Many different roads lead to finding success in life, and few among them, if any, don't involve working hard. Some of today's most successful people are big proponents of working harder and smarter on the way up. And the grind doesn't stop once a goal is reached because people who've succeeded still need to work hard to maintain their success.

HCT Concierge
HCT Concierge HCT Concierge

Achievement without hard work is impossible, and free time is usually the first thing that's sacrificed to make more room for more productive pursuits. That leads to a paradox — it's hard to find the time to do so when successful people want to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Concierge services are designed to fill in the gap. Among those offering their services in the UK, HCT Concierge is one of the fastest growing. The man behind the company is Hayes Thomas, a former nightclub promoter and table booker who saw the need for the services arise firsthand.

"People went from asking me to book tables for them to asking me to book restaurants and chauffeurs," he explains. "From there, it went to security and private planes."

Hayes Thomas was happy to abide. A well-connected young man with a knack for developing and maintaining relationships in all spheres of London's high life, he's been more than valued by those who turned to him for help.

There was a problem with his system, though. "It got to a point where there was only a certain amount of people I could deal with," says Hayes Thomas. "So I hired a personal assistant and started thinking about the best way to scale the business. And that's when I came up with the idea of merging the concierge world with technology."

The HCT company that exists today came about from Hayes Thomas' desire to go beyond the offering of similar membership services that exist in the concierge market of today. His idea was to build an e-money service where people could have their cards, top them up with funds, and use them.

The next step would be to merge the e-money services with the concierge services and make it as convenient as possible for people to use. And that's precisely what the HCT app allows its users to do. The app serves as an e-money solution, with an overview of the user's card and the associated account and an interface where people can browse and book concierge services. To take it a step further, the app comes with integrated support, allowing users to communicate with people who can assist them.

Along with technology and presentation, the services evolved, too. HCT Concierge is a lifestyle concierge service that can help people in diverse aspects of their lives. For example, HCT Concierge has relationships with fashion houses, brands, and procurers. This allows the company to offer VIP shopping services such as same-day delivery, discounts on bulk orders, access to a stylist, and even a pop-up stock room and studio.

When it comes to events, the company will not only notify its members of upcoming events that match their clients' interests. For example, for football fans, HCT Concierge can become the go-to shop for Premier League matches. Likewise, the company might organize an exclusive event for fashion fans at a high fashion store.

And when it's time to go on the much-needed vacation, HCT Concierge will also help its members. From a VIP boarding service to access to restaurants, shopping, and nightlife, and the organization of chauffeurs, HCT can offer full itinerary planning.

The benefits of becoming an HCT Concierge member don't stop there. Thanks to its founder's relationships in the entertainment, nightlife, and restaurant industries, HCT Concierge can often provide tickets for venues and events at a discount.

"I'm always negotiating. It's a key skill in this line business," Hayes Thomas explains. "Whether you're negotiating commission rates, benefits, discounts, there's always negotiation involved. And it always has to benefit the client in the end."

As if that wasn't enough, members also have a rewards system that gives them more opportunities to get more for their hard-earned pounds.

Between exotic car rentals, hard-to-get restaurant reservations, and tickets for concerts that have sold out, Hayes Thomas and HCT Concierge put a premium on providing a unique experience for their members. As someone who sees the value in forming and maintaining relationships, Hayes Thomas doesn't see going the extra mile as something out of the ordinary. Even if, sometimes, that extra mile can be challenging to traverse.

"Even if some of the requests are illogical, we must try to fulfill them," Hayes Thomas says. "And we have to try diligently, even if it seems impossible. So at the very least, we'll see if we can do it. And occasionally, we'll manage to do the impossible thing for the client."