty much re-define every single work stream - both online and offline. This involved a rehaul of our content management system, digital marketing processes, our operations and customer data analytics, while we had to scale massively from sending 100 benefit club packs to well over a 1000 a day.

But an amazing team can acoomplish amazing things! We were able to hit all our deadlines and deliver on time - all thanks to Alastair, Ben,

Perkbox employee since 2011-2015

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34our belief in the product, and thereby in the team that built it. We were unable to roll out premium features to freemium users and therefore it proved very challenging to convert them to paid accounts. We persevered however, and a revelation came when the data revealed our conversion from new leads, without a free trial was significantly higher, when we could roll out premium features instantly. As I’d taken on responsibility for selling to clients, I distinctly remember the moment we realised this. We soon re-focused our attention away from conversion of trial accounts to generating and closing new leads with considerable success. Since then, Perkbox has never looked back.

It’s a rare and commendable feature of Perkbox culture for the co-founders to place such trust in their teams to deliver the company’s vision. A frequent criticism of founders of startups is the instinct to micro-manage, and reluctance to allow staff to own key areas of the business. Perkbox actively encourages internal entrepreneurs, and is reaping the benefits of that culture today.

Although I left a year ago, Perkbox’s current position as the UK’s fastest growing employee perks provider, and second fastest growing startup in the country is of immense pride for me. I can only imagine the pressure Saurav and Chieu felt having key members of the team working almost exclusively on a non-revenue generating feature of the business for so long, with no guarantee of success. Were it not for other areas of the business winning deals and delivering revenue at important moments, Perkbox might never have been. It’s a testament to Saurav and Chieu that their belief in both the product, and their team, never waivered. And look where Perkbox is today. Great teams make great things indeed.

James, Shaid, Seamus, Rob, Madlena and Gemma; who all shared an infectious work ethic and were super-fun to work with. With such a brilliant team at the center of our processes, we were able to take this partnership to the next level and is still running strong. This very culture makes Perkbox what it is today - a productive and motivate team that will continue to work together and even go the extra mile in making something great.

Culture guides behaviours and becomes the very fabric of a business and the happiness culture at Perkbox is addictive!

I’ve been on a journey that’s seen Perkbox grow from a team of 5 in a building that was on the verge of being demolished surrounded by 000’s envelopes, cards and letters to a company that keeps having to move offices as the team grows at mind-boggling speed, the last I heard there were 100 perkboxers!

It’d be impossible to explain the great culture that underpins that amazing growth in words but spending a few minutes at Perkbox HQ will tell you all you need to know, but I’ll do my best.

One of my favourite quotes is “it’s never wrong to do the right thing”. The team at Perkbox have always gone out of there way to build things that really help, even if this means going to great efforts to make an experience that little bit better. All these little bits add up to a truly unique experience.

Perkbox is also a testament to what can be done when a small group of people focus and pull in the same direction. I’ve seen huge initiatives and tasks completed in unbelievable time at the highest standards, something that can only be down when a companies culture facilities that collaboration. I must admit some of these ridiculous tasks generated from me, sorry-ish.

It’s been fun and ridiculous working with the team at Perkbox. Fun because we shared a vision of how we could change our part of the world for the better and ridiculous because we were stupid enough to believe we could, determined enough that we did and working that hard shouldn’t have been so much fun!!

Perkbox partners

‘It is always a pleasure working with Joe and the team at Perkbox. They always value ODEON as one of their discount providers and truly understand the appetite for Cinema within Employee Benefits’.

Greg Radford, Business Development Manager at Odeon

Ashish Sampat, Product Manager at Worldpay

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Oh Wooow!Max Ek, Marketing Manager