Case Studies

KTD Surveying - Celebrating 5 years of business

Thursday, November 09 at 09:00

What have you learnt in the last 5 years?  
So much!  Having never run a business before, everything from marketing to pricing to IT issues were all new to me.  I knew my specialist area but quickly had to learn so much more.  Having always thought I hated networking, I found that actually it is really enjoyable if you find the right groups for you.  I also learnt that it was really difficult to price my service, because my target clients didn’t even know the service I offered existed, so I had to jump that hurdle before they could even consider whether to go ahead or not.  Five years on, and I still find that aspect difficult, but it seems most small businesses I talk to feel the same way.
What are your goals for the next 5 years? 
At the moment I’m working on producing video guides and talks to be able to help more businesses cost effectively.  I’m also aiming to be the first port of call for businesses if they are thinking of taking on commercial property, before they even start negotiations.  This way they can be sure of an even better outcome.
What has been the single most helpful thing to you (advice, support, finance, etc) over your business life so far? 
 I think this would have to be the support I get from my co-working colleagues.  As a group of businesses we rent offices together, and being able to share resources and problems, and help each other out has been amazing.  Sharing offices has also meant we get to know each other’s businesses so can easily refer work between us which is an added bonus.  Plus we’ve got people to have the traditional Christmas party with!
Kirsty is the founder and a Director of KTD Surveying, a property consultancy specialising in landlord and tenant issues, advising on and negotiating all aspects of commercial property leases and rental valuations. 
In September 2012 Kirsty set up her practice and advises a range of businesses to make sure that surveying services are accessible to all, whether that is finding the first premises for a start-up company, negotiating service charge disputes for a residential developer, or negotiating rent reviews and lease renewals for office and retail tenants. 
An advocate for small businesses, Kirsty is a member of the steering committee for the Small Business Clinics rolled out by RICS, and joined the RICS East of England Board in 2014.  She is part of the pilot mentoring scheme run by RICS, where female surveyors in the UK mentor those in South Africa, and also attends careers fairs to highlight Chartered Surveying as an attractive option for those who may not have considered it. 
Kirsty.harvey@ktdsurveying.co.uk