Entrepreneur Denise assists clients to flourish financially How Coworking Could Soften Hounslow’s Cost of Living Crisis

Hybrid and home-based work has become the norm for many workers. But as the energy crisis bites, workers are faced with a dilemma: is it actually cheaper to work in a company office this winter?

The pivotal moment in Denise’s career change from a senior role with software giant Oracle came from the most surprising of places.

With a business development, marketing and partnering background, Denise took a sabbatical in 2014, and volunteered on an organic model farm in Southern India.

Raisa, like many business owners, had myriads of workrelated plans and projects spinning around in her head. Facilitating a one-page SWOT analysis for her was a defining moment for them both.

Roll forward eight years and Denise specialises in working with entrepreneurial business owners - from West London Chamber members through to RHS award-winning Garden Designers - who struggle getting a flow of the right clients to be able to flourish financially.

Given our ‘cost of living crisis’, building what Denise calls a ‘Know, like, trust’ dynamic with your sweet spot clients, is imperative regardless of the economic landscape. That’s to say, really understand who the clients are you love to work with. Work out where they ‘hang out’ and get to know them, building rapport and trust. Networking is just one way to achieve that.

The visual twist?

In our short-attention span world with an overload of ‘stuff’ coming at us, cutting through this ‘noise’ has never been more important. Images, being the fastest way to communicate, are a much under used way to achieve this.

For this reason, to double a client’s impact and success, once key messages are defined, Denise also advises how best to achieve this visually.

Denise also hosts SME Force for Good each last Friday of the month by Zoom. With a 10-minute expert speaker talk and friendly networking, it’s the best start to the last day of the working week.

https://bit.ly/regsme denise@insightfulcollective.co.uk

Research by Uswitch estimates that people working full-time from home over the cooler months will increase their daily gas use by 75%. Working from home full-time also uses approximately 25% more electricity, as workers prepare meals and hot drinks, run computers, and charge mobile devices.

This comes as heating and electricity costs are surging during the energy crisis.

For those who don’t have an expensive commute, it may actually be cheaper to use a flexible coworking space this winter.

UBC, which operates a flexible office and coworking location in Brentford, offers coworking credits and anytime day passes starting from just £25 per day. This becomes much cheaper when buying credits in bulk, or choosing a monthly membership. A monthly coworking membership at The Mille in Bretford costs £249 per month, the equivalent of approximately £12.45 per day (based on 20 working days per month).

This includes:

• Full-time access during business hours to a dedicated desk with lockable storage in a spacious office, shared with other professionals.

• A comfortable work environment with high-speed Internet connectivity, ergonomic furniture, kitchen facilities, and all utility costs included.

• Use of the building address with mail handling, and receptionist services including call answering.

Contact Leon Swan

Email: brentford@ubcuk.com

Tel: 0800 169 9822 www.ubcuk.com/coworking both in the UK and through exporting

• Access to meeting rooms at discounted rates.

• 12 months’ business growth support with free Membership to Enterprise Nation.

Aside from saving money on heating and energy costs, coworking enables workers and entrepreneurs to enjoy better work-life separation. Working at home can be incredibly distracting, which damages productivity and even family relationships. On the flip side, it can be isolating for those who live and work alone.

Coworking provides a comfortable but professional environment, with networking opportunities along with onsite business and community events.

UBC’s Brentford coworking space is located at The Mille on Great West Road (A4) near the M4. It has easy access to public transport via Brentford and Boston Manor stations and a frequent bus service.

Why not take a closer look?

Take a 3D video tour or pop in for a visit. We’ll happily give you a free coworking day pass to try it out for yourself!

Now, flexible workspace solutions at UBC are even more cost effective. See UBC website for all current offers www.ubcuk.com/offers.

From supplying wire to Italian inventor Marconi to ensuring the Thunderbirds Are Go, Ormiston Wire has a long and interesting 230-year history. Sixth generation MARK ORMISTON talks about how Ormiston was streets ahead of the environmental game and reflects on the rich history of the business.

“After the recession of 1989/1990 hit, the company started looking at ways marine industry, and they have been manufacturing wire turbulators used for heat exchangers since 1968 and have developed their own loopedspiral design.

Keeping the staff happy in their work is what Mark says is the company’s secret to success.

The firm has seen several changes to working conditions in recent years, for example, moving to a four-day week by closing Fridays and closing shop at 3pm Monday to Thursday.

“The staff are really happy with a four-day week, we have done it for three years now,” added Mark.

“We have a happy team, you have to enjoy going to work, you spend enough time there.

“One of the guys who works for us has worked here for 59 years. It’s important to us to keep our staff and keep them happy. That’s our secret. You have got to look after your staff and make sure they’re happy, pay them well and give them a life. That’s our philosophy which I learnt from my father.”

Every time the company has hit hard times, they have bounced back showing a steely resilience as strong as the wire they supply.

During the Cold War, 50% of income was supplying wire to the Defence industry whereas now it is the retail sector that benefits from the specialist wire Ormiston produces.

Over the years, the company has supplied wire to support the popular puppets, Thunderbirds, for the television industry and 18 miles of stainless steel wire strand for the rowing course at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

“Things move on,” said Mark. “We have moved into supplying wire for retail units, suspended lighting in warehouses and art installations.” our products out. Now we only empty

As well as Mark at the helm, other members of the Ormiston family are involved in the business. His stepdaughter Karley Ormiston works in sales, Karley’s mother Pauline Ormiston is the company secretary and other family members are shareholders.

Mark, whose work experience prior to taking the helm at Ormiston Wire included being a member of the Territorial Army which gave him insights which he wouldn’t otherwise have gained, working in a factory in Sussex and gaining hands-on experience at a textile mill in Austria, said he looks beyond certificates and education when he takes on staff.

“I dropped out of college,” he said. “I believe in giving someone a job and see what they can do and that they can learn the job, they do not necessarily need certificates.

“In my father’s day, in the 1950s, we had 88 employees, we now have nine. This is the way British manufacturing has shrunk over the years. In 1950, 50% of employment in London was in manufacturing.”

Mark has had the tale of supplying Guglielmo Marconi passed down to him through the generations. He said: “My grandfather’s brother said make sure that Marconi pays before you give him any wire!”

The wire sold to Marconi was used for his experimental wireless telegraphy. He is known for creating a practical radio wave-based wireless telegraph system.

And Mark’s grandmother, Dorothy Ormiston, ran the business throughout the Second World War as all the men had been called up to fight.

“She was a formidable woman by all accounts,” said Mark. “She died before I was born but I’ve heard all about her.”

Ormiston Wire manufactures a range of different types of wire e.g. strands, braids, bunches, for a wealth of uses. superclamps, used particularly in the

“But we’re still in the game,” added Mark. “We have big expensive machinery, and we still make specialist wire for the UK and export worldwide.”

The recession in the 1980s led to their factory in West Ealing being sold and the smaller more efficient factory being purchased in Isleworth. The company’s manufacturing facilities are now in Isleworth and Redditch in the Midlands.

Over the last few years, the company has, like countless others, had to ride the storm of both a global pandemic and Brexit but still has an annual turnover of £1.5 million and is looking to continue its success in future generations.

Ormiston Wire is a supportive member of West London Chambers and has spoken at a number of Chamber sustainability seminars.

As a specialist wire manufacturer and supplier, we are frequently called upon to provide solutions for what could be considered unconventional applications. But if wire is the answer, we can usually supply it.

We are not only a source of wire but also a source of expertise. We have worked with the special effects departments of many film and TV production companies. So if you have ever wondered what really makes ‘Thunderbirds Go’, it’s often Ormiston wire!

Our wire ropes are used to tether goats and other animals, so the space they have to roam is not too free range. We even supply wire to prevent moss growing on roofs. For us, no specification is too large, too small, or too unlikely.