The 3rd of September marked the launch of Occupyd, a first-of-its-kind online marketplace that connects businesses and individuals searching for workspace with companies looking to monetise their extra capacity.
The brainchild of 29 year-old founder, Callum McPherson, Occupyd caters to a number of industries across the UK including hospitality, hairdressing and beauty salons, as well as workshops, photography studios, event spaces and much more.
Here’s how it works: a cafe that closes its doors at 3pm each day can advertise its kitchen space on Occupyd for small businesses or entrepreneurs who cater to the evening market. This provides out-of-hours income for the owner – during a time when it’s needed most – and cuts down the financial responsibility for the occupant.
McPherson, whose vision is to make physical space more accessible and less burdensome for businesses regardless of sector, size or location, said:
“A large number of organisations have been affected by the on-going pandemic, which has had a huge impact on their bottom-line. We’re driven to make life a little easier by facilitating relationships between businesses on the hunt for workspace, and those that have extra capacity, so they can help each other out and continue to grow.
“We talk about the ‘hidden market’ – something which is already there, but people are unaware of. Monetising after-hours capacity, which would otherwise be empty, or renting out supplementary workspace could be a goldmine for some companies. Many of us are sitting on something valuable – we just don’t know it.”
Occupyd offers businesses a simple way to maximise their income in what is a very challenging part of the economy – owning physical premises in big cities. These proprietors will have either been missing out on this additional income, or managing the timely process themselves.
When businesses sign up, all they need to do is create a profile and field enquiries from interested parties. Occupyd does all the marketing and platform development so space owners can kick back and watch the bookings roll in. Once they reach a deal and accept a tenant, the money will be deposited into their bank account, so no need to issue or chase invoices.
McPherson concluded: “Taking a five or 10 year lease on a building, paying a hefty deposit and having access to it 24 / 7 is not what most SMEs and microbusinesses want or can afford. We give them access to space in prime locations, when and where they need it, so they don’t have to pay for more than they require. Not only do we save them money on space, but also equipment such as ovens and mixers, which would otherwise have to be bought. Occupyd makes it infinitely easier to get started in business, test your concept and expand.”
