It’s a business which the founders freely admit was born out of lockdown.

But all the signs are that it will not just survive, but thrive, long after the current pandemic has become recent history.

First, though, cast your mind back 12 months.

Literally overnight the world of business, as we know it, was thrown up in the air.

Face to face meetings, interviews, training sessions, conferences came to a complete halt.

In their place something invented in 2012 but which, hitherto, had never received widespread public recognition.

Zoom.

Watching closely as the tectonic plates in business communication shifted was Felicity Barnard, pictured left, a remediation consultant in the construction industry.

She said: “It was quickly very clear that the whole way we do business was going to change.

“With everything shifting over to Zoom, we had to learn the importance of looking professional onscreen and things such as how to mute.

“It may seem basic but if you’re holding a discussion with a potentially important client then it could be the difference between winning the work or not.”

Coming from an entrepreneurial family – her mum, Kathryn, had her own company Video Highway (UK) Ltd in the 1990’s – Felicity and the other four co-founders of what has become LDS Training Ltd identified a gap in the market for their services.

Not just teaching the basics of using Zoom, Teams and other communication tools but fully embracing the new way of doing business by offering everything online.

That includes:

• eLearning – creating engaging and relevant eLearning modules making training easy and accessible for everyone and adaptable to their own schedules.
• eLearning transformation – updating, tailoring or tweaking existing materials to bring them in line with today’s world.
• Team training sessions – covering subjects such as meeting structure and etiquette, using software, bespoke tools for successful preparation and delivery of meetings and virtual recruitment including the structure of job interviews, and mental health procedures in the workplace.
• 1:1 online training and development.
• Essentials and Manager’s Virtual Tool Kits – designed to deliver practical skills for home or remote workers and also aspiring and established managers and leaders.

One of LDS Training’s first clients is The Burnt Chef Project, headed by Kris Hall and dedicated to tackling mental health issues in the hospitality sector.

Kris, pictured right,  said: “LDS Training have been instrumental in providing custom branded learning modules and content for our recently launched Burnt Chef Academy App.

“The app aims to eradicate mental health stigma by educating hospitality on the subject of mental health.

“Their flexible and diligent approach has been refreshing.

“We can’t wait to get more courses arranged with them in coming months.”

LDS stands for Learn, Develop, Succeed.

Apart from Felicity, others involved in the training and eLearning business include her two sisters, Melissa and Amy-Angela and mum Kathryn as well as an unnamed director and also a foreman in the construction sector.

Felicity said: “We’re a family owned and run business, based in Bournemouth, but we’re all still full-time employed while building the business and the company brand.

“We’re offering a free initial consultation so that we can uncover what is needed and how we can help achieve it.

“One thing is for sure.

“The way of doing business has changed and changed forever.

“This is all about equipping businesses and organisations for life both now and into the future.”

• ldstraining.co.uk