The Apprentice, a strong team and family spirit: Highland Business Suites celebrates a decade in Inverness
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Highland Business Suites, the trading name for The Green House, a prominent business hub located in Inverness, celebrates its 10-year anniversary in October this year.
Since acquiring the building in 2014, it has transformed into a thriving space for local businesses and entrepreneurs, fostering growth and innovation in the Highlands.
Julie Lister, co-founder of Highland Business Suites, reflects on the journey, its milestones, and what the future holds for this family-run business.
History and growth of Highland Business Suites
The Green House was originally built in 1999 for Inverness and Nairn enterprise to support start-up businesses and a technology centre, it was privately sold and was in administration when HBS purchased it.
Reflecting on the origins of HBS, Julie recalled how it all began when her dad floated the idea to her, when she was expecting her first child and running her own shop.
“When dad shared his vision, it was an exciting thought and I was hooked”, she shared.
Her father, Henry, a local businessman with a history of successful ventures had proposed many ideas before that but this one felt right.
She continued: “It was daunting, but also incredibly exciting. We completed the deal within a month, hitting the ground running.”
The vision was to change the building from redundant incubator hubs and block wall offices into a luxury business centre where businesses could grow and network.
This was at the forefront of the renovation plans and with 20,000 sqft of building, it was completed over five phases.
Julie said: “Many companies shared our future vision and signed long term leases with us while the renovations took place and we are delighted that they are still part of the business community now within The Green House.”
The first part of the renovations started in September 2015 and were completed in January 2016, when businesses moved into their new, high standard office suites.
Julie continued: “We worked with our in-house architects CRGP who were initially in a small office suite and have grown to a to create a successful Inverness office of which we are very proud to still have them with us.
“We wanted to develop a first class reception space for our tenants and clients, so we relocated the reception to be the first point of contact to enable the warmest of welcomes.
“Within the development stage we created a breakout area for all tenants to relax, network and take time to refresh before going back into their office.
“We have since expanded on this creating a tuck shop area to help everyone refuel when needed. This is also the area we use to hold our annual summer and Christmas events for the tenants, again giving everyone a chance to network.”
The last phase was completed in December 2017 and transformed from hosting one business to four businesses.
What started as a bold step quickly evolved into a flourishing business that has stood the test of time, even expanding to an additional building – Marr House – three years ago.
Due to the amount of inquiries post covid, HBS saw a demand for office space and the opportunity for Marr House came up.
It was a privately owned building which was in need of major upgrading and renovation to take it to the standards that businesses require.
HBS looked at this project in 2021 and bought it in May 2022 and thanks to all the planning and advanced meetings with the team they were able to start renovations straight away.
Once again HBS had office suites signed up with pre let agreements.
“Marr House was another exciting project for me and with the background of The Green House it enabled us to design the building to best serve our tenants,” explained Julie.
“During the renovations I had ordered a custom made light from Israel to be a feature and this was a bit of a talking point around building meetings as it took a while to come then travelled around the world before eventually reaching its home at Marr House. I will always have that as my claim to the story of Marr”, she laughed.
The family dynamic remains an essential part of the business’s identity.
Julie highlighted her dad’s continued involvement in the business and although he has taken a step back and passed the reins over, his presence remains a reassuring factor, whether it’s assisting with small tasks like changing light bulbs or providing general guidance and support to the business.
Not only that but her mum also ensures that the reception has a fresh floral display each week to enhance the welcome experience.
Building a thriving business community
Over the past decade, Highland Business Suites has grown into a vibrant hub at The Green House, housing 15 different businesses spread across 18 office suites with a waiting list of prospective tenants.
Julie said: “We pride ourselves on striving for the best for our tenants and keeping the building and grounds to the highest standard. To help us along with this we have worked with Frazer from Graham & Sibbald for the last six years.”
The expansion into Marr House marked a significant milestone, adding four more businesses over six office suites and enabling the company to meet the growing demand for high-quality office spaces in the Highlands.
“We’ve always listened to our tenants and worked closely with them,” Julie explained.
“A lot of the growth has come from understanding what businesses need and ensuring we can provide it.”
The company prides itself on offering a flexible, welcoming space where businesses of all sizes can thrive.
With amenities like a fully manned reception, meeting room, boardroom, breakout area, shower room and more than ample parking — luxuries that are hard to find in other Inverness business centres — Highland Business Suites has become an attractive choice for local companies.
One of the most recent highlights came earlier this year when the BBC show, The Apprentice aired the first programme using The Green House boardroom!
Julie smiled: “In the episode they showcased the Highlands so it was great to be a part of, they had filmed the year before and we had to keep it quiet until it was on TV.
“That was one of the most exciting moments for us.”
Growth in the Highlands: a changing business landscape
Julie has seen first-hand how the business landscape in the Highlands has evolved over the past decade.
Once viewed as a ‘quieter’ region, the area is now attracting more interest from businesses both locally and further afield.
“The Highlands are definitely growing,” Julie noted.
“There’s a lot more buzz now, with businesses from further down south looking to establish a base up here. It’s exciting to see what’s coming next.”
The impact of the pandemic brought new challenges but also new opportunities.
Julie said: “We had many businesses that were essential key workers and we worked hard to put in place procedures to make The Green House a safe working environment for them to be able to carry out their jobs. Our priority was to keep businesses running.”
Julie also explained how many people who worked from home during the pandemic are now seeking office spaces as they start their ventures.
“There’s definitely been a rise in small businesses. People are branching out on their own, which has created more demand for office space,” she said.
The demand for flexible office solutions has remained strong post-pandemic, with Highland Business Suites catering to this shift by offering meeting and boardroom spaces that clients can use for important presentations or client meetings.
“A lot of growing businesses working from home use our facilities to present to clients,” Julie added.
“It gives them a professional space without the need for a permanent office.”
Julie credits much of this success to their close relationship with tenants and the family-oriented nature of the business.
“It really was a case of asking, ‘What can we do to help you?’ because their success is ultimately our success.”
A strong team and a family spirit
Highland Business Suites owes much of its success to its dedicated team.
Julie is particularly proud of the longstanding contributions of Marie Hunter, who has been with them since the very beginning.
“Marie is celebrating 25 years this year,” Julie beamed.
“She’s been here from the start of the building and has been an integral part of the team. We’re so lucky to have her and her experience.”
Alongside Marie, Barrie rounds out the team, ensuring that clients receive a warm welcome everyday.
Barrie joined the team six years ago and has been a significant part of the team since then.
“Our reception is manned from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, to make sure everyone feels welcome when they come in,” Julie said.
“It’s all part of the personal touch that makes us unique.”
Barrie commented: “Since joining The Greenhouse Team in August 2018, I have found it to be a wonderful and friendly place to work.
“We all feel well supported in this family business and enjoy, in turn, supporting the many companies who work and visit here.
“We will endeavour to continue to provide the high level of service we are known for.”
Marie added: “Over the last 10 years I have witnessed the development of The Green House into a successful, friendly and welcoming environment, making it an ideal workplace.
“Henry and Julie’s vision back then, truly became a reality!
“Our dedicated team will continue to provide the best services to all our tenants and clients for the foreseeable future!”
Looking ahead: sustainability and expansion
As Highland Business Suites looks toward the future, sustainability is at the forefront of their plans.
Last year, the company installed solar panels to The Green House, which has significantly reduced energy costs for both the business and its tenants.
“It’s made a huge difference,” Julie said.
“We’ve seen a big reduction in common area costs, and it’s part of our commitment to going greener.”
The company’s rebranding in recent years has also helped streamline its offerings. When Marr House enhanced the HBS portfolio it was time to rebrand as a company rather than just The Green House.
With a new website and a fantastic, easy to use booking system for meeting and boardrooms, Highland Business Suites has made it easier for clients to manage their bookings and access services.
“It’s been great, especially for people working from home who need a professional space to meet clients, they can look at the booking system and plan when they can use our rooms to host their meetings”, added Julie.
“It took a long time to find the right system to best suit us and our clients to make it a seamless experience. We encourage clients to use pop-up banners and make the room their own.”
As for the future, Julie is keeping an open mind. “Never say never,” she laughed when asked about further expansion.
For now, though, she’s happy with the balance they’ve achieved.
“What we have is working for us, and it’s sustainable. We’re in a good place.”
A decade of success and more to come
As Highland Business Suites celebrates 10 years of business, it’s clear that the company has made a lasting impact on the local business community.
From small beginnings to a thriving, two-building operation, Julie and her team have built something special — a place where businesses can grow, thrive, and call home.
The meeting and boardroom are to the highest standard and have fantastic facilities, they offer catering if required and generous at the door parking.
Looking back, Julie couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished.
“It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done, I have learned so much over the years and it has been a joy to work with all our lovely team and tenants. I am so thankful to my Dad for taking me on this journey and it has been an added bonus to have achieved this with him,” she said with a smile.
“It’s been a huge learning curve, but I’ve loved every minute of it.
“There’s nothing quite like watching something you’ve built grow into what Highland Business Suites has become.”
As they enter the next decade, one thing is certain: Highland Business Suites is poised for continued success.
HBS look forward to welcoming you. Go online or contact to book your next meeting/boardroom experience.
W: www.highlandbusinesssuites.com
E: hello@highlandbusinesssuites.com
T: 01463 667300
Client testimonials
“We love being part of the Highland Business Suites community. The facilities in the building are fantastic and all the tenants that you meet throughout the day are so friendly.
“It makes for such a fabulous environment. Not to mention The Green House staff, Marie and Barrie are always there to greet us in the morning with a smile.” – Tailormade Moves
“We have been tenants at The Green House for several years now and the Highland Business Suites team has been nothing but exceptional, professional and welcoming.
“We thoroughly enjoy coming into the offices for our work as they are modern, clean and welcoming. From The Green House staff to all the facilities that are available, we can’t fault a single thing and would highly recommend the office location to any business.” – sfG
