The Newbury company making it their business to deliver you the ‘help’

We can but dream of living the high life, but not all of us can afford it.

Chloe Rodwell runs Abode Staff, a high-end recruitment agency based at Greenham Business Park, and has made a career of providing domestic staff including live-in housekeepers, butlers, nannies, gardeners and personal assistants.

The 32-year-old said: “We’d all love to have a housekeeper to take care of everything – well I know I would – but realistically that isn’t possible for many.

“It is a real luxury,” she acknowledges, “but there are households where both parents work in high-powered jobs, and they need to know that their domestic arrangements are running smoothly.

“There’s been a real shift in attitude and many of my clients are busy, professional executives who want to be able to make the most of their free time.

It was the arrival of her daughter, now aged two, that prompted Chloe to change her working life to fit around her role as a mother.

“I didn’t want to give up work,” said Chloe. “But I didn’t want to have to go to an office and work all hours while my daughter was growing up.

“While I was on maternity leave, I realised I didn’t want to go back to work full time. Even though flexible working has become much more acceptable since Covid, you still must stick to a routine and I didn’t want my working day to be that rigid.

“We’ve all experienced days in the office when it’s not that busy, but you are stuck sitting at your desk. I wanted to get away from that.”

In January 2023, Chloe set up Abode. “It is in my nature to create a business and do something for myself. To be my own boss. Dad ran his own business and I suppose I learned a lot from him.

“I am aware that this is a niche market, but it is definitely a growing industry and if you have the luxury of being able to pay people to help with day-to-day chores, so you can spend time with your children and enjoy some relaxation, then you want to be reassured that you have the right people working for you.”

Chloe, who grew up in Oxford and moved with her partner to Newbury a few years ago, has several years’ experience in recruitment after gaining a degree in business management, as well as a masters in human resources.

“I started in HR, but I moved across to recruitment in my first job because I really enjoy interacting with people and the fast pace and variety of the work.

“In Oxford I was recruiting carers and sending them out into the community. When we moved to Berkshire, I specialised in finding domestic staff for high income clients across the UK.”

Using the experience she had gained in her previous jobs, Chloe felt ready to take the next big step and set up her on her own.

Typically she will draw up a shortlist of suitable candidates before leaving the clients to do final interviews and find their perfect fit. “I work on building up a real rapport with my clients and make sure I find the right match for them.”

She says there is a seasonal pattern to her work with December and August being quiet because it is the holiday season and the spring, from April onwards, a busy time. People are looking for all sorts from live-in staff to daily help. The most popular positions she says are housekeepers and nannies – very often combining the two roles.

“Half the job is understanding people,” says Chloe. “It’s important that you listen to your client and get a real feel for what they are looking for and their expectations. Similarly, you need to get to know your candidates well – what they can offer and what they hope to get from the role.”

In her free time, apart from spending time with her daughter, Chloe hopes to get back to her hobby of painting. “Before my daughter was born, I used to love painting. I use water colours and acrylics, and I still have all my paints and brushes stored away. I really look forward to being able to get creative again.”

In the meantime, what has Chloe learned from setting up her own company?

“My goodness I’ve become a dab hand at marketing. As I said before, I wasn’t worried about the mechanics of setting up my own business, but I hadn’t really thought about how much of my time would be taken up with promoting the business.

“During the first year, I have had to create a social media presence and focus on marketing Abode and my services.”

It has certainly paid off, as Chloe has a growing list of clients and, although the bulk them are in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the Home Counties, she provides a service across the UK.

She now employs a part-time PA to help her and has a list of people looking to work in the service sector.

“Sometimes you find a housekeeper will stay with their family for 20 years, but that is rarer these days. People are looking for jobs that offer variety and a challenge. It’s so satisfying when you find a perfect match – to see both sides happy is a great feeling.”

Where does Chloe see herself in five years’ time?

“I can honestly say, I would be quite happy carrying on doing what I am doing. Maybe grow enough to have a handful of staff, but my home time is just as important to me and now the balance is working out just fine.”

For more information about Abode visit www.abodestaff.co.uk, or find them on Facebook at Abode Staff Ltd, or on Instagram @abodestaff