Joel has recently joined the Fulham Broadway BID board, with the shared vision of making Fulham a thriving and successful area for both local businesses and residents.
As a Founder of Woodfords Insurance Brokers Ltd, Joel knows what it is like to be a business owner in Fulham.
Joel recently took some time to speak with us and share his story and mission for Fulham. Take a look at what he had to say in the interview below!
Our sister company, Woodfords Solicitors LLP, has been an integral part of the Fulham and Chelsea community since they began trading in 1961. We decided that an insurance broking arm could be very beneficial to our clients and business owners in the local area.
I am the co-founder and managing director of Woodfords Insurance Brokers and have been working in the insurance industry for the best part of 10 years. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Woodfords Insurance Brokers has been operating successfully since September 2019 from when we started trading. I run the day-to-day, liaise with our new & existing clients, set our goals and strategies.
Woodfords Insurance Brokers assist our clients who are mainly property owners and business owners. The policies we arrange tend to be more commercially based, but we also help a number of high net worth individuals with their art collections, jewellery, personal contents.
Whilst our level of service is unfaltering, our access to the UK’s leading insurers adds substance. We are members of Broker Network, the UK’s largest network of insurance brokers. We can even arrange insurance for hard-to-place risks which often won’t be available elsewhere.
Very recently I’ve been accepted onto the directors of the BID, so I can’t say I’ve done an awful lot just yet! I’m really looking forward to it in the months and years ahead.
If truth be told, I didn't know an awful lot about the BID before having the initial conversation with existing BID members. I like the idea of a local business community coming together and looking to work towards the benefit of all. Not just for local businesses, but for local residents and people within the community as well.
I think this is particularly important post-COVID as people don’t know what the future’s going to look like for business hubs and localities. Looking at the BID and the positive contributions they are providing within the local community, I want to be a part of that.
I want to do my part in ensuring communal centres continue to be an important place where people can come together. Not just to do business, but also for events, networking, social and leisure. All sorts of things that are important in local areas.
In Fulham Broadway, we already have a tight-knit community which I’m very excited to be a part of.
As a small community in Fulham Broadway, it’s got that already - it’s already there!
I think it’s very important to communicate what you expect and what you want so that the BID can action it. Without that clear communication, you’re not going to get what you want essentially. That would be my advice to anybody looking to join and are wanting to get something out of the BID!
Say what you want so that it can be heard and actioned by local people who are running local businesses - and want the same things as you do!
Thank you to Joel for taking the time to speak with us and we’re wishing him the very best of luck in what he achieves with and for Fulham in the coming years!
If you’d like to reach out to Joel with any questions regarding the BID, you can do so with the information below:
Joel James
Managing Director
Woodfords Insurance Brokers Ltd
11 Harwood Road Fulham London SW6 4QP
Direct: 0203 141 9086
Mob: 07926 275 703
Email: joel@woodfordsinsurance.co.uk