👼 The origin story of 180™ its meaning and application in our business.
The name “180” came about by accident. Although the group spans areas from technology, to finance to online gaming, the first company was an affiliate business focused on online poker.
This business continues to exist as an authority for online poker players who take the game of seriously. PokerVIP, offers users a selection of exclusive poker deals giving them the best chance of winning at the online felt. Additionally, PokerVIP offers absolutely free poker education for users of all levels: Whether it be as simple as the rules of poker, for which the PokerVIP has the most popular video for introducing players to the game online, or to more advanced gameplay videos where well known professionals give an insight into their thought process as they play — PokerVIP offers it all.
The original business of which PokerVIP was a part of was aptly named PokerVIP ltd and incorporated in Scotland, UK in 2010.
Around the year 2012, with growing revenue, the primary bank of PokerVIP Ltd at the time (Coutts & Co) gave the business 2 months notice to stop all banking with the group. The cited reason was the high-risk nature of online gaming, which remains a challenge for the wider industry. Despite the fact PokerVIP never offered the ability for players to wager directly on the site, and more so acted as a mortgage broker and marketing company, it remained it was a high-risk business category and not a business they were willing to service.
It was concluded, that possibly it was not the business itself that was an issue, but more so the company name. During any analysis conducted by a bank, especially in a highly regulated, mature environment such as the United Kingdom, the company name “PokerVIP Ltd” would always raise flags with any bank. For this name represents a business more so engaged in online gambling as a business sector, rather than one in marketing and technological development.
It was paramount to rename the business for only this reason and as banking services represent the ability to receive payments and pay essential costs such as servers, staff and outsource contractors, the name 180VITA was created.
Originally, the name referred to the company’s banking situation:
- 🚀 180: To turn around.
Whereas “360” is a full circle and to come back to where one once began, 180 represents a complete change in a situation. Whereas once the business was weak in terms of it’s banking services, it was hoped that the inclusion of the numbers 180 would be an omen for better fortune in this are - 🧬 Vita: Life.
Before widespread crypto-adoption, challenger banks, e-money services, and all the other interesting financial instruments of today, proper banking in the United Kingdom represented the life of the company.
Today, 180VITA only engages in software, design, and IT services. Serving not only companies within the group but third parties including PLCs within the group associated industries and completely unrelated business sectors.
The company, 180VITA has been a beneficiary of Research and Development credit from the UK Government. For innovations in the area of IT and is a business that builds truly unique, innovative tech. We do not re-invent the wheel so to speak, but actually build a new wheel. A new way to solve the same challenges, thus representing a truly innovative spirit.
The key pillars of 180 are as follows:
- True Innovation: Companies and websites within or associated with the group seldom hire from within the industries they operate. Instead, we seek a fresh pair of eyes. This strategy has a duality, for whilst it might take longer for a team member to get up to speed, and the outcome of work might appear the same, the methodology to achieve this is almost always completely different to that of any competition.
- Self-Sustaining Business Ecology: As mentioned in another post written regarding “Matrix Business Structures”, the various companies and talents within the group are intertwined and have a compounding positive impact on the ROI of each respective business. Modularised technological elements are re-used throughout the group, and once updated / iterated, this positive impact is felt throughout 180 and beyond. Ultimately the aim always is, that even with every third party removed from the business ecology the member websites of 180 can continue to function. For more information on inspiration see “Climbing the Vertical” 📈
- Creative Disruption: The most traditional meaning of 180, to “turn something around” implies complete creative disruption. If one is to look at an area such as the interface of online gaming websites over the last decade, it will be found that little has changed. This is not dictated by what is best for the user, but rather industry group think. With a combination of data analysis, specific industry intelligence and gut feeling from putting ourselves in the shoes of a typical user, and understanding their perspective this disruption is achieved.
The message from angel number 180 is that is all starts in the mind. It’s only your mind that will make that the impossible is possible.
