My affordable small office solution....

I have been looking to rent a small office for some time now and have come up with an affordable solution which has been right under my nose all along – office sharing!

I still do some work for the Coleford Area Partnership here at the Main Place, but my business clubs have grown and I have a couple of other ideas which I will be implementing soon. Hence I need an office facility to work from.

Basically all I require is space for a desk and a few storage drawers to tuck underneath, and it would appear others find themselves in a similar situation ......so there we have it, the perfect answer and I’m pleased to say, myself and two other businesses are moving in soon......a couple of weeks time.

I’m now looking forward to working in a busier environment, looking more professional and getting more work done.

The Versatile Main Hall

The Community  Hall here at the Main Place plays host to a tremendous variety of activities including conferences, dance classes, mother and tots as well as exhibitions, lunch clubs and children’s parties.

It’s a great space and can be transformed into pretty much any venue to suit the hirer, and includes a modern, well equipped Kitchen.

The ceiling height is also important especially for bouncy castles at children’s parties

If you are looking for such a versatile venue for your function, meeting, or any other event give us a call on 01594 836469.

We can arrange a time for your personal viewing.

Top 5 uses for the Training and Meeting rooms here in the Community Enterprise Centre at the Main Place

1: Networking – great for lead generation, help and advice.

2: Social Media training – Excellent for marketing stratagies

3: Company Training days

4: Job seekers – temporary office

5: Activity training

Of course the rooms are used for a multitude of reasons, being well equipped, modern and comfortable, but the above is our current top 5

For more information on special offers for either room call 01594 836469 

I’m hearing the C word a lot lately!

No not that C word....what on earth are you thinking? I’m talking about Christmas peops.

This signals the start of several things for me; firstly summer is officially over and Autumn is well and truly on its way. Personally I don’t mind Autumn even though I’m a summer fan (the hotter the better)....but Autumn has a some magic there that takes me back to my youth. Secondly, the shops will be changing their stocks soon and the decs will go up way too early as usual (or am I just getting grumpy?) and the TV ads will gear up for the festive season.

Anyway the point is this – the C word indicates a busy time for many businesses and for some an essential time to get things right! Planning is the key for both sales & services. I guess no-one wants to think about Christmas in September, but the truth is we have to.

Whether you are a shop, online sales, wholesaler or whatever your business, plan now, cream some profits and I have to say, I believe this year will be the best for a while as business in general appears to be on the up.

Here’s to that trend continuing eh.......and a happy pre C to you!

Networking Rooms

Networking is an important part of building your business and the Forest of Dean has its fair share of Business Clubs, all of which are excellent, well run and have their own styles.

The question is – How important is the venue? Personally I think it is, in fact I would go as far as to say it’s very important......depending what you want!

So what style is best? Grand old buildings, Hotels, Inn’s, or modern premises?  

Now there is no particular right or wrong here, it’s just a case of which suits your group best. The Speech House Hotel is a great example of comfort, good food and grand surroundings, the Orepool Inn is cosy and friendly, Bells Hotel is very corporate, and here at the Main Place we have a modern, well equipped room.

All four examples above are the right rooms for the style of the club. You have to ask yourself “What am I trying to create?” Here at the Main Place we feel the room is perfect for our needs, we have all the technology and equipment in a light airy modern room which is also comfortable. Its the image we have tried to create and it works well.

Main Hall, excellent for......

It’s good to see the Main Hall here at the Main Place, Coleford being used for such a wide variety of activities.

Excellent for business as the room is spacious, airy and modern in appearance. It makes a great AGM, training, class room or just about any indoor business activity required.

Exercise is another usage, but that’s not surprising as when the room is cleared it makes an excellent dance floor, fitness room or any type of exercise class.

Kids Party’s are always fun especially in the Main hall where there is room for a bouncy castle, disco, seating area and dining space....and plenty of room left for the kids run riot!

The adjoining kitchen with serving hatch also helps contribute to the success of the hall, and comes free of charge when hiring the hall.

Whatever your indoor activity, why not give us a call on 01594 836469 to arrange your own personal viewing and talk to us about your requirements. 

Less mistakes for new business?  

I remember when I started out with my first business, seventeen years old (some misty years ago now).....I could drive so it was skies the limit, I could go self employed, take on the world, become rich and have plenty of time on my hands. Ok....I could drive and go self employed.

My point is, back then there was no real help available for new business, well not genuine anyway unless you got lucky. Most of the time help meant someone had spotted I was young, vulnerable and easily persuaded to part with money on some shite deal or something I didn't really need.etc etc. But that's how it was at the time so you learned by your mistakes (and there was many) and over a period of time the mistakes grew less, They are still there....but less.

These days it's great to see the help and guidance available to young budding entrepreneurs is not only genuine, but of good quality too. I did a talk at the recently held Teentrepreneurs here at the Main Place to a few youngsters, and took the time to check out the schedule for the week. It was excellent, these kids have every chance of fast tracking their businesses through the power of experienced mentoring. Of course they will still make mistakes, but less of them.......now where is my time machine?


 

Working From Home v Renting an Office

So, you own your own business, it’s just you or perhaps you with a partner. You have probably converted a room or at least part of a room at home.....but, is it the best way forward for your business?

Let’s look at the pros and cons concerning working from home

Pros  

1: Save Money - I guess first and foremost for most people would be money. It cost almost nothing to work from a home office.

2: convenience – You’re already there! Your day can start immediately if you wish.

3: Transport – No travelling time and again, a saving.

4: Flexibility - The ability to choose your hours more conveniently.

I’m sure there are many other great reasons why so many people choose to work from home but the following cons should also be considered, especially if you are thinking of expanding in the future.

Cons

1: Kudos - An office address will usually make your business look more professional to a potential client.

2: Meetings – Often, (not always) your customers will take your business more seriously if you have an office.

3: Work/Life Balance – When your business is at home it’s sometimes difficult to shut off. Offices can be locked.....see ya Monday!

4: Productivity - Distractions at home can sometimes hinder progress.

Really, I think both sides of this topic have good points. It’s personal choice and nature of your business combined with budget that influences the decision for most, but sometimes I feel the wrong route is chosen (both ways) which ultimately could mean limiting the progress of your business. It’s always best to consider both sides thoroughly.

Training staff is an important if not vital area for developing your business. Well trained employees tend to be happier in the workplace, therefore more productive and ultimately more profitable for the company.

Providing attendees with the correct relevant material is of course essential, but some careful thought should also go into the venue. The “Training Room” should be warm, comfortable and well equipped. Pleasant surroundings create a better atmosphere, making the learning process more enjoyable.

Refreshments and regular breaks are good to increase how much of the knowledge taught will be retained as the brain tends to switch off after long periods of information intake.

It’s a simple process really, but ensuring all the above are in place makes good sense. After all if you get it right for your staff....you get it right for yourself and your company. 

Get a Room!

It still amazes me the amount of years I spent as a small business owner entertaining potential clients in my small home office, meeting in cafe's and just about anywhere that really doesn't cut the mustard. 
I often wonder how many deals never came to fruition or how many bigger fish I may have impressed if i had given some serious thought on meeting places.

When I took on the marketing role for the Community Enterprise Centre at the Main Place Coleford it was a real eye opener. Professional rooms for meetings,  training days, demonstrations, in fact as many reasons as you can shake a stick at are available at very reasonable prices. The rooms are well equipped with everything you need to make your business look good and run smoothly in front of your new acquaintance.

We are talking about your business here! You order high quality business cards to impress, design a fancy website, dress accordingly and everything you possibly can to create that important first impression.....do yourself a favour, get a meeting room that matches your efforts with everything else, it needn't be expensive and might land you that contract you have been after.