Will Rees: Direct Online Services

Will Rees, 27
Company: Direct Online Services Ltd 
Web: www.directonlineservices.co.uk

Will Rees is 27 years old and co-founder of a £15m company – two statements you wouldn’t normally expect to see side by side.

Having launched e-commerce kitchen furniture business Direct Online Services (DOS) with his father in 2009 as an eBay project, DOS now covers 14 website brands; 11 sites in the UK, two in the Czech Republic and one in Germany. These brands include well-known solid worktop supplier Worktop Express, alongside Joseph & Kingsley, Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets, deTerra and WEX Trade.

The Gloucestershire entrepreneur credits his early business success to “retaining focus”, “laughing at the ‘good’ problems”, and “keeping an eye on profits” (current profit stands at £1m) and it’s a strategy which has clearly worked well.

Completely self-financed, Rees is projecting £20m turnover this year and wants to reach £50m turnover by 2018; with £10m turnover for DOS’ European arm.

While Rees notes that the company has to stay on its toes; “there will inevitably be more competition”, he and his 132 employees are putting all of their efforts into “staying one step ahead”.