Jade Hammond received the keys to her rental therapy room in 2 Queen’s Gardens, Aberdeen from Skene Business Centres in February 2020, ready to kickstart her business in a new, smart address. Seemingly the timing couldn’t have been worse with lockdown shutting things down before Jade even got started, but Jade’s Skene Business Centre journey has surprising twists along the way.

“In the West End Laser Clinic I offer laser and light therapy to treat a variety of skin concerns, from hair and tattoo removal and body contouring to non-invasive face-lifts and vascular or pigmentation issues. I initially worked from home out in the Aberdeenshire countryside but in late 2019/early 2020 I wanted to expand my business into the city, and provide greater separation between my home life and professional life.’

‘Looking for a new home for your business is like looking for a home for your family. I had a list of venues to view but when I walked into Skene’s Queen’s Gardens address I thought ‘this is the one’. It’s a beautiful building, it’s definitely got the ‘Wow Factor’. Queen’s Gardens is wonderfully maintained, sensitively restored, with high ceilings, a sweeping staircase and the sun pours in from the ceiling light. It’s a lovely place to work.’

‘What also helped me in those early days is that SBC offers a tidy package, where everything’s included. There are no hidden expenses to surprise you. We’re talking electricity, heating, cleaners, reception duties, maintenance etc. I just had to focus on my business, the pressure was taken off me to handle the other issues SBC take care of. The location was also attractive, it’s very green, and the postcode was relevant when it came to attracting clientele.’

‘Initially I moved into a relatively small first-floor rental space. I spent a month fitting it out then, when lockdown hit, it turns out it wasn’t as bad as expected. When people were forced to stay at home my website experienced a surge of views, so when the doors reopened on 1 August 2020, then again on 26 April 2021 when the lockdowns lifted I was rushed off my feet. To the point that by early 2022 I was expanding, buying new machines, and looking for a larger rental space. Skene Business Centres make moving and expanding so easy. They are very approachable and personable. I deal directly with SBC’s Director Maeghan Cuthill, who works out of 7 Queen’s Gardens, just a few doors up from me. I like the fact the company is based right here, so they’re on the ground or a quick call away. In the end it was so straightforward to simply move downstairs, from the first floor of 2 Queens Gardens to a larger room on the ground floor.”

Jade made her new room her own, choosing calming green wall colours that the SBC contractors painted for her. She then erected wood panelling, leaflet holders, brand signage, floral displays and (while furniture was available from SBC) Jade opted to bring in her own pieces that matched the aesthetics of her brand.

"The expansion has delivered for me. And when I hit a point that the phone kept ringing, voicemails were stacking up and I was losing business, I spoke with the SBC reception and the problem’s now solved. Reception take my calls, if I’m not free they note down a message and email it directly to me. There’s a small charge for each message, but it’s significantly cheaper than employing a receptionist myself.'

‘I’d say to anyone thinking of making the leap from home-working to rental space, go for it. If you don’t take chances you don’t gain rewards. Yes, it was cheaper to operate from home, but my business has increased so significantly working out of this address. It was the best decision for my business and its growth. Skene offers what’s needed to make things easy for you as you set up so you can hit the ground running.”

https://westendlaserclinic.co.uk/

Author and photography: Janice Hopper

"When I walked into Skene’s Queen’s Gardens address I thought ‘this is the one’.

It’s a beautiful building, it’s definitely got the ‘Wow Factor’."