Hello everyone! Welcome back to the Alumni Blog! This week we have guest blogger, Tara Pearson, on board to tell us about being self-employed and running her own business. Tara graduated in 2003 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art with Drama and Theatre Studies and Integrated Live Arts. She now owns a successful Domestic Energy Assessment company. Here she is to tell us more…
“Hi, my name is Tara and I have been self employed and running my own business now for 5 years. The thought of being my own boss and responsible for my own income and actions each month had always scared me (and still does in some ways), so admittedly it was never a part of the master plan, but something I found myself fall into (or pushed into – but that is a whole other story!) I now own a successful Domestic Energy Assessment company offering Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and floor plans for properties for both domestic and commercial clients.
“What is an EPC I hear you say? An EPC is basically an A-G energy rating for a property, the same as you would find if you were buying a new fridge or washing machine. All properties in the UK have required an EPC since 2007, whenever they are sold or rented. I’m constantly travelling around different areas, but if I’m being really honest, I never dreamed as a young girl that one day I would become a Domestic Energy Assessor! This has been the result of working somewhat by accident within the estate agency industry for 14 years, and admittedly from word go, I always fancied myself as a Surveyor.
“Having always been a creative person and coming from an artistic family, I graduated from the University of Chester in 2003 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art with Drama and Theatre Studies and Integrated Live Arts… phew! The idea was to set up my own commercial art company and create one off pieces of artwork designed specifically to fit client’s commercial spaces. And so after I graduated, Genuine ARTicle was created. However I soon realised after selling some original paintings in a local gallery and to local residents, this business was unfortunately not going to provide me with a regular monthly income to enable me to flee the nest!
“I ended up writing to the local estate agents, asking for work experience and out of many, one kindly accepted my offer and I spent a week with them, resulting in a job offer at the end. And so my estate agency journey began! I honestly thought it was something I would do for a while until something I deemed more interesting came along… Before long life had passed me by! Days turned in to weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. I had successfully worked my way from Negotiator to Senior Valuer, and onto Associate Partner. Adding another qualification of Energy Assessor to my bow seemed a somewhat natural suggestion.
“So what’s in store for the future? I can see a few different opportunities for the business to grow naturally. I would like to provide extra services that can be offered to non-domestic properties, as well as the current domestic sector. Producing an overall EPC, floor plan and professional photographic package is another option, offering a complete all in one preparation service for private customers, corporate clients and agents alike. I am also looking into creating a further third business which would enable me to offer my clients a utility service option as this ties naturally into my existing business model.
“But what about the ‘loves’ I’ve lost? These may be long lost, but they certainly have not been forgotten. Stifling an artistic person’s creativity is not good for anybody. This year I joined a Murder Mystery Theatre group and I’m absolutely loving it. You know it is good for you and something you should be doing with your life when you would be willing to do it for free! I met Pete, the owner of Sudden Death Theatre Company, last year when I was promoting my business. I thought I’d be brave (or cheeky??) and I basically told him if he ever needed an actress, I had a Drama degree – hint hint! Thankfully Pete took me up on my offer and I have never looked back since. Performing again has confirmed to me that acting is something I definitely want to pursue and is good for my soul. A part of me wishes I had listened to my gut, followed my heart and pursued my dreams by believing in myself sooner, why hadn’t I tried this years ago?! In a strange way, I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe now is my time 15 years on? But what I do know, it is really never too late to listen to your heart and make a change!”
Check out TP EPC’s website, Facebook and LinkedIn.
If you would like to become a guest blogger, we would love to hear from you! Email us at alumni@chester.ac.uk or drop us a message on social media.
