IMC spoke to Lee Chambers, Founder of PhenomGames and Essentialise, about the news that he had sold his holding in PhenomGames SARL. He is well known within the wholesale video game market across Europe for being outspoken on the challenges he has faced and is an enthusiastic proponent of employee wellbeing and agile working in the industry.
PhenomGames was launched during the economic crisis of 2008 as an e-commerce store, sourcing and selling video games direct to consumers through marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Playtrade. As an initial venture, it was successful, doubling revenue consecutively for the first three years of trading. An additional arm was launched, selling video game subscription boxes online, however, this venture struggled to gain traction and was shelved in 2013.
In 2014, due to owner Lee Chambers becoming seriously ill, and the market evolving, the decision was made to move PhenomGames further down the supply chain into wholesale, which began the process of slowly decreasing the customer-facing side of the business.
This transition was initially challenging, however, with the help of its European network, PhenomGames once again carved a niche, offering lower minimum order quantities and organising logistics and fulfilment for buyers. By 2016, with the political landscape in the United Kingdom changing, PhenomGames moved its entire operation outside of the UK. With an extensive European network, and being registered and operating out of Luxembourg, this was a simple transition, serving all major European markets with an increased focus on relationships. And that leads us to the PhenomGames of today, which has been resilient during through the challenges of 2020.
Lee Chambers said, “It has been a joy to be at the helm of PhenomGames for 12 years, and through the ups and downs I have grown as a man and a leader. The beauty of business is, no matter how much you plan, your constant evolution as a company is a way to become successful in such a dynamic market. I want to thank every associate, customer and supplier that have been part of this journey.
He added, “With the launch and growth of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, now felt like the perfect time to take a step back, as I have had considerably less time to juggle both businesses, my voluntary roles and my family. I have disrupted one industry, and now my mission is to disrupt the wellbeing industry with my unique combination of environmental psychology, conscious leadership, purposeful business and health awareness.
Asked about his future plans, Lee Chambers advised, “I plan to focus on building Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing to become an international training company, addressing the challenges of the future of work, and starting to build strategies to prevent them becoming a crisis further down the line. Working at the apex of employee wellbeing, leadership consciousness, and organisational culture, we aim to connect wellbeing and performance to workplace environments, both physical and psychological.
We are already making an impact in Lancashire, and we are looking to spread the message further. I have secured two North American clients, so this is a process which is already growing. I want my legacy to be that I leave this planet a happier and healthier place than I came into it. And while PhenomGames has given me the growth and platform to start, my focus is firmly on Essentialise and building something that truly changes the world for the better.”
