Furlough ‘space’ helped inspire fit-out business

An ambitious businessman in Dundee has his sights set on £100,000 turnover, just six months after setting up his company.

Adam Taylor was projects and operations manager with Sharp Business Systems, but was furloughed between March and October last year as Covid-19 hit.

With the benefit of “the world slowing down” during the first lockdown, Adam decided to go it alone.

Convincing wife Claire was not easy, he admitted, but after a week of discussions, she finally agreed.

He said: “We’ve also just had a baby so my wife is on maternity pay so I could completely understand her apprehension.

“People were losing jobs at that time, but also I had a good job.

“I thought I could make it work so it was a week of me putting forward ideas and talking about the finances.”

Adam admitted being on furlough offered him an opportunity to rethink what he wanted to do going forward.

“I didn’t find it difficult mentally being on furlough and not working. I had time to spend with my family and the world slowed down,” he said.

“I was the fittest I’d ever been and I think it opened my eyes.

“Not everyone had the same experience but it was positive for me. I felt like I was in the best position.

“It really got my creative juices flowing as to how I could better myself.

“I began to think ‘I could do this, let’s make something for myself and my family going forward’ and fit the gap that’s currently within Dundee.

“I started looking at different opportunities, starting with a cleaning company. I thought that was too big.”

In the end he set up Spaces Taylored, a furniture and design company and launched in December.

“There’s a couple of furniture suppliers in Dundee but nobody does interior fit-outs, which we can do,” Adam explained, adding he has lofty longterm plans for the business.

“I want a showroom in Dundee where people – architects and designers – can feel the fabric, feel the wood and sit on the furniture for themselves.

“Dundee is a design hub, so I’m trying to raise our profile and get in line with that history.”

For now, outsourcing

Adam work is to contractors, but is already an approved living wage employer.

He continued: “This is a clear indication of our intention to make a positive impact within not only our industry but Dundee too.”

The company offers a range of services from installing screens to help maintain social distancing, to space management and producing 3D plans.

Adam is committed to offering “a whole experience” to his customers.

“We can offer everything. We can measure up, do a space plan, give the client 3D visuals and get the creative juices flowing. That lets them visualise it until they are happy.”

Adam is about to begin a major project of almost £30,000 of work at Arbroath Medical Centre.

“The doctors looked at their practice when they realised they were bringing staff back,” he said.

“They asked me to come along and see what I could do.

“It’s going to be a complete interior fit-out including furniture and carpets. Hopefully other medical centres and offices will take the same route.”

After an initial investment of around £3,000, he estimates the business will be turning over in excess of £100,000 by the time the job in Arbroath is completed.

Adam is hopeful more businesses will follow, especially as Covid restrictions ease and staff return to offices.

“There’s a lot of highprofile businesses within Dundee,” he added.

“We’d like them to think about coming to us and staying local instead of going to companies in Edinburgh or Glasgow.”

AMBITIOUS: Adam Taylor launched his interiors fit-out and furniture supply business after rethinking his future while on furlough for seven months.