Preston property management firm eyes expansion following Boost startup support during Covid-19

The founder and owner of a Preston-based property management company is looking to scale up her business and expand nationally after receiving startup support from Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub.

Natalie Klausen, director, began her business in January 2020. She has over 20 years’ experience working in local authority housing advice departments, before moving to housing management at a regional housing group. She then became lettings and marketing manager for a large national housing group. Let’s Abode is based at Preston’s Cotton Court Business Centre. After being introduced to Boost through Cotton Court’s owner Robert Binns, Natalie joined Boost’s fully funded Flying Start programme which is designed to give new business owners and pre-start entrepreneurs the tools and knowledge to make their business idea a success.

A flying start

Natalie received a range of support to help her business grow, despite the pressures of Covid-19.  She also received a grant through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, helping her to invest in technology. She said: “After going live with the business, we quickly went into lockdown. Everything ground to a halt and because we were a new business, I could not receive much of the Government assistance other businesses were entitled to. “It was difficult to plan because we just didn’t know what was going to happen. Boost was quick to move its business support programmes online so I could continue to receive support on starting and running a business.

My Boost business adviser, Yusuf Musa, was also really supportive and helped me to understand my options.” Boost is Lancashire's Business Growth Hub and is led by Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership). It is supported by funding from Lancashire County Council, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. As a funded business support service, Boost helps Lancashire business owners and leaders navigate the local, regional and national public and private sector business support landscape, to find the right support for their business. Boost also delivers a number of funded programmes for start-up, established and fast-growing businesses. Over the past two years, Let’s Abode has grown through a series of contracts with local authorities and landlords across the North West, while receiving ongoing guidance from Boost.

National expansion

Natalie is in the process of expanding nationally and recently delivered services on behalf of a major investor around asylum seekers accommodation in Middlesborough and Yorkshire. The company is also assessing other opportunities in areas including London and Peterborough. Let’s Abode is also in the process of hiring an internship graduate to support its ongoing growth. This is being done through a Lancaster University business support service following an introduction by Boost.

“I’ve really benefitted from the support from Lancashire County Council through Boost,” Natalie added. “As well as the knowledge which I gained from the programme, I was meeting other business owners in similar situations and learning about other support on offer in Lancashire which has really expanded my network.” Let’s Abode was also a finalist in the Startup Business of the Year category at last year’s BIBAs Awards and Natalie is now considering future options to scale the business quickly, such as franchising. 

Boost’s Flying Start programme is designed to help entrepreneurs get their business off to a flying start by defining their growth plan and helping them to create a strong environment for sustained success. If you want to speak to a someone from the Growth Hub about business support, contact us online or call 0800 488 0057. Pictured above is Natalie Klausen from Let’s Abode with Boost business adviser, Yusuf Musa.