23-year-old award-winning CEO, Chris Thomas, launches new business to help remote workers
Spotting a gap in the market and having the business nous, courage, and creativity to fill it is something that would appear to come naturally to Edinburgh entrepreneur, Chris Thomas. This month, at the age of just 23, Chris announced the launch of his third business, Remote Easy.
The concept is a simple one. Remote Easy provides remote working teams with everything they need to communicate smarter and interact better – from cutting edge technology to ergonomically designed furniture.
When the world went into Lockdown in 2020, countless businesses switched to remote working literally overnight. One year on, it has become clear that in order to ensure remote working remains a viable long-term alternative to the traditional office model of working, employees need to be properly equipped. This means they need to have a suitable set-up – such as a well-designed desk and chair, storage solutions, ICT equipment, up-to-the-minute IT packages, and anti-virus software.
Until now, this has presented many companies with a logistical nightmare involving multiple suppliers, each providing different elements to different employees. But now thanks to Remote Easy, businesses can get it all in one place. In fact, Remote Easy is one of the only providers in Scotland that can offer businesses of any size the complete package. They can deliver, install, maintain, and manage everything a team needs to work remotely, enabling businesses to scale back or even completely remove the need for an office.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Chris commented; ‘Remote working has so many benefits, but in order to make the switch from office to home-working as smooth and seamless as possible, certain things need to be in place. Judging by the experience of many businesses, it’s not an easy task to kit out a remote team with all the right furniture, equipment, and software if multiple suppliers are involved. So, I decided to take the lead, streamline the process, and help make the switch to remote working as slick as possible by providing everything businesses could possibly need’.
Launching any business during a pandemic is a bold and daring leap. But Chris’s commercial savviness has been apparent from a young age. At just 21, Chris was appointed CEO of one of Scotland’s leading IT, print, and telecoms providers – incovo. By age 22 he had earned himself a coveted place on the shortlist of The Institute of Directors ‘UK Young Director of the Year’ awards and won the ‘Business Growth Award’ at the West Lothian Business Awards.
In 2020, Chris signed a major deal with Glasgow business, Eta Delta, to significantly expand incovo’s IT offerings. He then launched the hit podcast series, The Chris & Ryan, spreading positivity and inspiring growth. By April 2021, Chris had branched out into the world of street food with the opening of the highly acclaimed Ozen, serving up pan-Asian cuisine in the heart of the Scottish capital.
Given Chris’ commercial track-record, this latest business venture, Remote Easy, looks set to cement his position as one of Edinburgh’s most promising and ambitious multi-business entrepreneurs.