Q: You’re celebrating No.8’s 10th year in business, congratulations! If you were to describe No.8 in three words. What would they be and why?
A: “Boutique, Sustainable and Welcoming.
Boutique. Because it is different, isn't it? It’s unique. We’ve not tried to be the same as everybody else. A friend of ours called us disruptive when we opened, which at first, I didn't like. But I think what she meant is we’re different from the other businesses in our area – we aren’t just a straight-forward, bland office space – we’re all about the personal touches. We have countless plants, wooden and cork decorations and big windows which bring the natural world into the office. If one of our customers says they love a certain drink – that’s what they’ll get, one of us will pop to the shop to find exactly what they want. And that’s what it’s all about – making sure our customers are comfortable, productive and content in our space.
Sustainable. Everything we do is about making sure that we are here long term – both as a business and in terms of the planet. So even today when one of our clients had 10 coffees and they said, ‘do you want us to send an invoice?’, I said, ‘no, have them on us, it's Friday and you'll be back again’, or some words to that effect. We’re all about building lasting, positive relationships with our customers. We also try to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste. We have rainwater harvesting for our plants. We have a hot composting bin, which means we can compost all the coffee waste, tea bags, hand towels, toilet roll and all the shredded paper. In fact, in our non-compostable bins, we have less rubbish for a five-story office building than the average domestic family has.
We have solar panels; we have electric charging points in the car park and the soap is completely plastic free. We buy well and we buy once. All the furniture is now ten and a half years old, so it's stood the test of time, and I'm really chuffed with it. I'm still in touch with the company; they’re our chums there and it’s made in Attleborough. We’re really keen on supporting local suppliers and buying consciously.
And finally, welcoming. Like I said the space is light, airy and smells great, which I think is what people want from a workspace – it’s such a comfortable working environment. Everyone is always smiling and there’s a real sense of community among the teams we have working here. We have quiet spaces where people can get their heads down, but also a fantastic social area on the middle floor where everyone can mingle and have a chat.“
Q: Running your own business is challenging, especially running two. What's the most unexpected hurdle you faced while running the two businesses?
A: “I want to say sexism and ageism, I'll often find that I answer the phone, and people will assume I'm the receptionist. We're a husband-and-wife team and they'll ask for Richard. Although Richard is heavily involved, this is a female led business, so when people assume otherwise that really winds me up! This also feeds into the assumptions of other business owners. In the past people have said ‘what do you know about running a premises?’ Actually, I know quite a lot because I've used a lot of them. Or ‘what do I know about running a health and safety consultancy?’ Loads, because I'm an ex-inspector and a chartered practitioner. And being a people-facing business owner, really gives you a sense of responsibility.“
Q: What's something about No.8 that might surprise people who are unfamiliar with the business?
A: “How big it is. Everybody says that. What a Tardis it is! People don't see the lower ground floor and they don't see the top floor. So, it just looks like it's the squishy bit in the middle. And the lights, they really love those lights.“
