Aled Nelmes

Lumen SEO is the 100% transparent marketing agency offering search engine optimisation services to small and medium sized businesses. Founded in 2020, the company started with the vision of disrupting the SEO services industry by offering complete clarity and flexibility to the client. The goal is to become the best place to work in the world.

I started the business due to two core frustrations.

Firstly, the world of work. Upon starting my first professional marketing role, I was immediately met by under-appreciated and unmotivated employees who were often sacrificing their health and mental well-being for a job they weren't passionate about. I'm pretty stubborn, leaving a year later I wanted to create a workplace that succeeded by putting people first.

Secondly, the lack of trust in the SEO industry. Known for its mystery and smoke and mirrors, I experienced marketing agencies charging obscene fees for what turned out to be relatively simple work. I want to deliver an SEO service that offers complete transparency and flexibility.

I am an incredibly risk-averse person and therefore I started the business gradually. Finding my first client at a marketing event and working on their website after I had finished my day job. I gradually phased out my job as more clients came onboard.

My inspiration at the time came from author and public speaker Simon Sinek who wrote the book 'Start with Why'. Simon opened my mind to the joys, liberties and health benefits of pursuing purposeful work and that is where I found my own purpose - helping others find and enjoy purposeful work.

I was also lucky enough to be brought up in an entrepreneurial family. My parents started a natural skincare business when I was around 8 years old, I worked for them during my teens wrapping soaps and preparing orders, like a sponge I absorbed everything and saw firsthand the flexibility and joy it brought them even with the long hours.

I love the challenges that being an entrepreneur brings.

Initially there were my introvert tendencies. I gain energy from solitude, and I love being alone with my own thoughts, this makes me a very creative and reflective person but when I needed to network and get my name out there at the beginning, it was a challenge. I tried the big rooms and approaching strangers, but it didn't suit me, I didn't feel myself. So, I decided to network my way. I found local people in Cardiff that I aspired to be like and started having 1 to 1 coffees and lunches, asking for as little as 30 minutes of their time. I found in these interactions I could listen well and present myself authentically.

More recently I'd say recruitment has been a challenge I've been really enjoying. We have a more niche culture at Lumen SEO than I initially though, we're a work-hard-play-hard kind of place, with fantastic benefits for staff such as the 4-day work week, free dedicated therapists, gym, yoga, you name it. But this is an expensive way to run a business so finding hard-working, engaged and focused employees is constantly a challenge.