by Kelly Hancock
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29 May 2017
So most people know me as an accountant, I have been trading on my own for just over 4 years.
I love it, and enjoying the lack of commute, however I was often distracted, by the dog, housework, the postman. I needed to get out of my four walls and interact with people more often before I felt too trapped. The dog is great at answering back but useless to ask for an opinion.
I then got to the point of toying with the of idea of expanding.
Expansion would no doubt mean offices so I could get some help in, that was the big idea, the master plan, it!
But would that mean an end to my funky jigsaw wall office? Working in PJ's? I decided to move to a bigger room in the house and took over the dining room, with an additional desk and another storage unit.
It meant that I felt more comfortable letting clients come and meet me at the "office", it was lighter, there was more air flow and initially loved it, felt more productive. But the distractions were still there and I found it hard to separate work from home life.
And when did a coffee shop start to feel more professional than meeting in the place I work?
Everyone seemed to love the dog but its not the right work image? Is it?
More than ever I craved my own "professional" space,. Whilst coffee shops meetings are great, I got to eat cake, I felt a little restricted to how much you and clients can and are willing to discuss, as well as pausing each time someone screams or the steamer gets too noisy. It can be frustrating.
So I started looking for offices. I saw in Manchester or Chester that there were a few places that allow just the desk as opposed to an office, initially that's what I had in mind. Something I could dip in and out of with no commitment it sounded the perfect solution. I once met a client at Manchester Science Park, that is such a great expanse of a space allowing businesses to grow from a desk, to a few desks, to a small office, to multiple offices as their businesses grow. WIth common rooms, and meeting rooms, I wandered around in awe.
That's the kind of thing I wanted but there was nowhere that grabbed me close enough to me.
Yes there are some offices available hidden away or on business parks where the cars are so intimidating because parking is so bad.
I found a tiny little office just for me and a reception/storage room and it fell through, and then I found a massive office and my mind went into overdrive with the possibilities. A few trusted friends pushed me into it. That office wasn't meant to be and also fell through. But the seed was planted and my search changed. Then the current location came up!! Location check, space check, potential check, KFH Network born!!
Whilst I was forging ahead with plans and financing and sleepless nights, lots of people asked me are you taking on too much, do you need that much room, is it just you, are you sure you can afford it, its a big space, its a long commitment, its scary.
And that's exactly why!!!
Because so many businesses face the same questions, the same insecurities and doubts, the same what ifs. They spend night after night worrying about the what ifs and can I afford an office, that it takes away from them building their businesses.
So offering office and desk space you can book for as little as half a day with a meeting room that you can book by the hour, I can help take that stress away. I can help people start out.
If you are just starting up, or are going stir crazy in your four walls.
Of you need a different setting, a setting that's more inline with productivity.
If you are not in the office everyday or even every week.
If you are just looking for some space to study of an evening.
There are many uses for the hot desks, and hopefully many people we can help provide and affordable way of testing the water for office space for their business.
We provide a cost effective flexible solution for their needs.
So the why....wasn't just for me....it was for you.
I got my office and a few desks for me to expand into and lots of people and contacts I am yet to meet :)