15 January 2019
A local entrepreneur, who launched his business with the help of the Barclays Eagle Lab at Jersey Library, is celebrating a successful first year in which he has grown from a single-person organisation to a team of six working in his own premises.
Lee Madden, founder and Managing Director of GR8 Recruitment, started his company in January last year.
When launching the start-up, Lee chose to base the business at the Eagle Lab so that he would have support to develop his business. The lab provides a range of services for start-up businesses, including desk and meeting space, mentoring and coaching, and access to digital fabrication equipment.
Lee explained: “When I first started the business, I was working from my home office in St Mary. While working from home has its benefits, I frequently had to come into town for meetings so I started looking for somewhere more central. Commercial premises can be expensive, particularly in Jersey, so starting the business at the lab meant that I could save on overheads and focus on growing my business. The facilities and support at the lab are amazing, and helped me to build the business to where it is today.”
Lee’s business, which originally focused on recruitment in the construction industry, now also provides recruitment agency services in hospitality. The company has also grown considerably, from a single-person organisation to a team of six.
Lee said: “The Eagle Lab has been instrumental in my business’ success. We used everything there – even the laser cutter to make signage for our new premises. The staff there are really friendly, and it was great to be able to interact with like-minded people. I’d encourage any entrepreneurs looking for a space to go and speak to them – the facilities are second to none, and they even offer free tea and coffee.”
Ed Jewell, Chief Librarian at the Jersey Library, said: “We’re really proud of the Eagle Lab that we have here at the library. The lab builds on our library resources to help small businesses and individuals to learn, create, innovate and grow.
“Thanks to the support from Barclays, we’re able to offer a wide range of services that entrepreneurs may otherwise not be able to access, from dedicated desk space in our co-working area, to sophisticated equipment in our Maker Space like our 3D printers and laser cutter.
“We’re delighted that the lab has helped Lee to grow his business, and we wish him and his team all the best in their new premises.”
Neil McCluskey, Head of Corporates at Barclays Jersey, said: “We are delighted that by taking advantage of the Barclays Eagle Lab, Lee has helped to secure his future prosperity, and created five new jobs. Hopefully his example will be an inspiration to others, and we would welcome visits to the lab from all budding entrepreneurs and existing business owners.”
The Eagle Lab is sponsored by Barclays and is run in partnership with the States of Jersey. As well as providing services to businesses, the lab’s Maker Space is also open to islanders who would like to learn how to use digital fabrication equipment.
Anyone wishing to find out more about the lab’s services or to sign up for a membership can do so online.
gov.je