Sponsored by Barclays and run in partnership with the States-funded Jersey Business, the Eagle Lab provides workspaces for new companies, as well as other business support.
That helped Lee Madden, founder and managing director of GR8 Recruitment, to grow from a one-man business in January last year to a team of six now.
‘When I first started the business, I was working from my home office in St Mary,’ Lee said.
‘While working from home has its benefits, I frequently had to come into town for meetings so I started looking for somewhere more central. Commercial premises can be expensive, particularly in Jersey, so starting the business at the lab meant that I could save on overheads and focus on growing my business. The facilities and support at the lab are amazing, and helped me to build the business to where it is today.’
The firm originally focused on recruitment in the construction sector, but has since expanded to the hospitality sector.
Mr Madden said that using the Eagle Lab was instrumental in his success and their facilities are second to none, even including free tea and coffee.
‘We used everything there – even the laser cutter to make signage for our new premises,’ he said.
‘The staff there are really friendly, and it was great to be able to interact with like-minded people. I’d encourage any entrepreneurs looking for a space to go and speak to them.’
Ed Jewell, Chief Librarian at the Jersey Library, said that they are really proud of the Eagle Lab, which builds on the library’s resources to help small businesses and individuals.
‘Thanks to the support from Barclays, we’re able to offer a wide range of services that entrepreneurs may otherwise not be able to access, from dedicated desk space in our co-working area, to sophisticated equipment in our Maker Space like our 3D printers and laser cutter,’ Mr Jewell said.
Head of Corporates at Barclays Jersey, Neill McCluskey said that hopefully Mr Madden’s example will be an inspiration to others.
‘We would welcome visits to the lab from all budding entrepreneurs and existing business owners,’ Mr McCluskey said.
