WOMENINBUSINESS
inside THE BUSINESS :
KEEPERS COTTAGES
BEYOND THE GLASS CEILING ...
CAMILLA SHIPTON WAS BORN AND BRED IN SURREY , ALTHOUGH HER HUSBAND ’ S FAMILY ARE FROM THE KENT COAST , SO THEY DECIDED TO RELOCATE FROM LONDON TO DEAL WHEN THEIR CHILDREN WERE SMALL . THEY ’ VE NEVER LOOKED BACK !
Tell us a bit about you and what led you to starting your business , Keepers Cottages ?
My background is actually in teaching as I trained as a Montessori teacher . When we moved to Deal , I started my own cleaning business and many of my clients were holiday lets and second-home owners . It was a job that I loved ; making sure that guests had a wonderful stay and could truly relax in this beautiful part of the country . I soon realised that national agencies did very little for owners or guests and that there was a need for a local agency to provide the entire service from taking bookings to the cleaning , laundry and out-of-hours service . At the time , Deal was becoming more popular and well known , so Keepers grew very quickly .
When did you start this business ?
I started 10 years ago in 2013 , so we are very proud and excited to be celebrating our 10th year of business this year . We actually started with five properties and still have all of them on our books today .
Where did the idea for your business stem from ?
The idea came from starting my own cleaning business and working with secondhome owners . With little experience of running my own business , I really only had the idea and the passion to start , so I approached a family run estate agent and we went into partnership . This was immensely helpful as I ’ d never run a business before . After three years , we both decided that I was ready to go on alone and with encouragement , I bought the shares back to become sole owner of Keepers , which I am still today .
What does your company do ?
Fundamentally , we ’ re a holiday letting company based on the Kent coast but really we ’ re so much more than that - we ’ re a one-stop shop . We manage the entire process from the moment that guests book to the cleaning , laundry , out-of-hours service , maintenance and so much more . Unlike larger agencies , it ’ s not just about booking numbers and maximising revenue . We offer a truly personal service with complete flexibility and we treat our owners ' homes as our own .
What sets you apart from your competition ?
I truly believe that we go the extra mile . The most important part of holiday lets is the cleaning and the customer service . We are always on hand and have an out-of-hours contact number for our guests when they stay . We are a friendly , small and local team who genuinely really care . There really are no other agents locally who do what we do .
What are you most proud of ?
I am most proud of my team and the fact that my children now work and run the business alongside me . I am also incredibly proud to still be here after 10 years in what is a very competitive market .
What would be your one piece of advice to other women in business ?
I ’ ve got two . Firstly , always sleep on a decision before making it , and secondly to use your mistakes as opportunities to learn .
keeperscottages . co . uk
58