A Chat With Chris Sees, CEO And Co-Founder At Hoxton Mix How The Company Turned One Of Britain’s Least Exciting Businesses Into An AI Company On

You mentioned that Hoxton Mix wasn’t originally meant to be a virtual office business. At what point did you realise the company was solving a much bigger problem than you first expected?

The turning point came when we realised people weren’t just renting desks from us – they wanted the infrastructure to run a business without the cost and commitment of a traditional office. Initially, virtual office services were almost a side product, but demand kept growing while demand for physical space became less predictable, especially as business rates were increasing. We started seeing founders from across the UK and overseas using us as the foundation for launching businesses in London. That’s when it became obvious we weren’t really in the office business anymore and we were part of a much bigger category helping founders start and operate companies.

If you were starting Hoxton Mix from scratch today, would you build it in the same way, or has the market changed too much since 2010?

The core mission would stay exactly the same; simplifying business But, I’d build it as a technology company from day one. Back in 2010, we evolved into software over time because we had to, whereas today I’d begin with automation, digital workflows first, then layer the physical operations underneath.

Rising rents and business rates completely changed the direction of your business. How can founders tell the difference between a setback they should endure and one they should adapt to?

I think it comes down to listening to what the market is telling you. Rising rents weren’t just a temporary problem, they fundamentally changed the economics of coworking. We could have fought against that reality, but customers were already showing us where the demand was going with hybrid and remote-first working. If your customers are pulling you towards something that creates more value than your original idea, then explore it.

In your LinkedIn post, you referred to Hoxton Mix as “business infrastructure as a service” rather than a property business. What does that distinction mean in practice, and why is it important?

Our customers aren’t buying square footage when it comes to the postcode, they’re buying the ability to run a business with a professional front and organisational support. That includes registered office services, mail handling, compliance, communications, integrations with accountants and fintechs, and increasingly software that automates those processes. Thinking of ourselves as infrastructure changes every decision we make because we try to solve operational problems.
 

You spent six months rebuilding your operations instead of continuing to add new features. Why was investing in the foundations the right decision at that stage of the business?

Business growth exposes weaknesses in operating models. We reached a point where adding more customers without improving the underlying operations and that was causing problems we were struggling to stay on top of. Spending six months improving processes wasn’t the exciting choice, but it meant we slowed down to speed up again.

Your partnerships with accountants and fintechs grew organically. What qualities do you look for in a partner, and what makes those relationships successful over the long term?

Everything comes back to the customer, so the best partnerships happen when both businesses genuinely solve a problem for the same customer. We look for partners who think long term, care about customer experience and want to build something together rather than simply refer leads. Trust is a huge part of it. If you’re handling part of someone else’s customer journey, reliability and trust matter with the business transaction operating around this.

Many founders focus on launching new products, but your story is also about improving operational systems behind the scenes. How much of a company’s success comes down to operational excellence rather than the product itself?

Our customer’s initial interaction with our product means they are onboard, but consistency, customer service and AI-first operations means they stay – we have a brilliant retention rate because of the latter. As businesses scale, operational excellence becomes a competitive advantage because it allows you to provide a better experience at greater volume. Innovation isn’t only about launching new features – it’s also about making the entire business work better.

Finally, looking back over the past 16 years, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned that you wish you had known when you first opened the doors in Shoreditch?

We came into this as engineers, thinking we could just do what we were good at and build great products. What I didn’t appreciate was how much of the real work in the UK isn’t the engineering – it’s the red tape, the compliance, the taxes, all the friction stacking up against you when starting a business. But, that turned out to be the opportunity; we built the product we ourselves needed, which is exactly what helps other people build too.

Two lessons stand out over the last 16 years for me. Firstly, the scar tissue is where the value is – the hard parts are where you learn what’s worth knowing. Secondly, surround yourself with people you’d happily work alongside for free because, in the early days, we effectively were working for nothing. Those uncertain, passionate early days are gold. Enjoy them; that’s where the serendipity happens.