Lets Talk Business – MechanLink Interview

I’m Faruk Ojikutu, 21, from Hackney, North London. My main interests are football, music, tech and creativity in general.

Tell me about your business and what inspired you to start?

MechanLink is your direct link to local mechanics at competitive prices! We are an online platform that connects vehicle owners and small businesses to their local mechanics and technicians, we cover almost all services across the Servicing, maintenance and repair industry and also customisation and performance.

It started out of frustration having negative interactions with mechanics and cars in general there was a period of time where I paid more on repairs cumulatively than an actual car itself due to dodgy mechanics.

What makes your business different?

Mechanlink is customer focused, aiming to give customers power in an industry which historically does not favour them. Our mission is to improve the Quality, Convenience and Trust across the entire Automotive aftermarket.
Our values based on community and transparency are what make us different from the average auto service however we are going a step further and changing the business into so much more than it already is, I’d give away more but I’d rather show you as the year unfolds.

Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years?

Definitely expanded across Europe and venturing into emerging markets internationally, facilitating/providing industry infrastructure which allows auto businesses to provide products and services. It will be a necessity for all vehicle users to have our platforms on their devices.

What would you say makes your business successful?

I wouldn’t necessarily say we are successful yet, but we have seen over £100k in transaction value and formed partnerships which should accelerate our success 2020. I’ll come back to this question at a later date.

Do you ever experience obstacles or challenges, how do you overcome them?

A lot! I tend to apply a principle I learned from “the lean start-up” called the ”five why’s” where you ask yourself/your team why there is an issue, then ask why to the first reason/excuse given and repeat this process five times and that usually takes you to the root problem from there I learn what can be done to prevent an issue or at least manage it in the short run.

What does success mean to you?

Excellence and contentedness. When you look across everything long-term no one cares about who is second best, only the ones who leave lasting impacts by breaking barriers and making shifts in their respective field; that’s what I’m after not for the fame, but for myself I want to set levels because I know how great I am. Contentedness is self-explanatory, I don’t see the point in chasing things for your whole life, at some point I’d want to be at peace.

Is there anything you would have done differently or anything you believe you would have benefited from in the process of implementing your business?

I would have found a cofounder from the beginning and split everything 50/50. Also, I would have focused more on small scale test trading and growth rather than the platform which wasted so much money on development which with a technical cofounder could’ve been done for free.

What do you believe is the most important tool to equip an inspiring business owner with?

Recruitment, finding the right people with the right skills and allowing them to generate value, even if that is just subcontractors. The earlier this is picked up the quicker your business will elevate. Apart from that some things are just in your character and you should build your team around your own strengths and weaknesses.

Can you describe your customers?

I’ve had a wide range of customers, different ages, different lifestyles, one thing most have in common is they are after convenience, they want the least painful process in getting whatever they need and that’s what we take care of. Our business customers are much more focused, mainly small businesses with small to medium sized fleets from 3-20 vehicles and they require a range of maintenance, servicing, repair and
branding services for which we offer tailored bundles.