August 2009 www.homebusinessnetwork.co.uk 23
PrOfiLE :: wiTHiN4wALLS
Claudia’s passion spawns interiors enterprise
By rob James Still in its infancy, within4walls has managed to ride the
wave of the recession and grow as a specialist retail business.
SURVIVING knockbacks is a key factor in developing any “The past three to four years have been very interesting
business from scratch, something Claudia Langstone- to say the least. With shifting markets we have had to
Nijman knows a lot about having started her own home adapt the retail pricing structure, but we’ve survived,” says
interior products company more than three years ago. Claudia.
“I had nothing at the very beginning, no products to “One of the benefits of working from home is that
show anyone, no website, so I had plenty of knockbacks the overheads are relatively small, if we had offices and
from companies who were not confident I had, or could wages to pay out then things could be very different. We
source, the pieces they needed,” Claudia says. successfully keep our costs to a minimum.”
“I’m experiencing the flipside to that now though as The aim for the rest of 2009 and moving into next year
people are asking to work with me on various projects, is for the company to concentrate on bigger projects
which is fantastic.” and within4walls will once again be present at the 100%
Having worked extensively in interior design and Design London exhibition in September at Earls Court.
travelling to trade shows all over Europe with her husband “It’s exciting to be at the exhibition again because it’s the
Paul, a bed manufacturer, Claudia, 51, and a mother of leading interior, design and architecture event in the country
three, decided to launch with4walls based purely on her and a fantastic platform for new talent and designs to be
personal interest. showcased. It obviously also means that I can network,” says
Claudia says: “The motivation for this business comes Claudia. “A really important side to this business is that we
from my lifelong love of interior design. I simply started support UK and European designers and products.”
collecting various pieces and at the same time started to In the past Claudia has hired in PR and marketing
build a library of companies to work with. We now have expertise but found that knowing the business inside out,
an unrivalled collection of both classic and contemporary combined with her passion, she was the best person to
design and home interior products. talk about within4walls to interested parties.
“Within4walls is a portal for designers who are not “I do everything myself because I can at the moment. I
mass producers and simply wish to showcase their have to reiterate that within4walls is born from personal
unique products from light fittings through to household interest, it’s my passion and that really is what drives the
furniture. We are moving into different areas and working business forward because we’re still growing in terms of
with new designers all the time, which in turn gives us turnover and staffing.”
more collateral as a business.”
www.within4walls.co.uk
Claudia Langstone-Nijman: Personal interest
fEATUrE :: SOfTwArE PirACY
employees will be held accountable for copyright infringement, resulting in bad
breaking company guidelines, resulting in publicity and leaving a negative impression
disciplinary action. of that company and its regard for the law.
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) In an economy where competition for new
is the voice of the software industry. It is business is fierce, you cannot afford to act in
a not-for-profit organisation that counts a way that would undermine your reputation.
Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, and Symantec The question is do you believe any of this
among its members, as well as many small applies to you? The chances are, if you have
software companies. BSA will take legal not recently audited your software and
action, on behalf of its members, against matched your licences with the software
companies that flout copyright law by installed on your computers, you could be
using unlicensed software. unintentionally using unlicensed software.
Being identified for using unlicensed Do not be complacent - with
software can be damaging on a number of unemployment figures rising, there is a
levels. From a financial point of view, legal risk that recently redundant employees
Piracy can be a pricey problem
settlements can be very costly, especially will take advantage of the financial reward
as this expense would not be budgeted. offered by the BSA to report on businesses
This month, BSA announced settlements using illegal software. By forewarning
By Alyna Cope Unlicensed software is not always eligible
with three London-based companies to a businesses, we are trying to convey the
for manufacturer patches, leaving cumulative value of £100,000. message that, in these turbulent times, it
SOFTWARE piracy can ruin businesses. computers vulnerable to infection,
A business’ reputation would also is even more important for a business to
Using software for which you do not subsequent data loss, and possible system
seriously suffer if it was penalised for be whiter than white.
have a licence could harm your cash flow, failure. The consequences of which could
damage your reputation, and result in loss be disastrous, especially for those that do
of all precious company data. Using illegal not have robust back-up systems in place,
software has serious, detrimental effects which tends to be the case for many small
on organisations. Plus, companies forget businesses. When you consider the mass
that there is an incentive to keep on top of valuable information and work saved on
of your software management - it can computers the prospect of losing all that
actually save you money! data could be fatal for a company.
There are many different forms of There are also cost benefits to taking
piracy. In this case, we are referring to the a considered and thorough approach to
unauthorised use of copyrighted software. software management, particularly as
This sounds quite far removed from the many businesses have more software
daily demands of running a business, but licences than they need. Taking stock
using software without a valid licence is of software installed on your systems
EaSy anSWER
an infringement of copyright and exposes helps to ensure licence compliance and
your business to legal, financial, technical, identifies any software that is surplus
Do you work for a larger business that isn’t home-based
and reputational risks. to requirements, therefore avoiding
but want to enjoy similar member benefits?
The extent of the problem is far-ranging. unnecessary cost to the business.
Leading analyst firm IDC calculates that Software Asset Management (SAM) Register as a member of Telegraph Business Club and benefit from
more than one in four pieces of software is a best-practice way to analyse what information, advice, news, events – and lots of exclusive offers and prizes
in the UK is illegal. However, keeping software you have, to determine what
your software in order and proactively licences you need and how to manage your
It’s free and easy to join today at:
managing it can save you significant sums software more efficiently. As employees
www.telegraphbusinessclub.co.uk
of money and make your business more increasingly bring their personal devices
efficient and competitive. As a general rule into the workplace, such as MP3 players,
anything that is used should be paid for. the risk to business of unknowingly
Legal obligations aside, there are some inheriting illegal software is heightened.
very compelling reasons for businesses to The company should emphasise
ensure full compliance: clearly in staff manuals that installation
Illegal software can contain pre-loaded of unlicensed software has a harmful
malicious software, Trojans and viruses. impact on the company and individual
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