All Change at HF Central

[libertee]

Over the last year we have been re-thinking our business plan and where we want HF to go, as with most things though you get stuck in a situation that works well so you dont change it!...lol   However with Kate going sick in January and the ensuing chaos/frustration/exhaustion ( throw into that an icelandic volcano) from both our side and for you guys to deal with and it left us no other choice but to re-think and put a new plan into action.

We had a number of choices.  The first was to deal with the packing/picking order situation and this could be easiest resolved by out-sourcing.  We had someone who we trust offerring to do that for us but as they have their own business to run we didnt think this was the ideal choice as it may prevent them from doing what they felt they needed to do for the best for their own business.  Back to the drawing board.

We decided in the end that we needed to do a number of things:

1:  Make HF a limited Company
2:  Go VAT registered
3:  Change accountants!
4:  Staffing
5:  Larger premises.


So.....

1: As from 1st June HF is now officially located at 19 , Mosely St, Ripley, Derbyshire and not at home.  It isnt a huge unit, only about 500sqft of space but it is definitely more space than 1 1/2 garages and there are no kids around!!!  It means we have our home back for the first time in 7 years.

2:  Kev will be working at the office Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.  This means he has dedicated sculpting time and space and will be more efficient. ( ).  If it works then it should double his productive sculpting hours as he wont get involved in the numerous other things that need doing when you work from home!  It also means his time at home will be designated as 'time at home' and not for fitting in sculpting around the kids

3:  From 1st July there will be a part-time office manager doing what Sally has been doing.  The aim is for Sally to hand over all (okay, well most then) of the daily running responsibility over the next few months so that she can take a more back seat and hopefully start to get herself better and her condition more stable.

4:  Paperwork is filled in for Ltd Company registration & Vat registration. 

5:  A 24 hour a week post has been offered to and accepted by one of our loyal temps.  He will start officially when we change status from Sole Trader to Ltd Company.



And we have organised all of this in the last 3 weeks and over half term!...although we still havent completed the stock take as we have been moving HF Central into the new unit.  It will take us a few months i think to get settled into the new routine so in advance we thank you for your continued patience!...lol !  It is a completely new situation and a very radical change for us but we feel very positive about it.  And if it really doesnt work we can always sell up and move to a desert island!


We will let the new staff introduce themselves when they are ready to bear the brunt of questioning.

Thanks lots guys , without you all we couldnt even consider doing this.

Sally & Kev

[voltan]

2:  The beatings will contiue till Kev doubles his sculpting efficency 

 

[Hasslefriesian]

You know her so well

[Inso]

It's a radical step but I think it is a good one.  I wish you well in your latest endeavour and hope it all works out for the best.

(I reckon it was about time ).

[AKULA]

Congratulations to you both....

 

....although I reckon Kev will have to fit an iron bar to the door, to keep you out Sally (remember the bit about slowing down...  ).

[Ishil]

That all sounds like very good news. Congratulations.

[Overrevdsquat]

 

[Penfold]

  congratulations and good luck with the new set up.

[Toosh]

Cool, definitely sounds like a plan. Splitting the home/work environment is going to help a lot I think. Whilst working from home always sounds like a great idea, it's easy to either get distracted or become involved with other non-work stuff going on i.e. kids!

Good luck on your new venture and I look forward to seeing the new 'output' as a result of Kev's improved working environment!!!  

PS So what are you going to use the garage for now that it's been all nicely renovated etc?  Play-room for the kids.....?

[mcfonz]

PS So what are you going to use the garage for now that it's been all nicely renovated etc?  Play-room for the kids.....?

Kids, er, yeah. Why do I imagine a projector or big screen TV hooked up to a PC along with a gaming table and display shelves.

It will become known as Hasslefree 'world'. People will flock to visit the museum . . . . entertainment museum . . .

[Torg]

Sounds like a good idea, hope it all works out the way you want.
Best of luck for the new and improved Hasslefree.

[libertee]

PS So what are you going to use the garage for now that it's been all nicely renovated etc?  Play-room for the kids.....?

Nope, half of it will still be used for HF.  if i am not going to be doing daily running/admin then i can go into range development/research/advertising etc. We need to double sales within 6 months so that we can afford to keep the unit.  I only promised i wasnt going into the new office...didnt say i was going to stop altogether...lol!

Going to move the kids bedrooms around so Jen is in her own room, Meg into the boys room and the boys into the girls room as it is the largest.  this means what was the toy/study room ( will now be jens room) will now have to be moved into the other half of the renovated garage that has been freed up by HF moving out to a unit.  Jen is yr 6 now and in September will be at secondary school.  she will  need somewhere to study away from the others and Kieran has quite a high homework level to do as well.  So basically it wills till be an office and KEv wills till have his old desk space so he can work on 'non-HF' stuff at homne....stuff he is playing with for himself and not for general sale.

[Hasslefriesian]

....So basically it will still be an office and KEv will still have his old desk space so he can work on 'non-HF' stuff at homne....stuff he is playing with for himself and not for general sale.

  Eh? Everything I make I make with a view to you grabbing and sticking in a mould

[dwartist]

Wow! Big move - the very best of luck with that - "We need to double sales within 6 months " - I'll order two of everything in future!

[DRAGON]

Sounds exciting ! Hopefully it will help ease some of the pressure on your home life which can only be a good thing 

[ballistic_bro]

Exciting times ahead, I hope all goes well. 

Can't wait to see this doubling of output from Kev.

[RogerB]

Good luck with the changes.  Should I get some cashflow you know I'll be buying more stuff.

[Gomez Addams]

A 24 hour a week post has been offered to and accepted by one of our loyal temps.  He will start officially when we change status from Sole Trader to Ltd Company.

I thought I was the only one 
But woot for having a job thats happy to pay me in metal, thus cutting out the middle man (also known as the missus)
Theres also the fringe benefits such as picking Kevs brain, zombie style, for nuggets of hobby information... tasty tasty brain nuggets.

Well I've been saying hello and such and I'm glad Sallys finally revealed all. Feel free to fire questions at me although so far the only question I've asked pertained to my gender  ah well. Here's hoping for a successful six months 

[DRAGON]

I take it you paint then - post pics now you are part of the "family" 

[Duke_of_the_Blood_Keep]

Best of Luck guys!

[Gomez Addams]

Yup Dragon, been in the hobby for many a year. As for painted pics there shall be some shortly - I have five Kindred on my desk right now (next to the rather more important comission work  ), that and it'd be rather rude to post pics from the other company.

Whether they get finished before Monday when I have to do my other job though is debatable. Back to the painting 

[Carcharoth]

Sounds like an exciting development! Good luck!

[Morkin]

Wow, bold move with ambitious targets. Something like this had to be done though. I hope it works out for you. 

[Bungle]

Good luck, and glad to see your home life will be more homely than office.

[stonehippo]

good luck with the new venture and i hope and trust things work out well for you