Amanda motors back into area to start own company
AHUMAN resources expert has made a career’s dream reality by setting up her own business giving advice and support to businesses in Cheltenham, Stroud and the surrounding areas.
Amanda Strange, who turns 50 next year, felt if she didn’t start her own business now, she never would.
So she’s launched a new business called The HR Dept Cheltenham and Stroud, offering her 14 years of experience working in human resources to small and medium-sized businesses in the area.
With offices in Hatherley Lane in Cheltenham, she will offer the full range of HR advice and support to local SMES, bringing the senior corporate experience on an outsourced, parttime and therefore affordable basis.
“It’s a great opportunity,” she said. “My territory covers not only Cheltenham and Stroud but also Cirencester, Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and all the surrounding villages, so there are many, many local businesses who can benefit from what I offer.
“Starting my own business is something I’ve always wanted to do.
“I’m quite independent and I had reached the point in my career where I really wanted to get control back of where I was going.
“I’m looking forward to getting involved in a variety of hands-on work which I really enjoy which I know makes a real tangible difference to the business and the people employed.
“I’d almost given up on my dream but I turn 50 next year and I just thought that if I don’t do it now, I never will.”
Having spent the past six years commuting to Portishead from her home in Yate, Amanda – a self-confessed petrolhead – is now looking forward to getting to know her territory again.
Amanda was born in Stroud and lived on Slad Road until the age of 12 when her parents made the decision to move to Yate in South Gloucestershire.
“I always said I would move back to Stroud as that was where my heart was” she said “but for one reason or another this wasn’t possible, having Stroud as part of my territory is the next best thing to happen for me.
“I love driving, and especially if the recent weather continues I’m looking forward to getting the top down on my MX-5 and exploring the business communities around the area.
“I’m excited about being able to work with lots of different people and help them, going to different locations every day, meeting and interacting with lots of different types of businesses.
“With small businesses there’s much more flexibility and the speed they move at is faster too.”
Amanda’s 14 years of HR experience have seen her managing the human resources work for a medium-sized social housing group with 500 employees, as well as a regional role – covering the entire South West from Cornwall to Oxford and Southampton – with a large outsourcing firm.
She said that, in a rapidly-developing employment landscape, she was expecting her services to be in high demand in the local SME community.
“There are a lot of personnel issues for SMES to be thinking about at the moment,” she said, “with new legislation like GDPR bedding in since May, the reviews on equality, the gender pay gap, and then with the Home Office having just published the Brexit Toolkit for employers.
“Companies need to be aware of likely legislation and prepare for it in advance – the world is changing and those businesses which aren’t up to speed are going to struggle.
“HR professionals are available for advice so that, rather than having an additional headache to worry about, business owners can pass responsibility for the people issues over to us. We allow you to look after your business and take care of your people problems.”
The HR Dept is an international business, with a network of 71 franchisees providing HR services in 109 territories in the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Managing director Gemma Tumelty said: “It’s great to see someone of Amanda’s calibre and experience offering HR services to SMES in Cheltenham, Stroud and the surrounding part of Gloucestershire. We wish her all the best operating the licence and are sure she will make it a great success.”