Perivale customer is a source of inspiration

One of our customers based at Perivale Business Centre proved a real business inspiration when it offered a week’s placement to a 17-year-old for InspiresMe Week 2016.

Wholesaler Hoffmann & Koree had seen a flyer for the initiative, which had been sent out by Business Centre Manager Natalie Stonehouse, and thought it sounded like a fantastic opportunity.

InspiresMe Week helps 16-to-18-year-old students from the London area gain valuable insight into the inner workings of start-ups and small businesses so they can learn about entrepreneurial skills over the course of a week. It relies on SMEs to provide useful and engaging placements.

Getting to grips with business basics

Hoffmann & Koree, which provides branded and non-branded guest amenities for hotels and the leisure industry, including toiletries, pens, bath robes, slippers and more, enrolled in the initiative and was assigned a 17-year-old to work with them for a week and learn more about the world of business.

“She was fantastic to have around, very bright and confident,” business owner Reynolds Ofori-Koree says.

“The idea was to give her a taster of the how a business operates and what it’s like in the workplace, as well as some inspiration as to her future career.  But also she really helped us and inspired us too, reviving our enthusiasm about what we do.”

As well as attending high profile client meetings and shadowing the team, the student was involved in a project which included the design of a logo, following this through to seeing how a finished product was created. This culminated in the production of T-shirts embroidered with the logo.

“We held debriefings at the end of each day to ensure she learnt something from her experience,” Reynolds continues.

It was a really positive experience for everyone, and we will definitely get involved with more similar schemes in the future. I would recommend any other businesses to get involved too, no matter what the size.

Hoffmann & Koree was founded in 2009, but began trading in earnest in 2011, when it moved into our business centre in Perivale. Reynolds says it was the centre’s strategic location that attracted the company – being close to its clients in central London and Heathrow, and convenient for getting in and out of the capital – as well as cost. The firm also has a production unit in north London.

Business is good for the company and Reynolds is looking forward to some big developments, “hopefully just around the corner.”

Business space to rent in London

The Bizspace Business Centre in Perivale offers a variety of property to let, including offices and commercial units, as well as mailboxes and virtual offices.  There is also a meeting room with space for up to ten people, available to hire by the hour.

The centre boasts a free customer car park, as well as communal space to network or take a break. The site also has two loading bays and a goods lift.

For more information please contact Natalie on 020 8991 5591.