Cornwall is a great base for entrepreneurs starting, growing or moving a business, and we’ll tell you exactly why! Local expert Sue Hook of Sapience HR has shared her insider tips on the lifestyle, business support and collaborative community entrepreneurs can expect here in the Duchy.
With more of us working from home than ever before, a lot of property searches are focusing on home working potential. If you’re looking to buy or sell a property where this is a factor be sure to let us know – we can definitely help!
Houses with their own self-contained offices are hot property right now!
Sapience HR offer remote human resource services to clients across the UK, but are lucky enough to call Cornwall home.“Our little peninsula is known globally as a rural centre for innovation, sustainability, and creativity,” says Sue, Founder and Director of Client Development.
Sapience HR provide advice and support services to lots of Cornish businesses
She adds: “Every year the ranks of pioneering people and businesses based in Cornwall swell – drawn to these shores by the pull of coastal living, but lots of other factors besides…”
If you’re feeling the pull, here are Sue’s thoughts on why Cornwall is such a great base for a business.
Lifestyle
The Cornish lifestyle is enviable; with beaches, countryside, and picturesque harbour towns around every corner, there’s endless scope for exploration. Add to that the great food culture and a vibrant creative scene, and a heady mix of possibilities awaits you in your down-time.
Heading to the beach after work is a regular occurrence here in Cornwall…
A high quality of life is one factor behind the success stories of many Cornish businesses. A good work-life balance helps optimise productivity and, if you’re looking to build a world-class team, persuading the best people to come and work for you in Cornwall shouldn’t be a problem!
Business Support
If you’re looking to start or grow a business in Cornwall, there is a huge amount of business support available. Support for start-ups, rental space at innovation centres, networking platforms, growth hubs – there’s a long list of organisations you’ll want to get in touch with. Businesses at every level can access advice, services and – in many cases – funding.
The business community in Cornwall is thriving
We recommend researching the following organisations if you’re considering Cornwall as a base for your business: Unlocking Potential, Grow Digital Cornwall, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub and Outset Cornwall.
We also suggest joining the Chamber of Commerce and contacting networking platforms like The Samphire Club. Digital Peninsula Network is specifically for ICT and digital business in Cornwall, Network Cornwall is a useful resource for women in business, and Business Cornwall is a fantastic online platform and print magazine, whose free daily updates are an essential subscription for local business leaders.
In Cornwall people are particularly open and willing to give others a helping hand. New and relocating businesses can expect a friendly welcome.
Connectivity
While Cornwall is physically connected to the rest of the UK and beyond with good rail, air and road infrastructure, these days digital connectivity is far more important.
Thanks to EU funding, superfast broadband now reaches 90% of premises in Cornwall and the project is gradually chipping away at the remaining 10%.
Cornwall is at the juncture of global data feeds!
There are exciting developments taking place at Goonhilly, where a new green data centre uses immersion cooling and takes advantage of Cornwall’s location at the junction of global subsea cables, satellite feeds and fibre.
Designed to meet the needs of automotive, life sciences and space/aerospace marketplaces, developments like this could see Cornwall becoming a hub for cutting-edge industries.
Professional & Creative Services
Business owners will find world-class professional services on their doorstep here in Cornwall. From design agencies such as Leap, to the masters of the written-word at Stranger Collective, award-winning PR agencies like Barefoot Media, and of course consummate HR services such as ours.
Could you become an ambassador for ‘Brand Cornwall’?
Cornwall has long been home to a fierce creative spirit, which these days manifests itself in everything from filmmaking to web design, photography to branding. There can be few rural areas with such a concentration of creative talent.
We often find that word of mouth recommendations are a great way of sourcing help from professionals and creatives based here in Cornwall; another excuse to attend a few of those networking events…
Sustainability
Cornwall is known globally as a hub for sustainability and green innovation. From geothermal projects to harnessing wave energy, building wind turbines to designing high-performance recycled clothing, our little peninsula is at the cutting-edge of environmental forethought.
Cornwall is a leader in green energy
Whether you’re moving your business to Cornwall or looking to establish and grow a brand here, sustainability will become one of your watchwords. We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful place, and so environmental stewardship is an intrinsic part of running a business in Cornwall.
Brands with a strong environmental ethos will benefit from being based here, where they will find many kindred spirits. Collaboration – part of our business culture – is sure to follow.
If Sue’s insights have persuaded you to start the search for a new base in Cornwall, check out our property portfolio. We have houses on the market right now with home office potential, and can help you in your search for that illusive work-life balance!
