FlairMakers, a talent-as-a-service platform for the hospitality industry, has successfully closed a £500,000 pre-seed funding round. The investment was led by SFC Capital with participation from angel investors and existing backers. The company connects hospitality businesses with vetted freelance professionals in the UK and Romania, managing all administrative aspects from training to payments.
A New Model for Hospitality Work
The platform addresses a significant shift in workforce expectations, where flexibility is paramount for attracting and retaining top talent. Research indicates that 83% of hospitality employees rate flexible hours as a crucial benefit, yet few employers currently offer it. FlairMakers champions a "third way" of working that moves beyond the rigid structures of direct employment or traditional agency staffing.
Co-founder and CEO Raluca Epureanu explains that the industry's best professionals are already building portfolio careers, such as a sommelier working across multiple venues. Currently, this system relies on informal WhatsApp groups and personal favours, lacking any formal structure. FlairMakers is building the necessary system to formalize this model, arguing it is the answer to bringing skilled workers back.
Building the Infrastructure for Scale
For flexible talent to be adopted at scale, the underlying administrative complexities must be solved, according to co-founder and CTO Alexis Sikorsky. He emphasizes that the platform is focused on handling the crucial but often overlooked "boring parts" of freelance engagement. This includes managing identity verification, compliance checks, contract generation, and secure cross-border payments for professionals.
This robust infrastructure is designed to provide large operators with the same level of assurance they have with permanent employees. A major hotel group will not fully embrace freelancers until a platform can carry the full weight of vetting and compliance for them. FlairMakers ensures that a venue in London and another in Bucharest can operate on the same standardized and reliable system.
Strategic Funding and Experienced Leadership
The £500,000 in new capital will be strategically allocated to enhance product and technology development while expanding the company's network of UK venues. Adam Beveridge, fund principal at SFC Capital, stated that the investment backs a clear market trend toward portfolio careers. He praised the founders for treating the challenge as an infrastructure problem, not merely a staffing one.
The company is led by a team with deep and relevant industry experience who met while pursuing an executive MBA at Oxford’s Saïd Business School. Raluca Epureanu has two decades of global hospitality experience, having managed the regional events division for Marriott International across 750 hotels. Alexis Sikorsky is a proven serial entrepreneur who previously built and sold a banking software business in a nine-figure transaction.
This pre-seed funding marks a significant milestone for FlairMakers as it seeks to revolutionize staffing in the hospitality sector. By building the essential infrastructure for a more flexible workforce, the company offers a compelling solution to persistent talent shortages. With experienced leadership and clear strategic vision, FlairMakers is well-positioned to define the future of work in the industry.