Asim Erturk, an entrepreneur with a multifaceted life, has embarked on a mission to redefine the experience of international and domestic students in the UK. Beyond his roles as a son, husband, and dad, Asim is an avid cyclist, an appreciator of the arts, a traveler, and a music enthusiast. His journey is a testament to his unyielding determination to bridge the gap in student support and accommodation services, ultimately leading to the establishment of Londonist DMC.

In 2006, Asim Erturk arrived at the airport in London as an international student with dreams of pursuing his studies. Little did he know that this journey would serve as the catalyst for a transformative ‘aha moment.’ It was during this time that he recognized a glaring void in the support provided to students, both international and domestic. This observation ignited his entrepreneurial spirit and set him on a mission to create a business that would enrich the lives of students in the UK.

What struck Asim most was the lack of specialized student accommodation agencies. He firmly believed that international students, in particular, deserved a more personalized and welcoming experience while pursuing their education in a foreign land. This realization spurred him into action. He ventured into the world of Pedicab transportation in London, where he gained valuable experience and insights.

His journey took another significant turn when he found success working at the Financial Times, expanding his skill set and understanding of the corporate world. However, the entrepreneurial urge within him remained strong, and in 2013, Asim Erturk took a bold step by founding Londonist DMC. With an initial offering of just 30 rooms, this venture was driven by the core mission of providing students with accommodation that truly felt like a home away from home.

Award-Winning Service and Diverse Offerings

Londonist DMC is a well-recognized student accommodation agency that has received multiple awards. With a presence in the UK, Turkey, and China, the company has been serving clients since 2013, offering both short and long-term accommodation options ranging from 2 to 51 weeks. Londonist DMC takes pride in delivering a top-notch, five-star service to make students feel at home while they are away from home. Currently, the company manages over 2,000 rooms in more than 50 locations across London, encompassing Zones 1, 2, and 3. Their diverse portfolio includes student residences in key areas such as King’s Cross, Spitalfields, Lewisham, Portobello, Highbury, Islington, and more. The Londonist DMC team comprises over 40 individuals who collectively speak more than 20 languages, allowing them to cater to students from a wide range of backgrounds, representing over 171 countries.

Londonist DMC’s student residences offer an array of fantastic on-site facilities, including gyms, cinemas, computer labs, and communal spaces designated for both socializing and studying. These amenities contribute to enhancing the overall student living experience.

Marketing and Management Maverick

Asim’s background in marketing and management has played a pivotal role in shaping Londonist DMC’s strategies and facilitating its growth. In the field of marketing, Asim positioned Londonist as a provider of flexible student accommodation, with a focus on both short and long-term stays. The deliberate choice of the brand name “Londonist” and their exclusive emphasis on London paved the way for innovative marketing campaigns that significantly elevated brand recognition, bespoke applications, room capacity, and collaborative partnerships.

Notably, Asim introduced a groundbreaking marketing approach during international student exhibitions. He created accurate, fully-furnished representations of the most popular ensuite rooms, which resulted in a remarkable achievement of over 30% of sales generated from each exhibition display. Additionally, he introduced the virtual game Brain Challenge, representing a pioneering step toward telekinesis. Through this game, students were able to interpret signals from their own minds and move objects, showcasing the company’s commitment to innovation. One of the most remarkable technological introductions was the presence of Robot Asimo at the StudyExpo fair in Istanbul. Robot Asimo engaged with students, provided basic information about Londonist residences, and danced, leaving a memorable impact.

Asim’s networking skills have been instrumental in forging strategic partnerships with educational institutions, agencies, and booking platforms. These partnerships have significantly increased visibility and tenant prospects for Londonist. His in-depth industry knowledge keeps the company at the forefront of innovation. For example, he introduced the Student Portal, enhancing the tenant experience by simplifying accommodation and service management. In summary, Asim’s marketing and management expertise has been a driving force behind Londonist DMC’s success and continuous growth.

Fostering Unity and Success

At Londonist, fostering unity and cultivating a family-like culture is considered a cornerstone of the company’s success. This culture is nurtured through several key practices, including a strong emphasis on open communication and transparency within the team. Regular team meetings and annual camps are prioritized as opportunities for everyone’s input to be valued, fostering a sense of belonging and community. A forthcoming example of the company’s commitment to this culture is the upcoming camp, scheduled from September 29th to October 1st, 2023, in Northern Cyprus.

Londonist also celebrates personal and professional milestones to reinforce that the team is more than just colleagues. A recent notable event was the successful conclusion of Londonist Camp III: Turquoise Summit, dedicated to celebrating Londonist’s 10th-year anniversary. This special occasion brought together 150 distinguished guests, including valued business partners, esteemed colleagues, celebrities and industry experts. The summit featured a three-day program filled with exciting activities, including live music entertainment, an awards ceremony, engaging industry panels, and seminars.

The company strongly encourages collaboration and teamwork, actively bridging the gap among its three main office locations. The motivated team is an integral part of the company’s success, as reflected in the high-quality service provided. This contributes to tenant satisfaction, property owner trust, employee morale, and retention. Over the years, Londonist has grown from managing 30 rooms to overseeing over 2,000 rooms across 50 locations in London. The team now comprises approximately 100 individuals spread across the three offices, serving customers from more than 170 countries. With an exceptional Trustpilot rating of 4.6 from nearly 1,000 reviews, Londonist considers everyone involved as a vital part of the journey to success.

Crucial to these accomplishments are the partnerships the company has built. Londonist has consistently delivered exceptional services, earning the trust and loyalty of students and educational institutions alike. Strong partnerships with universities and colleges further solidify the company’s standing as a leading provider of student accommodation in the city.

Trailblazing Contributions to the Industry

Asim has made significant contributions to the student accommodation industry by introducing groundbreaking solutions that have redefined the landscape. One of his notable innovations is the development of the Student Portal, a revolutionary one-stop platform designed to simplify the reservation process for international students. This platform also includes API connections with agents, enhancing the overall booking experience.

Recognizing the challenges students face when booking rooms online without seeing them in person, Asim was among the pioneers in the industry to introduce Virtual Reality (VR) technology. This implementation had a tangible and positive impact, providing prospective tenants with an immersive and realistic view of their future accommodations.

Asim’s innovative spirit extends to his current project, which involves the concept of floating boat houses designed to cater to students seeking both short-term and long-term stays. This concept represents an inventive housing solution within the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector, aiming to offer a unique and engaging experience.

Moreover, Asim is dedicated to enhancing students’ social access to the vibrant life of London. To achieve this, he is working on the development of membership programs and affiliate partnerships, which will not only benefit students but also contribute to a more enriching and dynamic student accommodation experience in the city. These initiatives showcase Asim’s commitment to continuous innovation and improvement within the student accommodation sector.

Asim was shortlisted in the category Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year by Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Revolutionizing Student Accommodation

Londonist’s commitment to adapt and respond to market dynamics and technological trends is evident in “Londonist Technologies,” a significant 2022 milestone contributing to remarkable room capacity and revenue growth. This expansion facilitated a true “home away from home” experience for more students.

To support this growth, improvements were made to the in-house CRM system, leading to the development of technological solutions: the Student Portal, Partner Portal, Ambassador app, and Management Portal, reflecting Londonist’s dedication to tech-driven benefits for students and property owners.

In today’s digital age, Londonist recognizes technology’s importance for students and clients. They’re investing in user-friendly mobile apps, seamless online booking, student portals, and advanced data analytics, enhancing the student experience.Emerging technologies like AI and automation are explored to optimize customer support, personalize services, and streamline property management.

The overarching goal is expanding Londonist’s student accommodation business globally, reaching Europe, America, Australia, and beyond. This reflects Londonist’s commitment to innovation, growth, and an enhanced student experience.

Vision for Londonist and Uninist

Entrepreneurship is an enduring source of excitement and inspiration for Asim, a journey he embarked upon at the tender age of 13 when he sold his first property. Launching and nurturing businesses have allowed him to tackle challenges and empower individuals. Over the past decade, Londonist DMC, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, has provided student accommodations and enriched the student experience.

An excellent example of the career growth opportunities at Londonist is the current Executive Director, Umang Gandecha, who initially served as the Head of Sales. Dinara Suleimanova, too, joined as a sales manager, where she was instrumental in establishing the business development function from the ground up. She now holds the senior business development and partnership manager role.

Asim’s drive thrives on taking risks and surmounting obstacles. The journey from conceiving an idea to building it into a product or service is a particular inspiration for him. A few years back, he ventured into international property investment with Londonist Investments, guiding individuals in acquiring properties in the UK, Turkey, and Greece. In 2022, Londonist Investments achieved a property sales value of £40 million, with projections to surpass this figure in 2023. Notably, the company was launched during the global pandemic in 2021.

In alignment with the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” Asim has embarked on a recent business venture known as Uninist (www.uninist.com). One of the primary objectives behind launching Londonist DMC was to offer students flexible accommodations for stays ranging from 2 to 51 weeks. In an industry where many providers only cater to students looking for extended stays, Londonist is addressing this gap by focusing on London residences. With Uninist, this flexible stay model extends to accommodations outside London, commencing with four cities: Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester, and Birmingham. Recognizing the ideal partnership with the booking platform University Living to enhance students’ accommodation experience beyond London, Asim’s strategic move aims to significantly scale these efforts.

Building a Strong Team

Asim firmly believes that nurturing a sense of unity and family within a team is indispensable for a company’s overall success and resilience. Here’s a closer look at his perspective:

First and foremost, a closely-knit team founded on trust and camaraderie is naturally more motivated and committed. When team members genuinely feel like part of a family, they tend to go the extra mile for one another, providing mutual support and embracing a shared sense of purpose. This collective dedication ultimately leads to heightened productivity and superior outcomes.

Also, a robust team bond significantly enhances communication and collaboration. In a family-like environment, individuals are more inclined to share their thoughts, seek assistance when needed, and handle conflicts constructively. This, in turn, enhances efficiency and paves the way for more creative and innovative problem-solving.

Resilience emerges as another notable advantage. A unified team is better equipped to navigate challenges or setbacks, displaying greater emotional fortitude, adaptability, and the ability to bounce back more robustly. Such resilience plays a pivotal role in a company’s long-term sustainability and its capacity to navigate the uncertainties of the business landscape.

Finally, a sense of unity and family contributes to heightened employee satisfaction and retention. When individuals feel valued, connected, and that they genuinely belong, they are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover and the associated costs.

Embracing Failures, Fueling Enthusiasm, and Forging Success

Asim finds inspiration in the words of Winston Churchill, who wisely stated, “Success is the ability to move from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.” This quote serves as a perpetual reminder of the power of embracing failures and setbacks while maintaining unwavering enthusiasm and determination. It has given rise to a personal motto that encapsulates this philosophy: “Embrace Failures, Fuel Enthusiasm, Forge Success.”

This motto underscores the profound importance of learning from failures, channeling that knowledge into enthusiasm, and utilizing it as the driving force for a journey toward success. As a visionary leader, this motto signifies that setbacks are not roadblocks but rather stepping stones on the path to growth and achievement.

Additionally, an invaluable piece of advice that has left a lasting impact on Asim’s journey is “Embrace Change as an Opportunity.” In any industry, change is both inevitable and multifaceted, encompassing elements of both trepidation and excitement. This counsel has taught him to view change not as a disruption but as a valuable opportunity to evolve, adapt, and innovate. It has encouraged him to welcome uncertainty and transform challenges into platforms for improvement. This advice has proven particularly relevant in the student accommodation sector, where students’ needs and preferences are in a constant state of flux, necessitating a continuous assessment of strategies, a keen ear for feedback, and agility in responding to shifting market dynamics.

Please visit: http://www.londonist.co.uk