Lobster is a pioneering no-code software company that gives businesses the tools to develop complex business applications without code. Armed with a range of intuitive solutions and one powerful platform, Lobster helps customers digitalise their processes, become more agile and cut costs. Tim Srock joined the company as the new CEO at the start of last year. He talks about the company’s mission and its daily operations.
Tell us a bit more about your business and how it started.
I joined Lobster less than a year ago and it’s been an exciting and fast-paced few months. Founded in 2002, Lobster has been on a mission to simplify data integration challenges through our innovative no-code platform, particularly focusing on mid-market and supply-chain heavy industries. While our roots are in Europe, we have a number of global clients.
Our strong European foundation has allowed us to be at the forefront of the no-code revolution here. Lobster has been leading the way, empowering businesses to tackle complex integration tasks without the need for coding expertise.
How has the business grown since it started and how did you ensure growth?
We have achieved consistent double-digit growth, doubling our business every three years since Lobster was founded. Today, Lobster offers a unified data platform that brings together capabilities for data integration, process automation and more – all built on our innovative no-code technology. We’ve been focusing on telling a more cohesive story around what our technology offers, emphasising how our platform empowers businesses to take control of their data without the need for coding expertise.
Our success is also driven by a sharp focus on our ideal customer profile – we’re very targeted when it comes to industry, customer size and ideal persona – and we adopt a customer-driven innovation approach. We’ve found the key is accompanying our customers on their individual journeys and having the mindset of being ready to adapt to help them solve a specific problem. Our strong partner ecosystem and data network amplify our impact, allowing us to achieve shared goals more effectively. Lobster truly excels when interacting with partners and clients – our human-centric approach is central to our success. Our network is not just valuable; it’s a cornerstone of our innovative offering.
What’s the business’ approach to management?
Management best practices can vary widely, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time in leadership, it’s that you need a collective north star. For us at Lobster, it’s our culture, vision and mission centred around driving innovation in the data domain. Without those shared objectives, you can’t build a high-performing organisation.
We have an analytical and data-driven approach – perhaps that’s perpetuated by the kinds of individuals drawn to a company focused on data integration and automation – and we follow a ‘strategic horizons’ framework. This helps us divide and conquer our goals, allowing us to focus on immediate objectives, long-term vision and areas ripe for growth and innovation.
Again, people are at the heart of what we do. Our management approach keeps our community – including customers, partners and ‘power users’ – very close. By fostering strong relationships and encouraging collaboration, we create an environment where innovation thrives, directly contributing to our position as an innovative player in the no-code SaaS market.
What is your company’s vision and goal?
Lobster’s vision is to connect people and data for a better future. We believe in empowering organisations to unlock their data’s full potential through our innovative Data Platform – because this is the true driver of growth for so many businesses. Our goal is to become the leading data integration vendor in the mid-market, while powering an extensive Data Network.
What kind of clients and market do you serve?
Supply chain is where we’ve had a real foothold historically, taking us into various markets from automotive and manufacturing to transport, logistics and retail. Our offering resonates particularly well with mid-market organisations in these industries, as it allows them to tackle complex data challenges without the need for extensive IT resources. Public services is also an interesting area of growth for us, as our collaborative and no-code approach can help solve some of the unique challenges they face. Persona-wise, we target supply chain professionals and IT leaders.
What has your career looked like so far?
Throughout my career I’ve led various different business functions – from finance and M&A to strategy, IT, legal and operations, all of which has led to my current role as CEO of Lobster. I wouldn’t say I’ve had a favourite discipline – more that there’s been a common thread of driving innovation and embracing technology that empowers businesses, which aligns perfectly with Lobster’s mission. The opportunities I’ve sought out have typically been focused on driving growth and innovating with a vibrant ecosystem, as that’s what I’ve found the most rewarding. I’ve navigated a range of environments, from large corporates to scale-ups, and now in a private equity-backed setting, and all the while gaining invaluable cultural experiences during nearly a decade living abroad in the US and Netherlands.
How do you equip your staff with skills and knowledge?
Giving staff what they need to thrive and generally setting them up for success by equipping them with the right skills and knowledge is essential to any business’ success. At Lobster, we want to create a culture and environment where creativity and innovation can thrive and where our employees are encouraged to learn from failure. We believe that fostering an innovative mindset is key to maintaining our position as a leader in the industry. We do this with a mix of learning and coaching on the job, which we believe helps employees learn from real-time scenarios.
In addition, because not everyone’s brain works the same, we believe that a variety of communication is essential to staff progression and development of skills and knowledge. For this reason, we encourage mixing it up; whether in person, at a townhall meeting or via email, communication is key.
How do you work with other executives within the C-suite to make sure your voice is heard?
When it comes to working with other members of the C-suite, I don’t believe in micromanagement (hopefully they’d agree with that!). I’m a big fan of keeping the focus on our shared objectives and KPIs, because without a consistent view of where we’re going, we won’t get there in a hurry.
I also try to champion a hands-on mentality and approach and remain open to sparring, brainstorming and feedback as I firmly believe this is the best way to build a culture that encourages bold decisions.
How do you ensure different teams in your organisation work together?
We work in such an interdependent way that it usually follows that key company projects are structured cross-functionally, which is essential for driving the innovation we need – especially in the mid-market. Our meetings, too, are carefully planned to foster cross-functional alignment, ensuring that all teams are working towards our shared objectives. We incentivise cross-functional success and celebrate when it works well, so we can replicate it across the business. This collaborative approach is vital for us to remain agile and innovative in a rapidly evolving industry.
