My Week: VISIBLE
Hola folks. Shorter days and longer nights were noticeable over the week. As expected, it was combined with moron drivers who invaded my safety space on my bike. One of the near misses was scary. PRAT!
Location
My week further confirmed operating from a retail unit is spot on for me/FT Practice Ltd. I love our location and making our mark in the locality. Further, I feel comfortable working in our new office. So far so very good.
VISIBILITY
The practice has serious visibility. It has already brought the benefits. Please let me explain.
About three weeks ago, a work experience job seeker walked into our office and ask if we could offer her work experience.
As you know, I go on my gut feeling. I felt she would be right for the practice. She works one day a week and she is also looking for a job. The days she was in, my gut feeling was confirmed, she would be right for the practice.
Tomorrow, I have a one-hour formal interview with my work experience person. My intention is to offer her a job working 3 days a week and within 6 months offer her a full-time job. She has just completed and passed her level 2 AAT. In one of the later blogs, I will outline her role in the practice.
Potential Clients
Even before FT store was open for business, a potential client saw the signage with no furniture. I had my first meeting with her in the store with just chairs and rubbish to be cleared from the store. Over the week, she emailed saying that she wants to become a client.
I also meet another potential client who saw the store, checked our website and then called for a meeting. I met her over the week. I will know the outcome of our meeting next week.
Think Retail
Remember, my approach on FT Store was and is thinking retail. I did not try and save money. It was important for me to get the look right. I spent a fair bit. I observed the key players such as Apple Store, John Lewis and McDonald’s, to assess the effort and care they put in to bring in the footfall.
I have and continue to work hard and make sure the store looks inviting and it is always clean. Ever few days, with a broom and other cleaning materials, I clean the outside of the store.
Over the week, I cleaned bird poo from the projection sign. I also have a window cleaner coming ever two weeks. I may change this to weekly.
I am sure you get my point. It is NOT just a matter of getting a retail unit. It involves thinking outside accountants narrow mindset. It is important to adopt a retailer mindset.
It is rare for me to be proud of what I have achieved. I am very proud of FT Store. If age was on my side, the store would have been a franchise concept to be repeated in other areas. It is working, I know it is early days to say this,
I make sure the store is well lit in the evenings. It acts as a main road business card.
I am sure, you have worked out by now, I have no shame, neither am I snotty nosed (many accountants are) about operating an accountancy practice from a retail unit. It is in a desirable and well-sought area.
My Way
I have no doubt they are many accountants who are more successful than I am operating from a serviced office or a home office. It is their way and it is not relevant. For me, job satisfaction comes from doing it my way. No Practice Gurus, No advisors and no one telling me what to do. It has to be my roadmap folks.
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Yes, I think all of us sole practitioners are doing it because we want things done our way and have control. Even a partnership would be a compromise.
Of course, it could just be that we are now virtually unemployable having done things our way for too long. We would make particularly recalcitrant employees.
FT are you finding that the physical high street presence you now have is more productive from a client lead perspective than say your website is.