1. A thriving community of entrepreneurs
Running a small business can be hugely rewarding. However at times it
can be a lonely, isolating and stressful experience. A key ingredient for
surviving particularly the first few years is a strong support network.
Many business centres in response to the down-turn have strived to offer
office accommodation at attractive rates, particularly to start-ups. Many
small business owners find that separating home and work life can break
up some of the monotony and isolation.
When considering moving into a business centre it’s worth enquiring into
what added value they can give you; Do they pro-actively encourage their
tenants to become part of a fledging community? Or do they just provide
you with office space and an invoice each month?
Cathy Hogg, Managing Director of Charwell House Serviced Offices in
Alton believes start-ups and small businesses need to be supported and
empowered to grow, which is one of the reasons why Cathy and her team
have built a thriving business community within the centre. Cathy Hogg
enjoys learning about her clients’ businesses and generates leads for
them as often as possible, helping them to flourish. After-all, happy,
successful businesses are more likely to grow with the centre, creating a
win-win situation for everyone!
The mix of start-ups and larger businesses within the centre offers a
valuable opportunity for networking and opportunities to form new
alliances and friendships are numerous.
In alignment with the friendly family feel of the centre, Cathy operates an
‘open door policy’ where clients can raise any concerns directly with her,
anytime. This means that issues can be resolved quickly, no matter how
big or small. Each quarter everyone is invited to complete a customer
satisfaction form, and all feedback is displayed publically within the
centre. The scores are always high.
Charwell House provides flexible, affordable office space, meeting room
hire, storage and virtual business solutions for SME’s, such as postal
addresses and telephone answering as well as a friendly community of
entrepreneurs.
It seems by empowering each other to thrive and not just survive, and by
being proactive as opposed to re-active, our business communities can
flourish.