LDC Top 50 2024
Laura Keir
CEO
Protein Works
Laura Keir heads up Cheshire-based Protein Works, one of the country’s fastest-growing health food brands. “We’re the underdogs. We love the challenge of disrupting the sector and grabbing market share from the big players,” she says.
From product development to production and packaging, the company does everything in-house and has sold nearly 300 million shakes to more than two million customers since 2012. Keir took the helm in 2023 and has overseen a year of record-breaking growth, with turnover jumping from £30.7m to £42.8m. The secret of her success? “I’m customer obsessed. I frequently moonlight on our live chat platform so I can talk to customers directly.”
We’re the underdogs. We love the challenge of disrupting the sector and grabbing market share from the big players.”
Q&A
What motivates you?
I love finding talented people who haven’t had a decent shot at a career and helping them to excel. I look for things that aren’t on a CV: resilience, grit and attitude. My interview process is pretty tough. I want to really understand the person in front of me. What makes them tick? What makes them emotional? I’ve moved away from using psychometric tests and instead focus on having genuine conversations to gain a deeper understanding of who the person truly is and what they genuinely want.
What sets your business apart?
Our Trustpilot score is 4.7, which is best in class. With every order, we send out a quick taste satisfaction survey. If a product drops below a buy-again rate of 80%, our new-product development team is alerted, and they’ll work out why it’s not hitting the mark. We don’t shy away from bad news; it makes us get better.
What’s your biggest struggle?
I’ve always wanted to run a business. As a kid, I made money by washing cars, selling sweets and writing a primary school newspaper. Being CEO is a great privilege, but I do feel the responsibility of that title and the expectations that come with it. I struggle with self-belief but try to block out the noise, stay grounded and keep delivering.
