Meet the Director at Lockabox | Peter Morris

We wanted to let you get to know the team behind Lockabox better and who better to start with than the Director, Peter Morris. We’ve sat him down for an interview to do just that.

The Lockabox story began with Peter having the idea back in 2013 when he was a university student getting his food stolen by flatmates. Since then the business has grown exponentially with our boxes being sold worldwide and a team that is expanding rapidly…find out how he makes it all happen!

What does a typical day look like for you?

I wake up at 5am and start my day with an hour of personal development followed by an hour of yoga. Then it’s breakfast and heading to work. I find I get my best work done before midday which is why I start with the important challenges. I typically research and manage new opportunities for the business and brand, dealing with daily issues and making financial decisions on a day to day basis. The afternoons are mostly spent tidying up any loose ends and in team meetings. Finally, it’s off home to cook dinner finished with either yoga or a gym session!

What would you say are the best and worst aspects of your role?

I would say that the best part of my role is watching the team grow and enjoying their success and wins. I also really enjoy seeing the product I created turn into a business and valued product that customers are using daily, it is amazing to see how it really is making a difference in people’s lives!

I’d say the worst part is having the responsibility of making tricky decisions that deal with issues outside of our control and trying to keep everyone happy. The pressure from personal expectations of where I want the business to be and what I can achieve can also be difficult especially if the resulting stress isn’t correctly dealt with. 

Where do you hope to see Lockabox in three years?

I would like to have some presence in high street retail, but certainly, be available for purchase online anywhere in the world.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from starting the business?

It’s really important to have a plan and to stick to it, if you deviate things can become complicated. It’s also really important to make sure you have the correct platforms set up for customers to give feedback so you can adapt and change to suit their needs. 

What is your proudest achievement at Lockabox? 

Survival (just kidding!) I think it would be delivering a new concept to the world that has a benefit to people not just students but families and individuals around the world. 

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Elon Musk or Steve Jobs, people that have persevered in the face of failure but ultimately brought some of the most valued inventions and products to the world.

What would be your advice to someone wanting to start their own business?

If you’ve got a true calling or you believe in something enough and are willing to make sacrifices to make it happen, then it’s probably the right decision. So keep going with it and follow it through because it will probably be something in the long term that defines you. Starting a business can change you into something different but it’s most likely for the better so be willing for that to happen. 

Three top tips to growing a successful business?

1. Try to run as lean as possible 
2. Make sure you appreciate the ride, and learn from your mistakes. You need to celebrate and recognise the wins/successes. Sometimes you can latch onto the bad but you’ve got to let it go and focus on the good at times. 
3. Build your team as soon as possible because it’s a lonely place by yourself. 

How do you create a positive culture within the business?

To respect and cherish the abilities of your team and trust in them to do their best work. Make sure they understand the business they are in and where you want the business to go so that they can best understand how they can help to make that a reality.  

Make sure they are clear that there is a relationship between how well the business does and their personal/professional development. Lockabox is passionate about growing not only the business but also the team members careers and future outlook. 

If you were to invest in another business what/who would it be?

If and when I get to that point I’d like to invest in several small startups similar to Lockabox, as from my experience that is where the magic happens. The journey that they will go on will be a proud but hopefully lucrative experience which from experience is an exciting journey to be a part of and watch. 

How has covid 19 affected your business? What are your thoughts on COVID -19?

We feel lucky and also a sense of confidence that our business up until now has been generally unaffected positively or negatively by Covid, although we are starting to see inevitable pressure on cost and our supply chain which we have had to build into our business. 

My thoughts on Covid are that it has been amazing to see how adaptable people and businesses have been to the change and generally, it seems most have survived but then I have also heard some recent horror stories so I feel very privileged to be where I am.

If you had the opportunity to work with one of the following, who would it be and why?

• Jeff Bezos
• Richard Branson
• Elon Musk
• Bill Gates

Elon Musk, because I feel I resonate with him the most and I think that he is more so than the others at the forefront of product innovation. Elon Musk is focused on innovative concepts and physical products that are changing the way we do things or think we can do things.  

Do you have any quotes/ mantras you live by/resonate with? 

“Treat people with respect and follow your heart and everything will be fine” – My dad.

Now a bit about you…

What’s your star sign? And which attribute is most true to you?

I am a Gemini and I’d say the attribute most true to me is that I am flexible but I will admit that I can also be impulsive at times. 

What animal would you consider your spirit animal?

Bear, because I can be grumpy but also like to think I could look after my cubs. I don’t mind living outside in the forest either. 

What two items would you take with you if you were shipwrecked on a deserted island where all your food and water needs were taken care of?

So a holiday basically (haha), a Surfboard and a hammock. 

We hope this gives you a bit more insight into Lockabox as a brand and also helps you get to know Peter a little better. Make sure to check out our other blogs at https://lockabox.com/blog/the-latest-at-lockabox/ to get to know the rest of the team and what they had to say about the best and worst parts of their job and their two truths and a lie.