toptable.co.uk

toptable.co.uk is the largest online restaurant booker in Europe whose eminent shareholders include legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson, celebrity chef Gary Rhodes and Diageo the largest premium drinks company in the world.

They help users research, plan and book everything from a romantic dinner to a large corporate event for thousands.

We spoke to Karen Hanton the Founder and Managing Director of toptable.co.uk.

Your name: Karen Hanton

Position / title: Founder and Managing Director

Company name: toptable.co.uk

Website: www.toptable.co.uk www.toptable.com

Your company / website vision statement / goal:

Europe’s largest online restaurant & party booking service

What you sell / services you offer (brief description of your company):

We make reservations at over 1200 top restaurants UK wide and in Paris. Consumers can search, see a 360 degree view of the restaurant, a menu, other diner reviews and book online – all for free! Plus inspiration on where to dine & party, reward points for booking and much more.

Have you always wanted to run your own business? What were some of your previous jobs / companies?

Yes definitely. After spending a number of years in big company HR and Training, I really felt I wanted to do something for myself. I left corporate life at age 28 and started developing properties. I think I had a creative side which I discovered quite late on. It was a bit like ‘Changing Rooms’ before it’s time to be honest – making a property look fab on very little cash.

Anyway in the past 20 years I have set up a number of ventures including a recruitment company which I sold to a PLC, a fashion business and many, many property transactions.

But toptable has by far been the most exciting and has the potential to be huge.

Have you got any qualifications? Please tell us about yourself academically?

I didn't know what I wanted to do or be. I took off from Aberdeen, Scotland when I was 18 and headed for London to decide whether to go on studying or not and never went back! I don’t think it has ever held me back.

How / when did the idea of your website / company come about?

It has come about really from being involved in a small restaurant business which makes you understand that there's very little in the way of marketing opportunities for the industry at a price you can afford. I simply thought it would be a good idea to create a simple marketing tool for the industry on the web and here we are!

If you could give readers of this book one piece of advice what would it be?

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