New Year resolutions

What are your business resolutions for the New Year? Christmas is traditionally a time of introspection, giving us a chance to review how we feel about the way our lives are going, and whether or not we’d like to make changes however small or dramatic.

New year, new job? Or be your boss …

January is usually a very busy time for people who are looking for new jobs. But if you’re fed up with the way your career’s going, do you want to change bosses? Wouldn’t it be a better plan to work for yourself rather than someone else? Now there’s a thought!

If you think the idea of giving up steady employment to set up your own company is a bit scary, you’re not alone! Luckily there are a large number of organisations that are willing to give advice and support to new business owners. Whilst you’re researching, good websites to look at are smallbusiness.co.uk and the government’s gov.uk/set-up-business. Also check out organisations in your local area that provide courses, support, grants, and mentoring.

Finances will play a major role in your decision-making. Money will likely be tight for a while while your business gets going. Many people will initially work from their spare room at home to save money on office space, but after a while the lines between work and home life are likely to become blurred, affecting both.

Luckily, the rise in co-working spaces means that office accommodation is very affordable, even if you’re on your own. At the UOE Hubs in Hertford and, soon, Stoke Newington, you can rent a desk space for as little as £99 + VAT a month, or have a one-person office from £395 + VAT a month. With a one-off monthly rental payment that includes high-speed WiFi and covers all the utility bills, as well as free tea and coffee, there will be no nasty shocks, enabling you to balance your budget more easily.

What’s more, you’ll be surrounded by other small business owners in a similar situation. That means you’ll be working in a professional environment (no kids interrupting your work like Professor Robert Kelly famously had to deal with last spring), surrounded by people you can network with, do work with or for, ask advice from, or just have a cup of tea and a chat with when you need a break from work.

Our New Year’s resolutions

Here at the UOE Hub, we have two resolutions for the New Year. The first is to extend the current Hub in Hertford. Now that we have rented out all the office space available on one floor, we will begin work renovating the next floor up. Watch this space for further details or contact us!

Our second resolution is to create the new Stoke Newington Hub. UOE has just taken over the Stoke Newington Post Office and we have ambitious plans to move it a few doors down once we’ve renovated the new building into an ultra-modern, fit-for-purpose Post Office, UOE Store and UOE Hub.

If you are interested in co-working space in the UOE Hub in Hertford or Stoke Newington, contact us to find out more.

In the meantime, we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year!