KASKO team interview, Richard Allan
What is your name and where do you come from?
My name is Richard and I’m from Cambridge originally but have been living in London for the last few years. Professionally, before KASKO I ran and later sold a family business. That enabled me to take a few years out to travel and work abroad before joining the London startup scene a couple of years ago.
What do you do at KASKO?
I work in Business Development, basically trying to keep the project management and development teams nice and busy with new projects.
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Bungee jumping! I’m not afraid to say I hated it, why would you do that? Why did I do that? Apart from that, maybe that time I hiked up a Japanese volcano carrying skis, just so I could ski into the crater.
This sounds like I am Walter Mitty! InsurTech by day, absolute madman by night, I promise, I am not actually like that, I have a puppy!
What’s the coolest thing you’re working on at the moment?
Having discussions with potential clients in new regions, where KASKO could expand, further staking our claim as a truly global company.
Our team has also been encouraged to come up with and trial unique ideas, allowing us autonomy and creating an environment where we can measure our successes and failures to keep improving.
Who would you most like to swap places with for a day?
Lewis Hamilton as I wouldn’t mind a lap in an F1 car.
Who is your most inspiring colleague and why?
There are a few! One of the things that keeps me coming to work is knowing I’ll constantly learn, hear differing opinions, and improve my work but also grow as a person.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Less talk, more action!
What’s the first thing you do when you get to the office?
Get my free barista coffee (thanks WeWork!).
What was your first job?
I was lucky enough to grow up around family businesses, allowing me to get stuck in at an early age and take on more responsibility than normal. This taught me that when people are given the right environment and levels of autonomy, great things can happen — regardless of age or experience.
What’s the biggest misconception that people have about your position?
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It’s a hard sales role where lots of bullshit is required. I’m a strong believer that a good product sells itself. Luckily at KASKO we have a great team, delivering a proven product that we can all get behind, making my role enjoyable and busy!
What is your highlight from the last KASKO trip?
Our last KASKO trip was to Riga in Latvia. It was great to explore a new city and put the faces to the names of all the new colleagues in the Latvian team, there are people there that I speak to regularly for work, we have great professional relationships and now, I consider them my friends as well as colleagues. KASKO team Latvia is great!
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
If I told you that I’d have to kill you (ask Jeff… RIP).
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
I’d recommend the book ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ by Dale Carnegie to anyone. It has some great advice on how to get the best out of people and positively influence without the need to be manipulative.
What’s your most hated household chore?
Ironing! The worst thing about it is it’s completely self-inflicted too as I don’t actually need to wear a shirt to the office a lot of the time! WHY DO I DO IT?
What’s one thing that surprised you about working at KASKO?
I joined KASKO from another start-up and I was surprised at how well KASKO has handled its extreme growth whilst maintaining some structure and culture (no headless chickens here).
If you could add one thing to the office, what would it be?
Is a sushi train excessive?!
What’s one of your favourite memories from the past year?
Tölting through lava fields in Iceland — seriously, you should watch Walter Mitty (and no, I am not making these answers up).
What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend?
Walking Chewie!… That is my new puppy, not the hairy chap from Star Wars!
Otherwise, I enjoy meeting up with friends, eating out or jumping on a horse.
What is your favourite acronym? Seriously, tell me.
S.P.A.M. = Seriously, Poor Advertising Method!
Rewrite the chorus of your favourite song to be about InsurTech.
…taxi!
