Having spent most of my career in large organisations, like many I spent a huge amount of time commuting to London, or to European offices for meetings (that, to be honest, could have been a Teams call).
One day whilst waiting in yet another airport I counted that I'd taken 94 flights in 2019 and then ultimately had a panic attack on a flight in January 2020. At which point I decided enough was enough. One good thing to come out of the subsequent pandemic was no longer regularly traveling for work. And I loved it!
So when I set up Duga Digital, one of the benefits was not spending loads of time travelling. And yet I still wanted the experience of an office. Like many, I have found the need for a balance between working from home but equally enjoying the energy, shared learnings and thinking of those colleagues around us.
To meet this balance I knew I wanted to join a collaborative workspace where I could be around a variety of other businesses. That's when I found LIME TREE WORK SHOP. A fantastic space that brings together a range of organisations and businesses to the local area, and it’s just down the road for me.
Working in a shared office means you get to meet a range of different people who you wouldn’t typically come across in a business. You stumble across new industries, new ideas and new thinking that brings a diversity to what Duga do for our clients. Below are some other people I collaborate and work alongside at LIME TREE WORK SHOP.
I sit next to a CEO of a maritime and shipping research company. One of my clients sits in this space so we trade industry trends and discussion topics. This helps me better understand the industry so I can make more relevant recommendations and changes for the clients data.
A TV advertising buyer also sits nearby and we often have a coffee together. We’ve collaborated on pitches to try and get more data-led TV justification for client spend. It’s a fascinating space and one that is becoming increasingly digital & data led.
There is a recruitment business that is based in the offices. They have been hiring some marketing data analyst positions and so I have given them direction and my industry experience, but in return they have also suggested my services to some of their clients whilst they find the right candidate.
Working locally I also get to immerse myself in the local area which I love. Here are my top picks for the area:
Basil cafe Sevenoaks for my morning coffee and the cakes are a perfect afternoon pick me up.
Life on High Sevenoaks A great place to meet colleagues nearby
Sevenoaks bookshop has a fantastic working space and you are surrounded by amazing books!
Knole Park some of my best thinking is done whilst walking so getting out to the amazing Knole Park for some fresh air is essential.
