Whilst still a concept, it seemed so simple. Moving. A mundane process. All I needed to do was to create a list, set a budget and work my way through the list, checking it off as I went along. Then hey presto – moved! Or so I thought. Until reality set in, as the date to move drew closer.
Identified as one of the most stressful events that you will experience during your lifetime -alongside divorce, redundancy and the loss of a loved one, moving is not something to take lightly.
It has to be said, that on a scale of 1 to 10, moving a business rates a little lower than moving home, however as this move is a significant life change for me, it is mired with the uncertainty that comes from a shift into the unknown. A feeling sure to bring on anxiety and stress – and it has.
And that’s before the actual relocation has begun.
It’s the multitude of elements to consider that causes the most stress. The packing, paperwork, planning, organization - and of course - the money. Then to layer on the stress further, I am moving mid-season, so I also face the added pressure of having to keep up to date with my long list of clients.
It’s a lot. But it’s a change that we need.
After ten blissful years of village life, I’m shifting gear. I am relocating my company to the city.
It’s a move that will enable me to make frequent visits to major cities across The Netherlands with ease. With Amsterdam airport a mere 30 minutes away, it was an opportunity too good to miss.
As a team, we had carefully drawn up a shortlist of the areas that would enable us to be positioned in a location that would be convenient for everyone. Once we had narrowed down the list to the place that was a best fit for the space, budget and rental period that we wanted – this was the spot.
The exterior of our new building is certainly not spectacular but what we liked, was the potential that the abundance of natural lighting inside provided, knowing that we had the budget to renovate the interior to our taste.
During the past ten years, the area in which our old office was located has changed- drastically. We no longer overlook an orchard and riding school, instead we look out onto acres of aluminium boxes - warehouses desperate for the edifying qualities of natural light.
The biggest change of all in a decade? Our customers’ needs. Ten years ago, we would show our customers a number of options for the fittings that they wanted. Today, the arrival of an ever-increasing range of collections, plus the rapid development of LED has completely transformed the way that we advise our customers.
Showrooms have become meeting rooms. Places for clients to understand the vision and structured approach that will be used to accomplish their project in the way that suits their needs best, instead of a space to simply view light fixtures.
Sometimes communicating that vision involves ordering samples or visiting showrooms with clients. And that’s where this shift in gear comes in. We needed a good, central location near the highway. As a result of our move we now have: a larger and better equipped warehouse, a documentation room and sample library, as well as a meeting room.
It was a mistake to believe that at a time when we do so much work in the cloud, moving would be simple and easy. In reality, it turns out that the preparation and the actual moving is far less exhausting than the first couple of weeks in a new location.
A few weeks in, the number of unpacked boxes is beginning to get smaller and the lists of tasks still to do is finally starting to shorten. The warehouse though, is the place that I fear. Although much bigger than our old one, it has filled itself - once again..
