director focus
‘Everyone needs an Elsa’ the Chamber’s very own business strategist Elsa Caleb is a new Director at West London Chambers of Commerce although many members will know her through her work as the Chamber’s business advisor. She tells Sarah Dale why helping businesses is “so precious” to her.
Elsa’s relationship with West London Chambers of Commerce began when she delivered workshops through Branduin Business Support in 2021. A year later, she was asked to become a business advisor for the Chamber and more recently, she was offered the role to become the Chamber’s newest Director, something she “never expected” to happen but was thrilled to accept.
that and show you how to do it. When you’re in the business, you don’t see it from the outside and I can help you see that perspective. You don’t realise you’re stuck in a rut. Showing businesses that other side is what I love.”
“Because I’m a business strategist, I am focusing on the smaller businesses and micro-businesses by mentoring them and focusing my networking in the Ealing area. I am also involved in the Living Wage project in Ealing,” explains Elsa.
Elsa started out as a business advisor in 1991 with The Prince’s Trust. As her skills and experience grew – alongside her passion for business strategy – more and more people told her she should be working for herself. Married with a baby at the time, she wanted the security of employment, so she took a part-time maternity cover position at CenTec, while she began to grow her own business.
“My background is business strategy and I set up my own business as a sole trader 26 years ago and became a limited company, Elsa Caleb Ltd, 20 years ago.
One of her first contacts for business was Portobello Business Centre. Once the maternity cover ended, she was ready to go full-time into the business.
“My focus and my passion are writing business plans. Everyone else thinks they’re boring but I love them! I focus on the business growth. A lot of people are willing to start a business and they’re very comfortable where they are; I push them forward and help them grow to the next level.
“I always seem to meet business clients when they are down,” says Elsa.
“If I know where you want to go, for example, you may want to grow from two people to 10 people, I can see how you can achieve
“Businesses often talk about before Covid and after Covid and how they have lost who they were. I trained as a business counsellor first and I use these skills to help people. You talk it through together. I look at what they were doing before Covid and how to get back to where they want to be. People always say to me that was the best two hours they’ve
ever spent. That’s what I do – and I love that feeling. “Clients say to me ‘Everyone needs an Elsa!’. I’m not an essential cog in the wheel – that’s an accountant or the bank – I’m an add-on, but if you do use a business strategist, you can grow a lot quicker. I analyse businesses objectively. “It is so precious what I do.” Elsa loves her Director role and the “welcoming and friendly environment” Alan, Sally, the Chamber Board and team nurtures. “It’s a very nice environment, everyone is very friendly,” she adds. “Some people think they run too small a business to be part of the Chamber but that’s not true and I can talk to them, for free, for an hour and show them the potential of joining. They have already gained some free business advice from me and can see the value of that advice. There is a lot of added value to joining the Chamber from events to advice. “The Chamber is for a particular area but not for any particular sector and, with the international trade links, the world really is your oyster. We have made connections with Vietnam, New Zealand and Pakistan. “It’s a forward-thinking and progressive Chamber – and I am happy to be a part of it.”
Some people think they run too small a business to be part of the Chamber but that’s not true and I can talk to them, for free, for an hour and show them the potential of joining. They have already gained some free business advice from me and can see the value of that advice. There is a lot of added value to joining the Chamber from events to advice. let’s talkbusiness
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